Registering a Classic Car before Importing it to Ireland

Coolcappa

I'm planning on importing a Classic Car from the UK to Ireland and I’m wondering if a can register it before I drive it back via a ferry port. I would like to have all the documentation completed before I collect the car. My reason for this is that the cars MOT expires 4 weeks after I intend collecting it, and I would prefer not to have to pay for a MOT when the car will be imported into Ireland.

The car belongs to my father, so no worries about mechanical problems etc.

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.

corktina

Ive done it before but I doubt you can now with the new system of having to take it to the NCTS

_Conrad_

Coolcappa wrote: »

My reason for this is that the cars MOT expires 4 weeks after I intend collecting it, and I would prefer not to have to pay for a MOT when the car will be imported into Ireland.

Can you explain what you mean by this? UK MOT and irish NCT are incompatible anyway they don't just transfer over. If you're collecting the car and bringing it back here and it will have 4 weeks MOT left then what's the worry? If it's liable for the nct then it'll need to do the nct yearly in this country regardless of whether it has UK MOT or not when it comes in surely

macplaxton

@_Conrad_ - I think the OP is planning to import a pre-1980 car from the UK and is wishing to avoid the extra hassle and expense MOTing the car in order to remove it from the UK under its own power. He is arranging to collect the car 4 weeks after the MOT has expired.

As far as I'm aware the vehicle has to be in the State to registered. In the past when the person from the Revenue didn't bother looking out of the window you could have got away with it, but as Corky says with this task being carried out by the NCTS on behalf of the Revenue, the car has to be physically present to be registered.

For the sake of (a maximum of) £55, just get it MOT'd or go over sooner.

[Side note: No MOT is a £60 FPN, or if you're non-resident they'll take a on-the-spot £60 "deposit" from you. If there is the additional issue of it not being taxed / insured on the plod central database, then unless you can prove otherwise, expect to take a long walk home.]

Coolcappa

Thanks guys....yes the cars MOT will have expired so i'll have to drive it back without one.... surely there must be loads of instances where this happens?...The car is taxed until November and i'll have my own irish insurance and certificate to show if I'm stopped. Also i'll have my ferry ticket to prove i'm taking it out of the UK. My only concern is if they impound the car?

I know its only 55.00 sterling for the MOT, but just wondering if I have to go to the bother if the on the spot fine is 5.00 more.

What happens at the Irish side, do I have to inform them at the port that I am importing the car or just at my local VRT office.

Thanks

Redrocket

as far as i know they will take a non mot'd car off you and impound and eventually crush.

price of MOT vs price of getting the car towed to the docks vs price of fine or impound is one way to figure out the cheapest way to get it accross.

you know you can reclaim the few months tax from the english tax system, might help to pay for a tow to the docks, on the Irish side I would'd care.

at the docks you just drive straight through.

corktina

book an MoT near the docks....take proof with you, cancel when you get there. You can legally drive your car to a pre-booked MoT test. If its a long way to the docks, book several and pick the nearest to show the cop if you get stopped.;)
You will need to carry proof of insurance as well of course. If the car isnt taxed, you will need to be able to show proof you just bought i and havent been able to tax it yet.

Not strictly within the spirit of the law is it but may work.

_Conrad_

macplaxton wrote: »

@_Conrad_ - I think the OP is planning to import a pre-1980 car from the UK and is wishing to avoid the extra hassle and expense MOTing the car in order to remove it from the UK under its own power. He is arranging to collect the car 4 weeks after the MOT has expired.

Oops brain not working properly when reading.

I still wouldnt worry that much about it. I've been pulled over when taking cars back here from the UK. Worst case was a fairly dodgy looking pickup truck with 2 months MOT and no tax. After showing them that i'd just bought it that day, had the V5 with me and a trade insurance cert i was literally told "alright f*ck off then and don't get in trouble before you're on the boat" by a slightly frustrated copper after about half an hour arguing.
And another case where myself and my father got a fine for no MOT, but it's not exactly huge money.

Unless they've got massively more strict in the last year or two the worst that will probably happen is a fine and being told to clear off home. They've not seemed to care all that much in the past once they reckoned you'd be out of the country in a couple of hours.


Oh and redrockett they can take a car but not always, i suppose it depends on the area and the situation (but most situations i've come across either myslef or talking to others, once the car's heading out of the country for good they're not so worried about it) and the scaremongering about crushing cars for no tax etc, i've seen those silly UK ads and read the panic ridden threads on UK forums, but the truth of that is they'll crush a car eventually after it's been left in the impound with the fines unpaid and the car not collected. So it's convenient for them to say "we have the power to crush a car for not having tax/mot" and yeah they technically do but it's not the first line of response

corktina

_Conrad_ wrote: »

Unless they've got massively more strict in the last year or two the worst that will probably happen is a fine and being told to clear off home. They've not seemed to care all that much in the past once they reckoned you'd be out of the country in a couple of hours.


e

Yeah they have.
I wouldnt chance it as you can bet your sweet bippy they have ANPR cameras on all the roads to the ports.I used to just jump in and drive with nothing but Insurance and always got away with it but I wouldnt risk it now. Tax wouldnt be a problem so long as you can show you just bought it but they dont know that til they stop you and who knows what else they might find wrong, not to mention the delay and possibility of missing the ferry AND the expense of having to get yourself off to their pound to get it back and then arranging an MoT presumably before they'd let you have it.Just isnt worth it. You could even spend the night at the Police Station if they arent satisifed with your ID