Thousands of vehicle owners will be stung twice this year after the implementation of the luxury tax comes into effect for vehicles with 1.929cc engines or larger and up to 10 years of age.

Of the 5.5 million car and motorcycle owners, about 500,000 will be called to pay a 5% to 10% extra tax on the value of their vehicle, depending on engine size and vehicle age. By taking into consideration that the domestic market has nearly collapsed, the extra taxes could likely be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

As with last year, the tax services will not be mailing out reminders for the next year’s road tax, so vehicle owners must log on to the www.gsis.gr website with their tax and registration details, where they will be able to print off the necessary documents. The applicable taxes can be paid at banks and post offices by the end of December, otherwise the tax will double.

The ubiquitous windshield stickers have also been abolished, so vehicle owners must hold on to the receipt of payment to prove that the appropriate taxes have been paid.