Importing from England. Should I tax in UK.

JohnnyBananas

Hi All,

I’m planning to import a presently untaxed vehicle in the UK. I will be picking it up and driving it directly to the ferry. Technically it should be taxed within the UK, however it’s not economically viable for such a short journey. I have rung up the UK tax authority and I have been told the minimum period of tax is 6 months which would cost me £100.

I’m trying to decide the best course of action. If anyone has previous experience of this scenario, I would appreciate any constructive information.

Thanks In Advance for all responses.

jon1981

i brought a car in from the UK, i didnt tax it either. but you will have your invoice and ferry ticket with you, if you're stopped by the police just tell them you only bought it and show them the docs and your intention of leaving the country, im sure they will let you pass. Also remember to switch your insurance over!!

alias no.9

How far will you be driving? The further you need to drive, the more chance of being picked up on the ANPR system. If you are stopped, the UK police can seize and crush the car if it's on a public road without tax. There's no two month grace period or 10 days to present in your local station. They may be lenient but that is the worst that can happen.

bazz26

There are alot of motorways especially close to the ferry ports with ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras fitted these days. I guess it's down to you to take the chance but at the end of the day the fine might work out more expensive than the cost of the tax.

I know unlike here, you can claim unused tax back in the UK but I think you have to be a resident to do so.

JHMEG

Have a copy of the ferry ticket with you. That'll sort out any problems in the event you're stopped.

Max Power1

JHMEG wrote: »

Have a copy of the ferry ticket with you. That'll sort out any problems in the event you're stopped.

Will it though?
I think its more a case of hope that the policeman lets you go as opposed to him being unable to take action. Basically it seems to me that the OP would be taking a chance by driving the car untaxed - only the OP can work out if its worth the risk to him/her or not IMO

B00MSTICK

Ask whoever is selling the car to tax it and then he can claim it back after. AFAIK.

Henry Ford III

Max Power1 wrote: »

Will it though?
I think its more a case of hope that the policeman lets you go as opposed to him being unable to take action. Basically it seems to me that the OP would be taking a chance by driving the car untaxed - only the OP can work out if its worth the risk to him/her or not IMO

It's a risk.

Get stopped by a cop (lots of cop cars have ANPR) in a bad mood and you'll potentially be a foot passenger on that ferry.

smash

If you have insurance, ferry ticket and the V5 you should be ok. If a cop stops you and you produce your ferry ticket, insurance and a V5 to state the car is being exported then they'll wave you on.

Try collect the car on a Saturday or Sunday too - if all the above fails you can argue the tax office wasn't open and you needed to get the ferry!

dirtydiesel

steve06 wrote: »

If you have insurance, ferry ticket and the V5 you should be ok. If a cop stops you and you produce your ferry ticket, insurance and a V5 to state the car is being exported then they'll wave you on.

Try collect the car on a Saturday or Sunday too - if all the above fails you can argue the tax office wasn't open and you needed to get the ferry!

Are the motorway patrols off at weekends? Imo the day he travels makes no difference, its an offence to drive without road tax and the UK police are quick to take an untaxed car.
Only way you can tax it is if the current owner does it for you as im guessing your driving on an irish policy
I think as mentioned if you have all your paperwork in order showing your exporting the car you should be ok.

Henry Ford III

Taxing it would cost a lot less than getting it impounded and associated costs and delays.

smash

dirtydiesel wrote: »

Are the motorway patrols off at weekends? Imo the day he travels makes no difference, its an offence to drive without road tax and the UK police are quick to take an untaxed car.

No but the tax office is, and if you buy a car and the tax office is closed and you have to catch a boat to export the car for good I really don't think they're going to take the car from you!

If they did, I'd say you might have a case!

alias no.9

steve06 wrote: »

No but the tax office is, and if you buy a car and the tax office is closed and you have to catch a boat to export the car for good I really don't think they're going to take the car from you!

If they did, I'd say you might have a case!

