UK import and motor tax

jpingx

Hi,
I will be getting a car from the UK and import it to Ireland. The seller can give me 7-day insurance but the car is not taxed. Can I simply walk into a post-office with all the documents (V5C, insurance cert) and get the car taxed? I will only be spending less than 2 days in the UK after buying the car but still prefer to have it taxed for peace of mind. I have seen various posts on this subject but have not seen a definite answer. Can anyone help? Thanks.

aujopimur

The easiest thing is to get the seller to tax it.

jpingx

The dealer said they would not tax the car since there is a chace I would not buy it and taxing it would add another owner to the car.

fabsoul

ffs just drive it back without tax, if your stopped just say you just got it.

colm_mcm

Why des the seller think there's a chance you won't buy it, surly they can tax it deter you pay? Can't you tax in the post office over there?

bazz26

fabsoul wrote: »

ffs just drive it back without tax, if your stopped just say you just got it.

This might work over here but not in the UK. He might get away with but there is a stronge chance he won't given the amount of ANPR cameras fitted on the motorway network there.

Aren't they able to claim the motor tax back in the UK if it is not used?

corktina

colm_mcm wrote: »

Why des the seller think there's a chance you won't buy it, surly they can tax it deter you pay? Can't you tax in the post office over there?

not unless its registered to you. The Dealer would need to register it in their own name, this shouldn't be a problem for them surely if you are paying for it..

So long as you have valid insurance and MOT you almost definately wouldn't have a problem with no tax on a car you can prove you just bought. An Insurance Cert with the reg on it is vital, and all the other documentation you can carry as the option for a Policeman in the UK with a foriegn resident he is not satisifed as being on the level is a trip to the station, with all the hastle of missed ferries etc that entails.

Our man in Havana

Those 7 day insurances are not accepted for taxing purposes.

As for adding another owner, what difference does that make to you as it starts again in Ireland with a clean slate.

I have often seen police stops near Holyhead purely for catching such people taking a chance. Also the DVLA can clamp your car if parked in a public place without tax. Those fellows take no excuses. Remember these are not Irish cops where lame excuses sometimes work.

jpingx

I do not mind adding another owner but since I have not actually purchased the car the seller does not want to take the risk.

I am now asking the seller if he can tax the car for me after I have paid for the car. I have not received an answer yet.

Does anyone have experience trying to use short term insurance to tax a car in the UK?

Our man in Havana

Does anyone have experience trying to use short term insurance to tax a car in the UK?

It don't work. I have already said so.

Atlantic Dawn

I'm 99% sure that 7 day insurance is for UK residents and/or UK licence holders only, I would double check this to verify if I was you.

ValerieR

Since you are buying the car and bringing it back to Ireland, your insurance here should be able to cover you.
I recently bought a UK reg car in Ireland and my insurance had no issue covering me for the few days before the paperwork was completed.
Hope this helps and congrats on the new car.

fasttalkerchat

Check with the DVA if you can do this:
Get the car insured with your Irish insurance company. Check that they allow 30 days driving in the EU Get them to email you proof of insurance. Go to a UK post office with proof of insurance and tax it there.

They may not allow you to tax a car not insured with a UK insurance company so check first.

ABajaninCork

bazz26 wrote: »

Aren't they able to claim the motor tax back in the UK if it is not used?

Yes, you can. Tax the car for six months, then claim it back from the DVLA once registered here. UK Road Tax is for either 6 or 12 months.

You should also make sure the insurance is adequate for bringing the car over. The 7 day insurance as already stated won't do. Check Liberty (Quinn). I found they were the only ones who would insure me for both the UK and beyond here in Ireland. All I did was to call them with the Irish reg no. once registered, and of course the Irish address.

Once you get the car here, I wouldn't waste any time getting it re-registered here either. As I understand it, Revenue will be informed by the insurers if the car is not recorded with Irish plates within (I think) 40 days....

HTH. Good luck with the new car!:)

Wheelnut

At the risk of going off on a tangent, why don't you get NVD to bring it to Baldonnel? They are currently quoting €250 + VAT for a single vehicle, see here: http://www.nvd.ie/index.cfm?area=content&action=contentselect&menuid=238 If you make up the price of a flight to England, an overnight stay and the ferry home, you will probably find this competitive and less hassle. It has the major advantage of avoiding all the tax and insurance problems. I used them to bring in a car two years ago and found them excellent.

fasttalkerchat

Wheelnut wrote: »

At the risk of going off on a tangent, why don't you get NVD to bring it to Baldonnel? They are currently quoting €250 + VAT for a single vehicle, see here: http://www.nvd.ie/index.cfm?area=content&action=contentselect&menuid=238 If you make up the price of a flight to England, an overnight stay and the ferry home, you will probably find this competitive and less hassle. It has the major advantage of avoiding all the tax and insurance problems. I used them to bring in a car two years ago and found them excellent.

We’ll collect your vehicle from any location in the UK and
deliver it to your forecourt anywhere in Ireland within a
maximum of five days.

I assume they do this for private sales too?

Marcusm

Our man in Havana wrote: »

It don't work. I have already said so.

Far be it from me to correct a mod but it does work and it is one of the points of the insurance. I doubt very much that the insurance is vald for a non resident but I have bought cars which have been taxed by the dealer using driveaway insurance.

I'd be very surprised if they woud provide cover for a non uk resident, however. OP; I'd check what the seller has said to the insurance company, if anything.

jpingx

Thanks for the posts.

I am arranging to transfer my existing car insurance to the new car.
I checked that particular 7-day insurance and yes it is for uk residents only.
I rang DVLA and they told me it must be a UK mainland insurance to tax a car.

There are companies that offer short term insurance. However aviva uk said 'DVLA or UK Post Offices will not accept these (short term insurance) certificates for road fund licence purposes'. One company says their insurance can be used to obtain tax, but is 'subject to DVLA/Post Office acceptance'.

I am pushing the seller to find a way to tax the car for me.
And thanks for the suggestion of getting the car transported to a port.

Our man in Havana

Buy the car and then ask the dealer to send his lad down the post office to tax it.

ABajaninCork

The seller won't tax the car. He can tax it on your behalf, but you'll still need to produce insurance.

I've already stated that you should check Quinn (Liberty). When I moved over with my car, they were the only ones who would cover me in the UK and here in Ireland. All you need to do is inform them of the Irish reg. once the VRT is paid.

fasttalkerchat

ABajaninCork wrote: »

The seller won't tax the car. He can tax it on your behalf, but you'll still need to produce insurance.

I've already stated that you should check Quinn (Liberty). When I moved over with my car, they were the only ones who would cover me in the UK and here in Ireland. All you need to do is inform them of the Irish reg. once the VRT is paid.

The problem is that:

I rang DVLA and they told me it must be a UK mainland insurance to tax a car.

Also you can't get UK insurance because you're not a resident. If you're not going to take the risk and just drive it I would recommend paying £250 to get someone to pick it up and bring it to Dublin/Cork.

I'm assuming that you know the car is 100% and you don't need to inspect it personally.

Wheelnut

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

I assume they do this for private sales too?

Not sure but I suspect it's for the trade only.

At the time I brought in my car I had to go to Baldonnel for it because I was a private individual. I knew that one of their drivers lived about 15 miles away from here because I saw the transporter parked outside a house frequently. I enquired about having it dropped there but they refused.