The finance law for the year 2026, officially published in the JORT, introduces a measure eagerly awaited by Tunisian motorists: an exceptional exemption from arrears linked to the automobile sticker. The stated objective is twofold: to reduce the tax pressure on citizens and to encourage the regularization of tax situations accumulated in recent years.
Concretely, the law provides for the erasure of unpaid traffic stickers for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. This exemption also concerns the penalties and fines associated with these delays. This is a one-off measure, integrated into the 2026 finance law, which does not call into question the obligation to pay current vignettes.
To benefit from this exemption, an essential condition is imposed: the owner of the vehicle must have paid the sticker relating to the year 2025 as well as that of 2026. Without this update, the erasure of arrears does not apply.
Tax authorities present this provision as an incentive mechanism for compliance. Many motorists had stopped paying the sticker due to economic difficulties, thus accumulating sometimes significant tax debts. By allowing a restart from scratch, the State seeks to reintegrate these taxpayers into the legal circuit and improve the future recovery rate.
The scales in force remain applicable
It should be noted, however, that this measure does not mean a reduction in the amount of the sticker itself. The scales in force for 2026 remain applicable and vary depending on the taxable power of the vehicle and the type of fuel. The exemption only applies to the previous years concerned.
The 2026 finance law thus offers an exceptional opportunity to motorists in an irregular situation to regularize their file without bearing the weight of arrears. A measure which, if well understood and correctly applied, could settle an old tax dispute between the administration and road users.
