How to transport unregistered car from Dublin to Limerick

osarusan

Hi all, here is my problem:

I've imported a car from Japan to Ireland. It will arrive in Dublin port at the end of April/start of May. It's the car we owned when we lived there, so it's a private import.

What this means is that it can only be registered in the area/council/whatever of my own home address, which is Limerick. So it has to be transported down from Dublin port to Limerick, and I'm looking for ways to do this.

The most obvious is to pay somebody to go up and collect it and bring it back. This would probably be the most expensive also.

One other idea might be to contact a dealer who would be going to the port anyway and see if they'd have space for it - would they be likely to do this, and would it be cheaper?

I've looked for a temporary registration/temporary insurance cert, but as I have no car insurance at the moment, this doesn't seem to be a possibility.

Can anybody add to the above ideas, suggest specific businesses that might be interested, or suggest alternative ideas?

Thanks.

osarusan

osarusan wrote: »

Hi all, here is my problem:

I've imported a car from Japan to Ireland. It will arrive in Dublin port at the end of April/start of May. It's the car we owned when we lived there, so it's a private import.

What this means is that it can only be registered in the area/council/whatever of my own home address, which is Limerick. So it has to be transported down from Dublin port to Limerick, and I'm looking for ways to do this.

The most obvious is to pay somebody to go up and collect it and bring it back. This would probably be the most expensive also.

One other idea might be to contact a dealer who would be going to the port anyway and see if they'd have space for it - would they be likely to do this, and would it be cheaper?

I've looked for a temporary registration/temporary insurance cert, but as I have no car insurance at the moment, this doesn't seem to be a possibility.

Can anybody add to the above ideas, suggest specific businesses that might be interested, or suggest alternative ideas?

Thanks.

Probably better off asking the lads in motors. One of them will definitely know but surely there is an office in Dublin port who could provide details of someone who does this regularly? Maybe give them a ring.


Also, I can't help but ask but what car did you import? Jap imports always grab my attention! :pac:

king02

The easiest way to get it from Dublin Port is to contact one of the car Transporter Companies, either NVD 051440440 or Crosbie Transcar 021 4506323. These guys collect from Dublin Port daily and deliver countrywide. They charge approx €90 plus vat.

aujopimur

Why not insure it and drive yourself.

aujopimur

aujopimur wrote: »

Why not insure it and drive yourself.

Not registered yet.

osarusan

king02 wrote: »

The easiest way to get it from Dublin Port is to contact one of the car Transporter Companies, either NVD 051440440 or Crosbie Transcar 021 4506323. These guys collect from Dublin Port daily and deliver countrywide. They charge approx €90 plus vat.

Alright, this sounds good.

It's a bog standard Honda Fit (Jazz). 11 years old, but only 37000km on it. Automatic - my wife won't drive a manual.

osarusan

osarusan wrote: »

Alright, this sounds good.

It's a bog standard Honda Fit (Jazz). 11 years old, but only 37000km on it. Automatic - my wife won't drive a manual.

Good stuff. Still probably a higher spec model than what you'd get here. That crowd that do it for €90 plus VAT seems very reasonable but I'm comparing that to nothing! Best of luck with it anyway

aujopimur

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Not registered yet.

You can insure it on the VIN or the current reg., and change when it's reregistered.

aujopimur

aujopimur wrote: »

You can insure it on the VIN or the current reg., and change when it's reregistered.

Even if its fresh off the boat from Japan?

osarusan

aujopimur wrote: »

Why not insure it and drive yourself.

Can't be insured until it is registered, to the best of my knowledge.

aujopimur wrote: »

You can insure it on the VIN or the current reg., and change when it's reregistered.

Insurance broker said nobody will do that for me. It doesn't have a current registration number or plate.

Penalty

It can be insured on the current reg if you tell them you are getting it registered here.

Sure people buy cars in the UK and drive them home - it's the same situation.

The car has a value here so can be insured all it needs is an identifier - current reg -

osarusan

Penalty wrote: »

It can be insured on the current reg if you tell them you are getting it registered here.

Sure people buy cars in the UK and drive them home - it's the same situation.

The car has a value here so can be insured all it needs is an identifier - current reg -

Registration plate was removed by Japanese dept of transport before leaving japan.

Berty

Ensure you insure it as a Honda Fit as its called in Japan. Insurers can invalidate insurance if they find out it's not a native jazz.

Also ensure that it has a rear fog light. Some native Japanese cars weren't given them.

Tefral

Danielle Murphy the Irish Drifter does this for people.

Ill get her to post on this thread

Clareman

I think the fine people of the Motors forum would be better suited to answer this questions (I've left a redirect in Limerick in case someone there can help as well).

dar_cool

If you get onto Mcc customs brokers to do the paperwork, they will issue you with temporary plates so you can drive home on them

stefanovich

Drive really really fast :pac:

puntosporting

It does not require a rear fog!
In the UK it would!

Chris_Heilong

puntosporting wrote: »

It does not require a rear fog!
In the UK it would!

Agreed, No rear fog light needed in Ireland, thats a UK thing.

Some insurance companies will allow a temp swap onto an import using its chassis/Vin number. You can ask the customs agent you are using to make a temp plate for you if they still do that now a days.

CiniO

Penalty wrote: »

It can be insured on the current reg if you tell them you are getting it registered here.

Sure people buy cars in the UK and drive them home - it's the same situation.

It's not same situation.
When exporting a car from UK, you buy it but it's still registered in previous owner name in UK. It still has valid UK number plate and it's still physically registered with DVLA.

