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URGENT -Just bought a car in UK

  • 21-06-2012 7:28am
    #1
    jayjay2010
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 505 ✭✭✭


    hi guys, just a few simple qs:

    I bought a car in the UK this morning.

    1) How long car I drive it on UK plates? It has a fresh MOT and 3 months UK tax.

    2) Do I have to get it NCTd? It has just passed UK MOT

    3) if I get stopped by gardai what do I need to show/say to them if the car is still on UK plates?

    Any help is much appreciated, thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,809 ✭✭✭✭smash


    Good to see you did your research.
    jayjay2010 wrote: »
    1) How long car I drive it on UK plates? It has a fresh MOT and 3 months UK tax.
    7 days to produce it to your local NCT centre to get the VRT sorted.
    jayjay2010 wrote: »
    2) Do I have to get it NCTd? It has just passed UK MOT
    Yes it needs NCT.
    jayjay2010 wrote: »
    3) if I get stopped by gardai what do I need to show/say to them if the car is still on UK plates?
    that you have a booking to the VRT sorted.

    All the info is here: http://www.nct.ie/vrt.html


  • #3
    jayjay2010
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 505 ✭✭✭jayjay2010


    Thanks smash.

    I did do a lot of research but I just wanted yes/no answers as I have been told a lot of different things.

    Cheers


  • #4
    jayjay2010
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 505 ✭✭✭jayjay2010


    Oh another question, do I get the NCT done first or the VRT?


  • #5
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,809 ✭✭✭✭smash


    jayjay2010 wrote: »
    Oh another question, do I get the NCT done first or the VRT?
    VRT. You can't NCT a foreign car.


  • #6
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Car becomes due NCT on the day you register it (get reg no, pay vrt).
    You can book it only from then (or even few days later sometimes as car is not on their system) and it obviously takes few days or weeks to get a booking date (sometimes months). During that period you are not legally allowed to drive your car, as it doesn't have NCT, and for some unknown reason foreign test (UK MOT) is not accepted.


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  • #7
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    CiniO wrote: »
    Car becomes due NCT on the day you register it (get reg no, pay vrt).
    You can book it only from then (or even few days later sometimes as car is not on their system) and it obviously takes few days or weeks to get a booking date (sometimes months). During that period you are not legally allowed to drive your car, as it doesn't have NCT, and for some unknown reason foreign test (UK MOT) is not accepted.
    As it has no bearing here, nor recognition in our statutes!


  • #8
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Max Power1 wrote: »
    As it has no bearing here, nor recognition in our statutes!

    But we are part of EU.
    Many other countries were forced by EU court of justice, to accept vehicle test certificate issued by other member state.
    If that was the case in Ireland, in OP's case when car was just MOT'd (so I assume it's valid until June 2013), after VRTing and registering it here in Ireland, it should be due NCT when MOT expires on June 2013.
    That's how it works in most EU countries.
    I'm surprised no one yet complained about this to EU commission, as surely EU court of justice would force Ireland to change regulations to accept test certificates from issued by other member states.


  • #9
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,809 ✭✭✭✭smash


    CiniO wrote: »
    in OP's case when car was just MOT'd

    An MOT can be carried out by pretty much any garage in the UK. In Ireland the NCT centres are appointed by the government and the test is different. It's not rocket science. I can't just go to the UK and trade in my Leaving cert results for some A Levels, or whatever they are.


  • #10
    curiousb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 486 ✭✭curiousb


    We went through this recently and you just need to make sure you have a printout of the VRT/registration date first. We made the booking within 7 days of bringing the car in, but the actual slot we got was about 2 weeks out from that.

    A few days after we got the reg. no. we were able to go online and get the car tax.

    We booked it in for the NCT and it took about another 3 weeks before we got a cancellation.

    We just made sure we had the various bookings in the car in case we got stopped, which we did. Once we were able to show it was booked in for the NCT, there was no issue.

    So I think the reality is once you can show you are doing what you are supposed to do, there should be no problem.


  • #11
    mickdw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,688 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    smash wrote: »
    CiniO wrote: »
    in OP's case when car was just MOT'd

    An MOT can be carried out by pretty much any garage in the UK. In Ireland the NCT centres are appointed by the government and the test is different. It's not rocket science. I can't just go to the UK and trade in my Leaving cert results for some A Levels, or whatever they are.
    But your leaving cert results are fully recognised for colleges over there. They don't make you do 5 years secondary school again if you wish to go to UK college.


