License for a Van

Gallant_JJ

Lads, some advice needed.

Looking at buying a large six seater van, like a transit crew cab, only they are out of my budget. Looking at one of these,

http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/18/56245718.html


On my license beside the pic of the car is '1+8', so I'm guessing my license limits me to driving a vehicle that carries 8/9 people max. My question is if I convert the van taking out the back 3 rows of seats and finishing it with ply, is the vehicle still considered a bus or will I be able to drive it on my current license? Obviously I know I will have to insure the said vehicle.

Apologies for my ignorance on the mater, as I have no idea what the procedure is. To be honest I have no idea who to even ask on the matter, the Gardai?

Would it be more straight forward to just buy:

http://www.usedcarsni.com/33413361?grtkey=1270334020_87787b575bb873d2b2cdde3e0755065e

If I bought that in the morning would my bog standard license cover me to drive it.

Thanks Lads

Nissan doctor

You B licence only covers you to drive an vehicle with 8 passanger seats and less then 3.5 tons.

could you not just get a people carrier? Or a crew cab like a hilux or Navara?

Gallant_JJ

Has to be a van I'm afraid for various reasons. Does that cover a vehicle that presently has 8 passenger seat, even if originally had 16? Didn't know about the 3.5 tonne limit, no idea if a master/transit etc would be under that.

Thanks for your help

Nissan doctor

Transits and similar vans are all well under 3.5 tons, when empty they'd barely be any heavier then a normal saloon car.

As for a 16 seater, its not just a case of removing the seats, you would have to re-register the van with the tax office as an 8 seater.

R.O.R

OP - are you based in NI, or would you be registering it down here?

If you are registering the vehicle ROI, then there is a substantial difference in the VRT between a 3.5Ton LWB Crew Cab (€50 VRT), a 16 seater minibus (€50 VRT) and an 8 seater minibus (36% VRT more than likely).

It's about €10k cheaper to buy a new 16 seater Transit than it is to buy a 9 seat Torneo because of the VRT.

If you can find a Crew Cab in budget, it has to have a GVW > 3,450KG, but to drive on a B licence it needs to be ,500kg.

Gallant_JJ

Thanks, R.O.R, good advice re the VRT, never thought of that. Is GVW, Gross Vehicle Weight? Why would a crew car have to have a GVW over 3.45 tonnes?

Seems like the simplest thing would be buy, it import it as a 16 seater for €50 and then modify it. How would one go about re registering the vehicle as a crew cab then?

Only problem is driving the vehicle before I can get it modified!

Nissan doctor

The problem is, if you import it for €50 and then reduce its seating capacity you may be liable for more VRT even if its already registered.

@R.O.R, are you certain that crew cab vans are still €50 vrt? Crew cab 4x4's are not €50 anymore.

R.O.R

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The problem is, if you import it for €50 and then reduce its seating capacity you may be liable for more VRT even if its already registered.

That would be like importing a commercial then sticking the seats back in. Revenue take a very dim view of that sort of thing if you get caught doing it.

Nissan doctor wrote: »

@R.O.R, are you certain that crew cab vans are still €50 vrt? Crew cab 4x4's are not €50 anymore.

Only if it has a GVW of >3,450kg. Harris uprate the springs on the D-Max to get it to this level, and I think the Irish version of the Navarra has uprated suspension to qualify for €50 VRT (last one I bought in 09 was only €50). L200 is a category B vehicle though.

That's why the only Crew Cab's you see in ROI are LWB Transit 350's or the equivalent. In the UK you'd see Transporters and Vivaro's converted, but here they would attract the highest level of VRT.

dsane1

Any idea what happens vrt wise if you buy a 13seater and convert it to 8 or 9 seats ?

L1011

dsane1 wrote: »

Any idea what happens vrt wise if you buy a 13seater and convert it to 8 or 9 seats ?

Liable for the difference in VRT between whats paid (50 quid) and whats due (rather a lot).

deebee3000

Hi, im wondering if i can just put a back seat into a transit and then register it as a crew cab. What are the ins and outs to this

R.O.R

deebee3000 wrote: »

Hi, im wondering if i can just put a back seat into a transit and then register it as a crew cab. What are the ins and outs to this

No is the simple answer. You'd need to move the bulhead to behind the second row of seats.

It also depends on the size of the load area behind the bulkhead, and the gross vehicle weight of the Transit as to whether is can be registered as a Crew Cab.

Fey!

The VRT implications have been discussed on here several times.

The rules for a crew cab with €50 VRT are:

There must be a solid, permanent bulkhead behind the back row of seats seperating the passenger area from the load area.

The length of the load area must be a minimum of 45% of the length of the wheelbase of the vehicle.

The laden capacity of the vehicle must exceed 3,450kg. This is on a plate attached by the manufacturer in the engine bay on the bulkhead. If it isn't there, a letter from the manufacturer will suffice. (n.b. some distributers such as Nissan upgrade the springs on their vehicles in order to decrease the vrt from 13.5% to €50 by upping the carrying capacity. Importing the same vehicle from the UK may cost the 13.5% VRT as a result.)


If the vehicle fails to meet either the load area or laden weight dimensions, VRT will be charged at 13.5%.

See ROS.ie for details.