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I recently brought in a car from the UK and found the following overview a great help. It is a good read for anyone thinking of bringing in a car or jeep in the near future.
Guide for Importing Cars from the UK
All new cars sold in Ireland will have Vehicle registration Tax (VRT) included in the price. All cars imported into Ireland are also subject to VRT which will have to be paid to the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
Although you will have to pay vehicle registration tax (VRT) on a UK car import, the real saving is made when importing a second hand model as you will be paying VRT on the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) which will be greatly reduced. The OMSP is the price the vehicle is currently worth in Ireland at the time of import..
The following is a guide for anyone interested in importing a car from the UK into Ireland. By following this guide you will make sure that:
You get a better exchange rate on your car purchase making your car import considerably cheaper
You make sure that you car is in good condition
You complete all of the necessary paperwork for the tax office in time.
You have all the information necessary to get your car on the road as soon as possible
How much will I save by using Currency.ie to pay for my UK car import? The saving we make is on the import price, before the VRT is estimated:
2% for transfers under €10,000;
1.5% for transfers form €10,001 to €20,000;
1% for transfers over €20,000.
Click here and see a number of models we have paid for for clients, what they have saved by importing and what we saved them on the payment in addition to this. Why Import a car from the UK? Cheaper
Even after VRT is taken into account you can still expect to save 5-25% off the price of your imported car compared to buying the equivalent model on the Irish marketplace.
Higher spec
Asides from price you also tend to get a higher specification model when importing from Northern Ireland or the UK.
Service histories
Service histories are usually very good.
Better Condition
This is down to better roads, more motorway and a keener interest in car maintenance. The Used car market in the UK expect cars to be in immaculate condition with a perfect service history.
How can I make sure that the car has no problems? History
There are a number of ways you can research a cars history online to look out for:
outstanding finance due on the car
previous damage
stolen vehicles
clocked mileage
vehicle identity
My Car check is the cheapest service for this: www.mycarcheck.com
Current condition
It is advisable to also have a vehicle inspection. It will cost a few hundred euro but will save you buying a faulty vehicle. This check may cost approximately £100 however it is well worth the investment.
What is the cheapest way to buy sterling to pay for the UK car import?Many people neglect the importance that commissions and exchange rates have on the cost of their car import and simply get a sterling draft from their bank branch. If you do this you are 100% guaranteed to lose a few hundred euro.
Call our vehicle payments team on one of the following numbers and we will guarantee to save you money.
Ireland: +353 1 635 3700
UK: +44 207 659 9185
Australia: +61 2 9037 2735
USA: +1 8 667 993 864
New Zealand: +64 9 366 0877
How do I bring the car back?
Get it delivered;
There are trucks travelling between the UK and Ireland regularly offering delivery services.
Collect it yourself;
You will need to travel to the UK by ferry and returning by ferry. Unless the car is near the coast, it is probably easier to book a cheap flight with a low fairs airline to the airport closest to the cars location and book the ferry home. You may also need to consider booking a nights accommodation to split the journey or if flight times don't suit. It's also worth asking the seller to collect you at the airport as many sellers would be more than willing to do this.
When do I pay my VRT on a UK car import? VRT - Vehicle Registration Tax must be paid by the end of the next day, following its arrival in Ireland.
What if the car has been modified and the specification is not on the revenues database? Your local revenue office will need to send the details of your car to Revenue in Rosslare for a ruling on the OMSP and applicable VRT for a car if there is no previous record of a car of that spec being imported. Legally you will have to declare that the engine size is bigger when you are registering/taxing it in the state.
How is VRT calculated? For cars imported or sold in ireland before July 1 2008 VRT is calculated based on engine size:
On cars from 0 to 1400cc, VRT is charged at 22.5% of the OMSP
On cars between 1401cc and 1900cc, VRT is charged at 25% of the OMSP
On cars greater than 1900cc VRT is charged at 30%.
