When does tax start on an import?

Neffa2

Hi

About to bring in a car from N.I. Will be buying it tomorrow, collecting Wednesday.

When do the tax office consider it is liable for Irish tax - I would much rather it started on 1/10? If I stay overnight in Belfast (which I can do for work this week) and show receipts to prove I didn't bring it in until Thurs, will that work for road tax? Or do they take the day I bought it in any case?

Thanks!

colm_mcm

You have 30 days to register it either way.
You only owe tax from when you register it.

galwaytt

colm_mcm wrote: »

You have 30 days to register it either way.
You only owe tax from when you register it.

....so don't register it at end-of-month..........you'll be stung for the month past, register it at the beginning of a month......

Donnelly117

galwaytt wrote: »

....so don't register it at end-of-month..........you'll be stung for the month past, register it at the beginning of a month......

Happened to me, registered the car on the last day of the month thinking I could tax it the next day... 200 euro ill never get back :mad: Lesson learned I guess

colm_mcm

What car have you that's €200pm to tax

Donnelly117

colm_mcm wrote: »

What car have you that's €200pm to tax

Oops that should be a 100 :pac: Its a Z4

colm_mcm

Still a pain!

Neffa2

ok, thanks for the quick reply. NI dealer wants to do deal to hit their month-end, and is dropping price accordingly, so I have to do it before 30/9.

colm_mcm

You have to buy it before 30/9 surely?

Neffa2

yes, buy on [Wednesday] 30/9, then was mulling over staying in Belfast that night and driving it down on 1/10, that's the issue. Sounds like I don't need to.

CiniO

Donnelly117 wrote: »

Happened to me, registered the car on the last day of the month thinking I could tax it the next day... 200 euro ill never get back :mad: Lesson learned I guess

So does that mean if you register vehicle on 31st of the month, and pay tax on 1st of next month, you will have to pay arrears for the whole of previous month?
Is there no way to declare vehicle off the road for previous month?

Donnelly117

CiniO wrote: »

So does that mean if you register vehicle on 31st of the month, and pay tax on 1st of next month, you will have to pay arrears for the whole of previous month?
Is there no way to declare vehicle off the road for previous month?

No, the car is liable for tax from the day it is registered in the country. A car has to be taxed in order to be declared off the road afaik? Or has to be declared off the road 6 weeks prior to the tax expiring maybe? Unless this is different for an import.
I just paid it, lesson learned. Wouldn't have killed the guy in the VRT office to tell me to do it tomorrow, you'd swear the money would come out of his wages :rolleyes: But having said that its not his job either

5500

Yes you can declare a newly imported vehicle OTR in the same month it's registered. I've done it myself for a car that was registered a few day's before months end and was parked up untill the following month.

In the OP's case though they will be fine, just make the booking when you get the car and you should get a date to register at the centre within a week so you wont be loosing much time

CiniO

5500 wrote: »

Yes you can declare a newly imported vehicle OTR in the same month it's registered. I've done it myself for a car that was registered a few day's before months end and was parked up untill the following month.

In the OP's case though they will be fine, just make the booking when you get the car and you should get a date to register at the centre within a week so you wont be loosing much time

Well in that case OP could go even further.
Buy it on 29th as he's planning, bring it in to Ireland and hold off with VRT appointment until the end of October (but make it within 30 days).
Then he can declare it off the road for last few days of October, obstrain from using it, and tax only from November.