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  • #12
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    smash wrote: »
    An MOT can be carried out by pretty much any garage in the UK.
    So?
    Somehow it works well for them there in UK, and road safety is way better than in Ireland.
    In Ireland the NCT centres are appointed by the government
    Nealy same as in UK. It's not any garage which can do MOT. THey must have a licence from govenment to do it.
    and the test is different. It's not rocket science. I can't just go to the UK and trade in my Leaving cert results for some A Levels, or whatever they are.

    Oh come one. Are you trying to say, that we (Ireland) shouldn't accept UK MOT (or other countries tests) just because in your opinion out NCT is better (more strict) ?

    Maybe then UK should prohibit holders of Irish driving licence to drive in UK, just because out driver training and driving test are not as strict as UK ones.

    Once again. Not accepting foreign test certificates in Ireland is against EU law, and if only anyone bothered putting the case to EU commission (anyone can do it) Ireland would be forced to change the rules.
    If I'll be bored one time, I'll might try to make a complaint to EU commission about it.


  • #13
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    curiousb wrote: »
    We booked it in for the NCT and it took about another 3 weeks before we got a cancellation.

    We just made sure we had the various bookings in the car in case we got stopped, which we did. Once we were able to show it was booked in for the NCT, there was no issue.

    There is usually no issue, because Irish Garda are mostly reasonable people and they don't enforce the law in such cases, and they understand the law is stupid.
    But in reality there is nothing stopping them from prosecuting you for driving without NCT, even if you show them you have booking. It's just their good will.


  • #14
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    UK MOT cert =/= NCT

    They are not the same, the MOT is not worth the paper its written on in most cases. At least the NCT is carried out by one regulated body, in the UK any cowboy can register and issue MOT certs. I know of at least one "Garage in back of house" type cowboy that can do this.


  • #15
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Max Power1 wrote: »
    UK MOT cert =/= NCT

    They are not the same, the MOT is not worth the paper its written on in most cases. At least the NCT is carried out by one regulated body, in the UK any cowboy can register and issue MOT certs. I know of at least one "Garage in back of house" type cowboy that can do this.

    No test in EU is the same. But it doesn't mean they shouldn't be mutually recognizable.


  • #16
    DubDani
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭DubDani


    Max Power1 wrote: »
    UK MOT cert =/= NCT

    They are not the same, the MOT is not worth the paper its written on in most cases. At least the NCT is carried out by one regulated body, in the UK any cowboy can register and issue MOT certs. I know of at least one "Garage in back of house" type cowboy that can do this.

    I think you have to distinguish between different regions in the UK. In NI for example the MOT can only be done in one of the official MOT Centers run by the DVANI, and not in any Garage.

    Said that the NCT is not worth the paper it is written on either. Have a friend who recently passed a NCT in Dublin without problem, and then brought the Car to Germany the next day. Within a few days of being in Germany it failed the German TUEV in 12 points, and would have cost 3.5K to fix. Car is now back in Ireland for Sale with a full NCT.


  • #17
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    DubDani wrote: »
    I think you have to distinguish between different regions in the UK. In NI for example the MOT can only be done in one of the official MOT Centers run by the DVANI, and not in any Garage.

    Said that the NCT is not worth the paper it is written on either. Have a friend who recently passed a NCT in Dublin without problem, and then brought the Car to Germany the next day. Within a few days of being in Germany it failed the German TUEV in 12 points, and would have cost 3.5K to fix. Car is now back in Ireland for Sale with a full NCT.
    Yes, I totally accept the 1st pojnt, I knew the system was better in NI than in UK (where it is totally open to abuse)

    The German TUEV I would imagine (having no experience of it whatsoever) is more stringent than the NCT.


  • #18
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    DubDani wrote: »
    I think you have to distinguish between different regions in the UK. In NI for example the MOT can only be done in one of the official MOT Centers run by the DVANI, and not in any Garage.

    Said that the NCT is not worth the paper it is written on either. Have a friend who recently passed a NCT in Dublin without problem, and then brought the Car to Germany the next day. Within a few days of being in Germany it failed the German TUEV in 12 points, and would have cost 3.5K to fix. Car is now back in Ireland for Sale with a full NCT.

