| (1) | Subject to the provisions of subregulation (2), liability for the registration of a motor vehicle shall arise— |
| (a) | in the case of a motor vehicle to be registered for the first time in the Republic— |
| (i) | if the motor vehicle was manufactured, on the date of completion of manufacture of such motor vehicle; |
| (ii) | if the motor vehicle was built by a builder who is required to register as such under these regulations, on the date of completion of the building of such motor vehicle; |
| (iii) | if the motor vehicle was built up from parts by a builder who is not required to register as such under these regulations, on the date of completion of the building of such motor vehicle; |
| (iv) | if the motor vehicle was imported by an importer, on the date of arrival of such vehicle in the Republic or on the date on which such motor vehicle is cleared in terms of the provisions of the customs and excise legislation, if applicable; |
| (v) | subject to the provisions of regulation 4, if the motor vehicle was acquired outside the Republic, on the date on which such motor vehicle is brought into the Republic or on the date on which such motor vehicle is cleared in terms of the customs and excise legislation, if applicable; |
| (vi) | if it is a motor vehicle which is deemed to be registered in terms of regulation 4, on the date it ceases to be so deemed; |
| (vii) | if it is a motor vehicle which is exempt from registration in terms of regulation 5 and such exemption is withdrawn or is no longer applicable, on the date of such withdrawal or when such exemption no longer applies; |
| (viii) | if it is a motor vehicle that has been forfeited to the State or other authority, the date on which the motor vehicle is so forfeited; |
| (b) | in the case of a motor vehicle which was previously registered in the Republic — |
| (i) | on the date on which the registration of such vehicle becomes null and void, in terms of regulation 6(1)(a), (c) or (d) or, if applicable, regulation 6(1)(e); |
[Regulation 7(1)(b)(i) substituted by regulation 7(a) of Notice No. R. 1341 of 2003]
| (ii) | which was stolen and deregistered in terms of regulation 54(4) and is recovered, on the date of release of such motor vehicle by the South African Police Service; |
[Regulation 7(1)(b)(ii) substituted by regulation 7(b) of Notice No. R. 1341 of 2003]
| (iii) | in the case of a motor vehicle referred to in regulation 6(1)(f), on the date referred to in regulation 23(2), |
[Regulation 7(1)(b)(iii) inserted by regulation 7(c) of Notice No. R. 1341 of 2003]
| (iv) | on the date of issue of a temporary permit issued in terms of regulation 84. |
[Regulation 7(1)(b)(iv) inserted by regulation 4 of Notice No. R. 846 of 2014]
| (c) | in the circumstances not contemplated in the foregoing provisions of this subregulation, on the date determined by the MEC concerned. |
| (2) | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Part, a motor vehicle referred to in subregulation (1)(b) may be operated on a public road for a period of 21 days after the date of liability referred to in this regulation in order to register such vehicle while the licence number allocated thereto and the licence disc issued in respect thereof are displayed in the manner contemplated in regulations 35 and 36 respectively. |
| (3) | If it is in issue in any civil or criminal proceedings whether an alleged date is the date referred to in subregulation (1), the date alleged to be the date referred to in subregulation (1) shall, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be deemed to be the date referred to in the said subregulation. |