VRT charged on commercial vehicles is just €50. *If you are importing a car from Japan you will also have to pay VAT.
On cars imported into Ireland or sold in Ireland on or after July 1 2008 VRT will be calculated based on CO2 emissions
Click here to select your car model to see what percentage VRT you will have to pay on a car imported on or after this date.
How do I pay the VRT?You will need to pay this in your local VRO (vehicle registration office). Click here to find your local vehicle registration office: www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/cont_main.htm
This can be done by filling out a VRT4 form which can be downloaded here: VRT4 download.
Once you bring your vehicle to the VRO the team there will inspect your vehicle to calculate the exact VRT payable.
What else will I need to provide the VRO?
V5 form or the registered keepers form/log book. The seller (private or garage) has to provide you with this. Do not buy a car without this.
If the seller is serious about selling they can get this replaced and provide you with it pre purchase.
Proof of identity
A personal cheque or a bank draft for the amount of tax assessed. They will generally only accept a cheque or bank draft. The cheque should be made out to the revenue commissioners.
What do I receive once I have paid my VRT?
A receipt for the VRT paid showing the registration number assigned to your car.
A Form RF 100 for use when you are applying for road tax.
Registration plates showing the assigned registration number must be displayed on your car within 3 days of the date of registration (a leaflet showing the correct legal format of the registration plates to be used is available at any VRO). You can apply for registration plates on www.reg-plates-ireland.com. There is also a number plate shop beside the VRT office in Dublin city.
If I have been living in the UK and am bringing a vehicle back to Ireland am I exempt from paying VRT? Yes, once you have been living in the UK and have bought and owned the car for at least 6 months while living in the UK.
I have been living in the UK for the past 6 months or more. Want do I need to prove that I have been living in the UK for at least 6 months? The vehicle registration office is very particular about making sure that you have substantial evidence to show that you have indeed been living in the UK and are not simply trying to trick the system in avoiding VRT. The following would be required as evidence:
Vehicle Registration Certificate / Export Certificate
Evidence of vehicle’s insurance cover abroad for previous 6 months
Current Drivers Licence
Invoice relating to the purchase of the vehicle
Sailing ticket or other relevant document
Evidence of the sale of property abroad
Evidence of a property rental / tenancy agreement abroad
Evidence of payment of taxes abroad (P45, P60, poll tax etc.)
Evidence of day-to-day living abroad (e.g. household bills, medical records, work contracts etc.)
Out of interest how much motor tax will I pay annually on my vehicle?You pay road tax on a vehicle no matter whether you are importing a car yourself or buying it in Ireland. The amount of motor tax you pay is currently based on engine size. For new cars registered from 1 July 2008, motor tax charges will be determined on the basis of seven CO2 bands. Charges will range from €100 a year for the greenest cars to €2,000 for cars with the highest emissions ratings.
Cars registered before 1 January 2008 will continue to pay motor tax on the basis of engine size. New cars registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 will have the choice weather to tax their vehicle based on engine size or CO2 emissions. You simply choose whichever is cheapest. There is a lot of confusion over this matter however this is the official word from the motor tax office as of 24th April 2008.
Old system
The following are the old tax bands that applied based on engine size: www.whatcar.ie/roadtaxcalculator.php
The following are the new tax bands that will apply after June 30th 2008:
New System
Band A, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of under 120 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €100.
Band B, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 121 and 140 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €150.
Band C, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 141 and 155 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €290.
Band D, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 156 and 170 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €430.
Band E, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 171 and 190 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €600.
Band F, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 191 and 225 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €1,000.
Band G, the top band - motor tax rate of €2,000, reflecting CO2 emissions of over 225 grams per kilometre.
How should I insure my new car?Most Irish companies will cover you for a period limited to approximately 30 days on UK plates until you have changed the plates over and got your new Irish plates. Ask your insurance company to transfer your policy to the new car. They will only issue a temporary cover for a non-Irish reg that lasts for 1 month.
