English Car moving to Ireland

RunningFlyer

Hi all,

I currently have a UK registered car (Hire Purchase deal) since Jan 2015. I've been living in France for 2.5 yrs but now moving back to Ireland for work.

Had originally expected to move back to UK in New Year hence buying the UK car.

Now Im moving to Ireland I either need to keep it on english plates and obtain an insurance policy covering me for Ireland or re-register.

I still have about 2 years of payments to go on the car (which I would like to keep) but guess I'd have to pay off the car before being allowed re-register.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Would I be exempt from VRT do you think?

Thanks in advance

biko

You would be exempt from VRT if you had lived and used car in UK for >6months.
This doesn't appear to be the case.

If you are an Irish citizen you are not allowed to drive a UK car here so either get rid of car before bringing it over or pay VRT.

slimjimmc

biko wrote: »

You would be exempt from VRT if you had lived and used car in UK for >6months.
This doesn't appear to be the case.

If you are an Irish citizen you are not allowed to drive a UK car here so either get rid of car before bringing it over or pay VRT.

Isn't it that you must have lived and used the car outside of the State (Ireland) for > 6 months. I don't think anything requires you must have lived in the UK to import a UK car.
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/leaflets/tax-relief-transfer-residence.html

flatplanet

I would say I was working in UK for the last 2.5 years

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Quick pump up the flatplanet before we fall over the edge !!!

slimjimmc

flatplanet wrote: »

I would say I was working in UK for the last 2.5 years

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Quick pump up the flatplanet before we fall over the edge !!!

He was living outside of Ireland which is all that matters, there's no need to lie about his previous residency. Revenue don't take kindly to lies.

biko

I don't think it's the time a person have lived abroad that matters, it's the time the person have owned and used the particular car.
This to stop someone from living abroad in Africa then buying a high spec car in UK and importing it free.

Carawaystick

biko wrote: »

If you are an Irish citizen you are not allowed to drive a UK car here so either get rid of car before bringing it over or pay VRT.

Its Irish residents who can't drive a foreign registered car here. Nothing to do with citizenship. Otherwise how could anyone from Norn Iron drive here?

CiniO

That's what revenue says about it:

2.1.1.2 Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for relief the applicant must:
 in the case of relief from the payment of VRT have had his/her normal residence outside
the State for a period greater than 6 months or, in the case of relief from the payment of
CCT duty and VAT, outside the EU for a continuous period of 12 months;
 have transferred his/her residence permanently to the State;
 be the owner of the vehicle/s at the time of transfer;
 have had possession and actual use of the vehicle/s:
 outside the State for at least 6 months prior to transfer in the case of relief from
the payment of VRT, or
 at the former normal place of residence outside the State for 6 months prior to
transfer in the case of relief from the payment of CCT duty and VAT;
 not be a student returning to the State having attended a school, university or other
educational or vocational establishment abroad;
 not be a person who was living abroad in order to carry out a task of definite duration of
less than one year;
 in the case of VRT relief, not have availed of the relief within five years of the granting
of such relief where the applicant went abroad for the purpose of carrying out a task of
duration of one year or more and whose personal ties remained in the State during that
time.



To qualify for relief the vehicle/s must:
 have been acquired duty-paid i.e. with all local taxes paid and not refunded4
;
 have arrived in the State within one year of the date of transfer of residence;
 not reflect any commercial/business interest of the applicant.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/foi/s16/vehicle-registration-tax/vrt-manual-section-02.pdf

Nichard Dixon

If you have been away from Ireland for several years and have had the car for 6 months you can import it on change of residence, if you are really intending to move to Ireland. The difference in your residence and the registration of the car will raise flags though, as you would not have been entitled to drive a UK car in France. As you as supposed to have the the car in normal use, I'm note sure if using it illegally counts. I also wonder if the HP documentation is clear that you live in France or has a UK address. If you import it you will have to register it with an Irish reg.

wgk

Just wondering if the OP has any update???

In a similar position involving a UK car but living in a 3rd country...

Living outside of Ireland over 2 years but may be returning in late 2015

RunningFlyer

Hi.

Sorry I've just seen this message now.

I can confirm that I received the VRT exemption.

It's a bit of effort under time delays but make sure you apply to your local tax office within 7 days of bringing the car into the country with all the required proof the car was abroad (requires bank statements, insurance of car abroad, purchase invoice etc).

You should receive the VRT exemption letter and you bring that to the VRT (NCT centre) office with their required forms and they process it there and then, give you your new Irish reg and you then have 3 days to display the plates on the car (you can buy them there for €25 which I did).

Good luck. If you need any more help let me know.

Cheers