The UK is a different world when it comes to motor tax. There is no unofficial 2 months grace period, no 10 days to produce your documents at your local station and if you don't tax your car on time and haven't declared it off the road, you'll just get a fine in the post, regardless of whether you're spotted by a cop or not.

Mr Benevolent

Just get the seller to tax it for a a month, if that's possible in the UK.

macplaxton

Tax the car and send the disc back for a rebate. Rebate is for every whole unexpired month and does not include the 10% surcharge that a 6 month disc carries.

That's the official way

dirtydiesel

steve06 wrote: »

No but the tax office is, and if you buy a car and the tax office is closed and you have to catch a boat to export the car for good I really don't think they're going to take the car from you!
Ah yes I misunderstood your post sorry, when I lived in UK all vehicle tax was issued from the post office, any main post office could check your paperwork and issue a disk, not sure if thats still the way its done.

Vertakill

An Irish accent, ferry ticket, receipt of car purchase, V5C and driving in the direction of the ferry....I seriously doubt any cop would bother giving you grief if you were able to explain all of that.

L1011

bazz26 wrote: »

There are alot of motorways especially close to the ferry ports with ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras fitted these days.

Theres no motorway close to either of the three main ferry ports used by Irish car traffic....


The risk is ANPR in police *cars* anyway, not fitted cameras. The cameras will result in the former owner getting a demand for tax, you'll be home and VRTed by then.

Eboneezer

Sorry to be digging up an old thread.

The UK dealer I'm buying from will not let car out without me taxing it (6 months). I'm prepared to pay for the Tax to avoid any issues with Police, etc.

So he is registering me as new keeper on the Car with the DVLA
Will the V5 cert he gets back be sufficient for me to register the car over here - or will there be sections missing.

Trying to ring the DVLA but can't get through.

corktina

He cant register you as the owner if you arent a UK resident and you cant tax it unless you are the registerd owner

Tell him the procedure is set out clearly on the DVLA website, or even better, find another Dealer who knows what they are doing

mickdw

What is the story with all these dealers not knowing the procedure when being bought for direct export.

challengemaster

Is 100 quid really THAT much considering the overall cost you'll be paying to import anyway?

corktina

100 quid is immaterial, he cant do it. The Dealer can tax it in his own name , but then he should give the V5C to the buyer complete. I dont know why the dealer is doing this, it doesnt matter a fig to him whether its taxed or not.

Eboneezer

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies.

The direct export steps I can find is here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022582

Just mentions to fill out ‘Notification of Permanent Export’ (V5C/4) of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C), and send it to DVLA
- says nothing of it being illegal to drive an untaxed car on UK roads.

He is saying that he can't leave me drive an untaxed car to the ferry.

So it's impossible for him to Tax the car in his name and at the same time give me all the Relevant V5 sections needed to pay VRT here in Ireland?

corktina

no, HE can tax it and then give you the V5C.Just YOU cant tax it. Get him to do it three days before the end of the month and put the disc in the post for a refund as soon as you get to the port (ie before the end of month) and you'll get a full refund...I did it, and no questions asked.

the bit on the website you quote doesnt apply to you, its only for the Registered Owner exporting the car HIMSELF. The procedure is that he should give you the full V5C and write to the DVLA to tell them the situation.

It is illegal to drive without a tax disc, but under the circumstances, Id say you'd be OK with the paperwork all in order showing you just bought it.

Marcusm

smash wrote: »

No but the tax office is, and if you buy a car and the tax office is closed and you have to catch a boat to export the car for good I really don't think they're going to take the car from you!

If they did, I'd say you might have a case!

Crap advice; there is no such thing as a "tax office" in the UK, you get motor tax at the post office so this excuse wouldn't wash. If you don't know what you're talking about, better not to suggest the OP commits an offence which could lead to the car getting crushed.

OP: are you buying privately or from a dealer? A reputable dealer should not allow you to take an untaxed vehicle from his site.

Eboneezer

are you buying privately or from a dealer?

Hi Marcusm - buying from a dealer - and he was adamant that car was taxed before I drove it away.