If you have any other questions that we can help you with regarding importing a car from the UK please email [email protected]
Guide for Importing Cars from the UK
All new cars sold in Ireland will have Vehicle registration Tax (VRT) included in the price. All cars imported into Ireland are also subject to VRT which will have to be paid to the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
Although you will have to pay vehicle registration tax (VRT) on a UK car import, the real saving is made when importing a second hand model as you will be paying VRT on the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) which will be greatly reduced. The OMSP is the price the vehicle is currently worth in Ireland at the time of import..
The following is a guide for anyone interested in importing a car from the UK into Ireland. By following this guide you will make sure that:
You get a better exchange rate on your car purchase making your car import considerably cheaper
You make sure that you car is in good condition
You complete all of the necessary paperwork for the tax office in time.
You have all the information necessary to get your car on the road as soon as possible
How much will I save by using Currency.ie to pay for my UK car import? The saving we make is on the import price, before the VRT is estimated:
2% for transfers under €10,000;
1.5% for transfers form €10,001 to €20,000;
1% for transfers over €20,000.
Click here and see a number of models we have paid for for clients, what they have saved by importing and what we saved them on the payment in addition to this. Why Import a car from the UK? Cheaper
Even after VRT is taken into account you can still expect to save 5-25% off the price of your imported car compared to buying the equivalent model on the Irish marketplace.
Higher spec
Asides from price you also tend to get a higher specification model when importing from Northern Ireland or the UK.
Service histories
Service histories are usually very good.
Better Condition
This is down to better roads, more motorway and a keener interest in car maintenance. The Used car market in the UK expect cars to be in immaculate condition with a perfect service history.
How can I make sure that the car has no problems? History
There are a number of ways you can research a cars history online to look out for:
outstanding finance due on the car
previous damage
stolen vehicles
clocked mileage
vehicle identity
My Car check is the cheapest service for this: www.mycarcheck.com
Current condition
It is advisable to also have a vehicle inspection. It will cost a few hundred euro but will save you buying a faulty vehicle. This check may cost approximately £100 however it is well worth the investment.
What is the cheapest way to buy sterling to pay for the UK car import?Many people neglect the importance that commissions and exchange rates have on the cost of their car import and simply get a sterling draft from their bank branch. If you do this you are 100% guaranteed to lose a few hundred euro.
Call our vehicle payments team on one of the following numbers and we will guarantee to save you money.
Ireland: +353 1 635 3700
UK: +44 207 659 9185
Australia: +61 2 9037 2735
USA: +1 8 667 993 864
New Zealand: +64 9 366 0877
How do I bring the car back?
Get it delivered;
There are trucks travelling between the UK and Ireland regularly offering delivery services.
Collect it yourself;
You will need to travel to the UK by ferry and returning by ferry. Unless the car is near the coast, it is probably easier to book a cheap flight with a low fairs airline to the airport closest to the cars location and book the ferry home. You may also need to consider booking a nights accommodation to split the journey or if flight times don't suit. It's also worth asking the seller to collect you at the airport as many sellers would be more than willing to do this.
When do I pay my VRT on a UK car import? VRT - Vehicle Registration Tax must be paid by the end of the next day, following its arrival in Ireland.
What if the car has been modified and the specification is not on the revenues database? Your local revenue office will need to send the details of your car to Revenue in Rosslare for a ruling on the OMSP and applicable VRT for a car if there is no previous record of a car of that spec being imported. Legally you will have to declare that the engine size is bigger when you are registering/taxing it in the state.
How is VRT calculated? For cars imported or sold in ireland before July 1 2008 VRT is calculated based on engine size:
On cars from 0 to 1400cc, VRT is charged at 22.5% of the OMSP
On cars between 1401cc and 1900cc, VRT is charged at 25% of the OMSP
On cars greater than 1900cc VRT is charged at 30%.
VRT charged on commercial vehicles is just €50. *If you are importing a car from Japan you will also have to pay VAT.
