There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Uk get it both from fuel duty and the annual road tax (VED - vehicle excise duty. ) One advantage is that renewing the VED also allows the government to check the car is currently insured and MOT (technical) tested if required. Indeed some cars actually pay no VED at all (zero tax rate) but still have to 'renew' every year . There is also a presumption that all registered vehicles are in use, on the road ,(even if its not) and liable to pay any tax and be insured . The registered keeper can only avoid paying the tax and fines for non payment if they declare the vehicle as 'SORN' - Statutory off road notification. Using a vehicle that has been declared SORN (or even parking it on a road or a public place such as a car park ) is an offence with a big fine.
Some countries have Motorway tolls paid depending on usage. Some have a motorway vignette, purchased for a period, from 1 day to annual , regardless of how much use you get from it. Some drivers who only use motorways infrequently might only buy a short term one if needed for a special trip.
Bulgaria has a vignette that applies to all roads outside towns and villages.(Not just motorways) But drivers who seldom leave their home city can still in theory do without one, except for special trips. (An annual vignette is about £40 for a car) . One advantage is that visiting foreign vehicles also have to pay or face heavy fines .There are frequent vignette ANPR readers, permanent fixtures ,with an enforcement van waiting further up the road to stop any vehicles that trigger the camera.
Bulgarian registered cars also have to display a high tech screen sticker proving the bare minimum insurance, and another for the technical test (MOT) They also have to pay an annual environmental tax to their local municipality. This varies by town and car but may be as little as £7 a year.
On the plus side petrol can be as little as £1.04 a litre - but more typically £1.15 (1.20 - 1.33 euro)
You can apply for the various national vignettes on line . We once got a hefty penalty from a UK based debt collection agency saying we hadnt bought a Hungarian vignette. About £150 for a £15 vignette
. (and this was post Brexit when many fondly believe they can now escape being chased for foreign fines
) We didnt have to pay the penalty as my administration secretary (Mrs LV
) had in fact bought one but had inadvertently transposed a zero for an "o" on the registration number. Mistakes between I's and O's was the only acceptable excuse.