Will take Corktina's advice & will get him to tax it in his name rather that registering the car in my name as was his 1st suggestion.

Marcusm

Eboneezer wrote: »

Hi Marcusm - buying from a dealer - and he was adamant that car was taxed before I drove it away.

Will take Corktina's advice & will get him to tax it in his name rather that registering the car in my name as was his 1st suggestion.

He would always be taxing it without it being reregistered in his name - he might want proof of your insurance depending on his own arrangements. I have bought 3 cars in the UK (where I live) over the past 3 years (all dealers) and this as been the common procedure in each case.

Make sure he gives you the entire v5 as well. I'd recommend finding the DVLA guide and printing off the section. Otherwise he'll screw it up either by filling out the change of owner or permanent export section neither of which are applicable to a sale for the purposes of export. He should give it all to you and send a letter to DVLA notifying them of the sale/export.

two wheels good

Marcusm wrote: »

Make sure he gives you the entire v5 as well. ......
He should give it all to you and send a letter to DVLA notifying them of the sale/export.

Correct. If he sends the V5 to DVLA you'll be waiting a few weeks possibly for the new copy. If the seller worries about it tell him to send a letter to DVLA notifying them of the sale. In my experience (of only one occasion admittedly) the DVLA have no problem with this.

Del2005

corktina wrote: »

It is illegal to drive without a tax disc, but under the circumstances, Id say you'd be OK with the paperwork all in order showing you just bought it.

You want to watch more TV. On any of the UK cop shows they spend all day picking up un tax'd vehicles. They don't care where you are going, all they care about is you are on their roads illegally.

Wasn't the PSNI recently issuing tickets for RoI cars with no Motor Tax in NI?

-Corkie-

Del2005 wrote: »

You want to watch more TV. On any of the UK cop shows they spend all day picking up un tax'd vehicles. They don't care where you are going, all they care about is you are on their roads illegally.

Wasn't the PSNI recently issuing tickets for RoI cars with no Motor Tax in NI?

My self and a friend learned that the hard way when travelling back to Holyhead. The cops pulled us in because the car was not taxed and according to them not insured even though we had written conformation.

Anyway we had to get a tow truck to bring the car to Holyhead which cost 200 quid and missed the boat which cost more again.

corktina

Del2005 wrote: »

You want to watch more TV. On any of the UK cop shows they spend all day picking up un tax'd vehicles. They don't care where you are going, all they care about is you are on their roads illegally.

Wasn't the PSNI recently issuing tickets for RoI cars with no Motor Tax in NI?

you wanna realise that those shows dont show every instance of cars being stopped, only ythe bad ones. A Car just purchased and with all the paperwork to back it up will probably be OK. Of course if someone was a bit lippy or had some other problem it would be a different matter and as I said it is still illegal to not display a disc.

dingding

I exported a car a couple of years ago. I got the garage to tax it for me before I came to pick it up and I paid them the cost of the tax.

When I got to Ireland I sent the disc back for a rebate and I think I got the form from the web.

For the sake of a months tax it is not worth the hassle.

Mc Love

dingding wrote: »

I exported a car a couple of years ago. I got the garage to tax it for me before I came to pick it up and I paid them the cost of the tax.

When I got to Ireland I sent the disc back for a rebate and I think I got the form from the web.

For the sake of a months tax it is not worth the hassle.

Did the very same when I purchased my motor over there too

corktina

me too.Its the sefest way

Eboneezer

Hi All,

Just to update on what happened:

The dealer taxed the car for me but they insisted on sending the V5C form away to the DVLA trying to register me as the new keeper. (even though I told them this wasn't the correct thing to do).

This resulted in a 4 week wait until the DVLA sent me on the original V5C form.

Once I had the V5C form in my hand - I Completed the sale on 20th of September and drove back car to Ireland without incident.

Had my VRT examination in the NCT centre on 22nd.
Since exact model wasn't on revenue's VRT system - was told that I would be contacted in a few days with a final VRT quote.
Still waiting - rang up and was told that "it can take anything up to 10 working days"

The delays have been frustrating - but almost there now.