On cars imported into Ireland or sold in Ireland on or after July 1 2008 VRT will be calculated based on CO2 emissions
Click here to select your car model to see what percentage VRT you will have to pay on a car imported on or after this date.
How do I pay the VRT?You will need to pay this in your local VRO (vehicle registration office). Click here to find your local vehicle registration office: www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/cont_main.htm
This can be done by filling out a VRT4 form which can be downloaded here: VRT4 download.
Once you bring your vehicle to the VRO the team there will inspect your vehicle to calculate the exact VRT payable.
What else will I need to provide the VRO?
V5 form or the registered keepers form/log book. The seller (private or garage) has to provide you with this. Do not buy a car without this.
If the seller is serious about selling they can get this replaced and provide you with it pre purchase.
Proof of identity
A personal cheque or a bank draft for the amount of tax assessed. They will generally only accept a cheque or bank draft. The cheque should be made out to the revenue commissioners.
What do I receive once I have paid my VRT?
A receipt for the VRT paid showing the registration number assigned to your car.
A Form RF 100 for use when you are applying for road tax.
Registration plates showing the assigned registration number must be displayed on your car within 3 days of the date of registration (a leaflet showing the correct legal format of the registration plates to be used is available at any VRO). You can apply for registration plates on www.reg-plates-ireland.com. There is also a number plate shop beside the VRT office in Dublin city.
If I have been living in the UK and am bringing a vehicle back to Ireland am I exempt from paying VRT? Yes, once you have been living in the UK and have bought and owned the car for at least 6 months while living in the UK.
I have been living in the UK for the past 6 months or more. Want do I need to prove that I have been living in the UK for at least 6 months? The vehicle registration office is very particular about making sure that you have substantial evidence to show that you have indeed been living in the UK and are not simply trying to trick the system in avoiding VRT. The following would be required as evidence:
Vehicle Registration Certificate / Export Certificate
Evidence of vehicle’s insurance cover abroad for previous 6 months
Current Drivers Licence
Invoice relating to the purchase of the vehicle
Sailing ticket or other relevant document
Evidence of the sale of property abroad
Evidence of a property rental / tenancy agreement abroad
Evidence of payment of taxes abroad (P45, P60, poll tax etc.)
Evidence of day-to-day living abroad (e.g. household bills, medical records, work contracts etc.)
Out of interest how much motor tax will I pay annually on my vehicle?You pay road tax on a vehicle no matter whether you are importing a car yourself or buying it in Ireland. The amount of motor tax you pay is currently based on engine size. For new cars registered from 1 July 2008, motor tax charges will be determined on the basis of seven CO2 bands. Charges will range from €100 a year for the greenest cars to €2,000 for cars with the highest emissions ratings.
Cars registered before 1 January 2008 will continue to pay motor tax on the basis of engine size. New cars registered between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 will have the choice weather to tax their vehicle based on engine size or CO2 emissions. You simply choose whichever is cheapest. There is a lot of confusion over this matter however this is the official word from the motor tax office as of 24th April 2008.
Old system
The following are the old tax bands that applied based on engine size: www.whatcar.ie/roadtaxcalculator.php
The following are the new tax bands that will apply after June 30th 2008:
New System
Band A, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of under 120 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €100.
Band B, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 121 and 140 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €150.
Band C, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 141 and 155 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €290.
Band D, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 156 and 170 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €430.
Band E, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 171 and 190 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €600.
Band F, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 191 and 225 grams per kilometre - motor tax rate of €1,000.
Band G, the top band - motor tax rate of €2,000, reflecting CO2 emissions of over 225 grams per kilometre.
How should I insure my new car?Most Irish companies will cover you for a period limited to approximately 30 days on UK plates until you have changed the plates over and got your new Irish plates. Ask your insurance company to transfer your policy to the new car. They will only issue a temporary cover for a non-Irish reg that lasts for 1 month.
If you have any other questions that we can help you with regarding importing a car from the UK please email [email protected]