Changing from UK plates to NI plates

Jizzer

Is there much involved in changing from UK plates to Northern Ireland plates in terms of red tape etc?

I have just moved to Northern Ireland recently.

Anyone else done something similar?

zilog_jones

Do you need to? Do they even let you? I remember frequently seeing NI plates in the UK - most people wouldn't even know the difference.

Wishbone Ash

You don't have to change. Any UK plates are acceptable within the UK.

Alun

There'd be nothing from stopping you from just buying a NI reg from the DVLA and transferring it to your car if you really wanted to 'blend in' or whatever, but I can't really see the point.

franksm

It's easy, and what's more, it's free !

Just bring all your docs and current tax disc to the Tax office at the Waterworks, Belfast, and queue up. They'll print you a new tax disc there and then, and issue your new logbook in the post.

ambro25

zilog_jones wrote:

I remember frequently seeing NI plates in the UK - most people wouldn't even know the difference.

Actually, most people in the UK probably think they're private/vanity plates

pow wow

Yep, they're marketed as vanity plates in England anyway!

Wishbone Ash

ellscurr wrote:

Yep, they're marketed as vanity plates in England anyway!

Usually used to 'hide' the age of an older car.

colm_mcm

thought the OP was moving to ROI?

Wishbone Ash

colm_mcm wrote:

thought the OP was moving to ROI?

He/she did say "I have just moved to Northern Ireland recently" nothing about ROI Colm!

colm_mcm

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055088568&referrerid=&highlight=porsche

Hard to see why someone would bother changing to NI plates if they plan to export it to ROI, that's all

franksm

If that's the case (moving to ROI but "using" NI plates) I'm afraid that loophole is closing !

I'm legit (I think - four cars, three on yellow plates but kept in Belfast most of the time) and get stopped by Customs & Excise often enough for the yellow plates. Thankfully I carry all the docs I need for them to usually wave me on there and then (logbook, bank statements from Belfast, bills from Belfast, etc)

Board-in-work

Last time I checked, NI was part of the UK.

You wouldn't change plates if you lived in MAnchester and were moving to Liverpool.

Not required.

Hagar

AFAIK it was a legal requirement up to a couple of years ago. Security paranoia inspired probably, don't want Paddy letting on to be a real Brit do we?:rolleyes:

Wishbone Ash

Board-in-work wrote:

Last time I checked, NI was part of the UK.

You wouldn't change plates if you lived in MAnchester and were moving to Liverpool.

I don't think the sarcasm is warranted Board-in-work. The registration format in England/Scotland/Wales is totally different from that in Northern Ireland and therefore it is reasonable to expect some people to assume that reregistration is required.

Jizzer

franksm wrote:

It's easy, and what's more, it's free !

Just bring all your docs and current tax disc to the Tax office at the Waterworks, Belfast, and queue up. They'll print you a new tax disc there and then, and issue your new logbook in the post.

Cheers for the info franksm.

Richard

Wishbone Ash wrote:

I don't think the sarcasm is warranted Board-in-work. The registration format in England/Scotland/Wales is totally different from that in Northern Ireland and therefore it is reasonable to expect some people to assume that reregistration is required.

True, but the original poster talked about changing from UK to NI plates - which doesn't make sense. GB to NI plates makes more sense.

Having said that, you are correct in stating that NI is dealt with seperately. See http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022582 for more information on taking a vehicle out of Great Britain.

Ring DVLNI on 0845 402 4000 and they will be able to tell you all the information you need to know.

OKenora

You don't have to change. Any UK plates are acceptable within the UK.

It's easy, and what's more, it's free !

Not quite right about plates being acceptable, and it's not free to change either. To EXPORT a car, yes i said EXPORT from the mainland to NI you have to...

* Complete form V55/5 (for used vehicles) .
* Pay a £50 registration fee.
* Pay the required fee for the licence (i.e 6 or 12 months tax).#
* Show a current UK certificate of insurance or cover note (insurance should be in the name of the registered keeper).
* Foreign registration document and any other papers you have relating to the vehicle (including the UK V5).
* Evidence showing the date the vehicle was collected (normally the invoice from the supplier).
* A current UK MOT test certificate (if applicable).
* Documentation confirming your name and address.

You can also choose to keep the original UK reg or get a brand new NI reg if you want.

After that you get a new tax disc (at current rates of course) and the old one is invalidated. you can post it off to Swansea to get a refund for all full remaining months.

it is a legal requirement to do this when bringing the car to NI even from the mainland

The law requires the car to be taxed AND registered before you are allowed use it on the roads. When you leave GB and your new address is in NI you need to re-register it at your new address.

Imports from the mainland are treated no differently to imports from anywhere else. it could be Lagos or Liverpool the car is coming from, only difference is the Liverpool one won't be charged import duties or VAT as they were paid already when new.

For info they seem to have a new but so far undocumented policy of insisting on photographic ID as well, so if you have some bring it (full drivers licence or passport). I didn't with my Porsche and decided to tell them there and then that their official list does not require it and I had produced all they required (I had my drivers licence in the car but it was piddling rain and I was wet enough and had waited 30 minutes already to get to the counter). The girl on the counter refused to budge but a quick call for and a chat with the office manager soon sorted it

HINT: try to time the re-reg to when the numbers 911, 928, 535, 740 or any other prestige car number are due to be issued. The plate then becomes worth a lot more than a bog standard one.

franksm

Well that's odd, it was free for me to change from an English plate to an NI plate.

Queued up, went to the girl at the desk tax-disc and logbook in hand wanting to buy 12 months road tax there and then. Asked her if I need another form to change to an NI plate, rather than just add 12 months to the English plate.

"No problem" says she, scans the log book, and prints a new disc there and then. Literally 30 seconds of work. Says the new logbook would be in the post to me within 10 days, and tells me to get new plates on the car "as soon as you can".

Absolutely free apart from the £170 12-month tax I would have been paying anyway.

OKenora

the DVLNI rules according to DVLNI

If they taxed your vehicle then it either must already have been registered with DVLNI, they cannot (as in physically impossible) tax it if it is not on the computer or if it is still registered with DVLA then should not be on the DVLNI computer system and should not have had a disc issued until the car appeared on the system.

Count yourself lucky, but I'll stick by the rules on the website for now.

Maybe the girl confused the change of address on a UK registered car with the import of the car. I presume you changed your address on the V5 ? If so then she may not have thought it was an import, but simply a change of details which is free.

Check this page out . Use that, type in your cars UK registration, when the details come up check that the export marker says "EXPORT" and not "NONE". If it says "NONE" and your car is on NI plates then it strictly speaking should not be on the road and is illegaly registered, though you would have to find a real nasty judge or Policeman to do you for it as it's simply a clerical error.

EDIT: just thought, maybe the rules were changed after you taxed your car, it's been a while since we had a tax band at £170 a year. Your car is either a pre 2001 1549cc or greater or has emissions in excess of 166 g/km ?

Wishbone Ash

Richard wrote:

True, but the original poster talked about changing from UK to NI plates - which doesn't make sense. GB to NI plates makes more sense

Point taken!