Camper Van taxed as private vehicle

jiggydublin · 05-07-2011 3:31pm #1

I wonder if anyone could give me some advice, I bought a vw t3 1986 camper van a few years ago, imported from germany, and at the time vrt refused to let me register it as a camper van because of a regulation that was in place then about campervan height (it has a pop-top roof)-even though it has two beds, fridge, cooker, table etc and is very clearly a camper! I've been paying 488 for a private vehicle instead of 88 for the last couple of years and I desperately want to get the van reclassified, especially since if I ever want to sell it it's going to make it much harder if its not vrt'd as a camper. The new regulations came in in march and the van fully qaulifies as a camper now that they got rid of the height restriction, but i was told today that they cant re-register it retrospectively. they did say i could take it up with my local motor tax office and it was up to them if they let me pay less. It seems rather unlikely to me that they will, and my tax is due this month. Does anyone have any advice about how i should proceed or if there is anything I can do to remedy this situation?

Much obliged for any help or assistance!

niloc1951 · 05-07-2011 5:29pm

I would deal directly with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing in Shannon and start by quoting Commission Directive 2001/116/EC and drawing their attention to ANNEX II, 5.1. which classes your vehicle as a "Motor caravan".

I would argue that on the basis of the Directive your vehicle is incorrectly classified and request that the RF101 be amended accordingly at
(J) <EU Vehicle Category> to M ,
(D.3) <Body Type> to Motor Caravan and
(J.2) <Motor Taxation Class> to Motor Caravan.

The only 'fly in the ointment' is the <Motor Taxation Class> which is a 'local' thing and not something the EU can influence, for example motor caravans come under Private Goods road tax rates in the UK.

However, as they say, if it looks like a motor caravan, tastes like a motor caravan, smells like a motor caravan and feels like a motor caravan, then it IS a motor caravan and should be taxed accordingly

If you succeed in the above you should find that the €88 tax will apply automatically, if not the fight will have to continue

paddyp · 05-07-2011 6:15pm

I can understand that they wont do it retrospectively but if its on the form as a private vehicle then you could pretend it was just converted and send off the forms to rosslare you should be exempt from any vrt due to what was paid originally.

Or if push comes to shove you could take out the interior and convert it to a van then put it back in and convert it back to a camper.

Macy0161 · 06-07-2011 10:26am

paddyp wrote: »

I can understand that they wont do it retrospectively but if its on the form as a private vehicle then you could pretend it was just converted and send off the forms to rosslare you should be exempt from any vrt due to what was paid originally.

I agree. I couldn't see them changing it to camper from registration in the state, but I don't see why they wouldn't let you convert it to a camper from private vehicle from now? That'd be what I'd be trying to do anyway.

dickwod1 · 16-07-2011 7:54pm

You can convert a van to a camper so why not a private vehicle to a camper ... re-registering it seems the best thing to do

Camper Van taxed as private vehicle

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