In OP's case car is not registered in any country as it was deregistered in Japan. It doesn't hold any valid number plates. It's not an insurance problem, but just a problem with fact that car is not registered anywhere. In fact it's just a piece of metal which can not be legally driven anywhere, until registered.

Exactly same story when exporting from many other countries in Europe, like Italy, Germany, etc...
Different might be that Germany provide temporary registration, while Italians don't.

coylemj

Where does it say that you have to physically be in Limerick to get a Limerick registration plate? The registration numbers are issued by the Revenue so just get a Limerick registration number, get it insured under that registration number, slap the plates on at Dublin port and drive it down to Limerick.

CiniO

coylemj wrote: »

Where does it say that you have to physically be in Limerick to get a Limerick registration plate? The registration numbers are issued by the Revenue so just get a Limerick registration number, get it insured under that registration number, slap the plates on at Dublin port and drive it down to Limerick.

Indeed you don't need to have car in Limerick, but you need to bring it to NCT centre for VRT inspection. Without that they won't issue you with registration number.
I don't know where's the nearest NCT centre near Dublin port.

Chris_Heilong

I just saw a picture on facebook of some fresh imported cars at Dublin port with the temp registration number printed on a piece of paper and fixed to the front and rear of the car so ask your customs clearance agent which will probabaly be MCC brokers if its Dublin port.

heres the facebook link.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drift-Bits/487137338110815

Daaryl

If you know somebody in the trade i'm sure they could give you a loan of there trade plates

mgbgt1978

If you really don't want to drive it (and can't find a relative etc who could transfer insurance) try anyvan.com for a quote. Should work out around €240 or so to get it transported from Dublin to Limerick.
You then are faced with the issue of getting it to the local NCT/VRT centre....unless you can have an appointment booked on the day the car is brought down and get the Truck to drop it at the centre.
Then you will at least have an Irish Reg and anybody with 'driving other cars' can drive it home for you.

projectgtr

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Not registered yet.

osarusan wrote: »

Can't be insured until it is registered, to the best of my knowledge.



Insurance broker said nobody will do that for me. It doesn't have a current registration number or plate.

You can simply insure it from the chassis number, print up a reg consisting of the vin number and old reg and you are off. Ive done this twice already, Once passing through a checkpoint with no issues, i ran this by a father of a friend who was high up in Dublin Traffic Corp before i done it.

I cant recommend MCC enough, ive used them for all my imports.

CiniO

projectgtr wrote: »

You can simply insure it from the chassis number, print up a reg consisting of the vin number and old reg and you are off. Ive done this twice already, Once passing through a checkpoint with no issues, i ran this by a father of a friend who was high up in Dublin Traffic Corp before i done it.

That's completely illegal.
No way you can drive unregistered car. (which is not registered in any country)

The car will be imported, NCT'd 5 times, scrapped and replaced by the time this thread ends

projectgtr

CiniO wrote: »

That's completely illegal.
No way you can drive unregistered car. (which is not registered in any country)

Im not going to argue with you but tell that to the insurance company and both members of the gardai, im not well versed on law hence the reason i asked before i even thought about it. As long as the car is insured and identifiable i dont see the problem with it.

osarusan

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Agreed, No rear fog light needed in Ireland, thats a UK thing.

Some insurance companies will allow a temp swap onto an import using its chassis/Vin number. You can ask the customs agent you are using to make a temp plate for you if they still do that now a days.

OP Here.


I don't have a car at the moment, and therefore no insurance to do a temporary swap.

Can I ask a relative to swap their insurance temporarily?

Also, i mentioned that it was a private import, so it is exempt from VRT (as long as revenue can be convinced of that).

I contacted revenue directly and they said I don't need to use a customs clearance agency - that it is a relatively straightforward thing to make the case for exemption. Would people on here advise using a customs clearance agency anyway?

If all goes well, I'll have the exemption to go with the bill of lading - so I'll be free to take the car away with me.

I'm reading really conflicting opinions on whether or not the car can be registered and insured before i ever leave the port.

Again, I was told that it had to be registered in the area of my residence, which is Limerick (I never heard about needing an NCT before registration though).

osarusan

CiniO wrote: »

Indeed you don't need to have car in Limerick, but you need to bring it to NCT centre for VRT inspection. Without that they won't issue you with registration number.
I don't know where's the nearest NCT centre near Dublin port.

Do you need to do an NCT test before it can be registered?

Is this 100% the case?

mgbgt1978

No, you don't. But the VRT (even if it's exempt it still needs to be re-registered under much the same procedure) is done at the NCT Centre.
As your car is older than 4 years it will need an NCT as soon as possible after it is registered here.
It just so happens that the same company look after both VRT and NCT......for the moment.

osarusan

So would it be possible to apply for a licence plate (and use that to get the car insured) before the car ever leaves the port?

mgbgt1978

My understanding is that you have to physically bring the car to the NCT centre to get it registered here.....even though it is exempt from VRT they still have to ensure the car actually exists and matches the details on the logbook/export cert.

Some insurers will temporarily cover the car using the VIN number...but you may have to pay for a years cover 1st and it might not be the cheapest Insurer who does this.
Some people do drive Japanese cars here (on Jap plates) but it's mainly the Rallying guys....and the legalities are unclear.

As I posted earlier try anyvan.com for a quote. This will put you in touch with guys who will bring the car to Limerick on a truck, so no problems with the car actually touching Irish public roads.