    Why would someone do a TUV few days after arriving in Germany.
    Maybe you confused it with TUV inspection carried out when you want to register car in Germany and don't have certificate of conformity (something similar to NCT inspection prior to VRT which is different to NCT test).
    There are some grounds where car is OK in Ireland while not OK in Germany.
    F.e rear fog light is not required in Ireland (and lot's of Japaneese imports don't have it) while in Germany it's a must.
    Headlights must be LHD in Germany, while in Ireland it's OK to use any kind of lights really, including american straight light beams.
    There might be 4 different makes of tyres on a car in Ireland, while there must be the same make of tyres within the axle in Germany.

    So generally I doubt someone would do normal TUV vehicle test few days after arriving in Germany, as Irish NCT would be fully recognised and valid in Germany until it's expirty date (probably could be rewritten as valid TUV cert), provided car passed it's TUV inspection (so in other words that it fullfils technical specification needed to be road legal in Germany).


  • #19
    DubDani
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭DubDani


    CiniO wrote: »
    Why would someone do a TUV few days after arriving in Germany.
    Maybe you confused it with TUV inspection carried out when you want to register car in Germany and don't have certificate of conformity (something similar to NCT inspection prior to VRT which is different to NCT test).
    There are some grounds where car is OK in Ireland while not OK in Germany.
    F.e rear fog light is not required in Ireland (and lot's of Japaneese imports don't have it) while in Germany it's a must.
    Headlights must be LHD in Germany, while in Ireland it's OK to use any kind of lights really, including american straight light beams.
    There might be 4 different makes of tyres on a car in Ireland, while there must be the same make of tyres within the axle in Germany.

    So generally I doubt someone would do normal TUV vehicle test few days after arriving in Germany, as Irish NCT would be fully recognised and valid in Germany until it's expirty date (probably could be rewritten as valid TUV cert), provided car passed it's TUV inspection (so in other words that it fullfils technical specification needed to be road legal in Germany).

    He moved back to Germany with an Irish registered car. So he needed a valid NCT (which was due) to be able to drive it over. When in Germany he had to present it for the full TUEV Test to be able to re-register it in Germany.

    All the additional requirements (new headlights etc.) were covered and fine.

    The stuff he failed on were more general Issues

    - Parking Brake not strong enough
    - A small rust hole underneath the car
    - CV Boot leaking
    - and several suspension related Issues (the expensive stuff)


  • #20
    challengemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,930 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    smash wrote: »
    Good to see you did your research.


    7 days to produce it to your local NCT centre to get the VRT sorted.

    Wrong, 7 days to make an appointment for VRT, the date which has to be within 23 days of making the appointment. So overall you can stretch it out to a month.


  • #21
    The Recliner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,630 ✭✭✭The Recliner


    challengemaster wrote: »
    Wrong, 7 days to make an appointment for VRT, the date which has to be within 23 days of making the appointment. So overall you can stretch it out to a month.

    Or you can do like my neighbours who have been driving around in polish registered car for well over a year

    I will be interested to see how long it is before they actually have to change it over


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  • #22
    fasttalkerchat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,652 ✭✭✭fasttalkerchat


    smash wrote: »
    An MOT can be carried out by pretty much any garage in the UK. In Ireland the NCT centres are appointed by the government and the test is different. It's not rocket science.
    Actually the North has a similar system to NCT but that still isn't accepted
    smash wrote: »
    I can't just go to the UK and trade in my Leaving cert results for some A Levels, or whatever they are.

    You can, they're just not worth as much.


  • #23
    fasttalkerchat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,652 ✭✭✭fasttalkerchat


    The Recliner wrote: »
    Or you can do like my neighbours who have been driving around in polish registered car for well over a year

    I will be interested to see how long it is before they actually have to change it over

    I think its different rules if you take your own car abroad. You can go on a holiday to the UK for a month and no registration needed. I "think" a year is the limit but if you leave the country the year starts again.


  • #24
    The Recliner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,630 ✭✭✭The Recliner


    fasttalkerchat wrote: »
    I think its different rules if you take your own car abroad. You can go on a holiday to the UK for a month and no registration needed. I "think" a year is the limit but if you leave the country the year starts again.

    Maybe but they are living and working here so I reckon they should have to comply with whatever the rules here are

    I don't blame them for not complying and as I said will be interested to see how long they can get away with it for


  • #25
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    The Recliner wrote: »
    Maybe but they are living and working here so I reckon they should have to comply with whatever the rules here are

    I don't blame them for not complying and as I said will be interested to see how long they can get away with it for

    It could be a company car for which your neighbour is working. In such case he is doing it legally.


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