'Importing' a UK car already present in country

Sheikh

Any thoughts on importing a UK car that's actually been in storage in Ireland for the last 30 years or so? It has never been registered in Ireland. It's registration shows on UK reg check sites as being due to be taxed in 1988. Seller of the car has an invoice for the car from a London dealership but no sign of a v5c or other documentation. Might this car need to be physically exported and reimported? Are there road tax implications for it in the UK if an export was never completed?

Cee-Jay-Cee

Sheikh wrote: »

Any thoughts on importing a UK car that's actually been in storage in Ireland for the last 30 years or so? It has never been registered in Ireland. It's registration shows on UK reg check sites as being due to be taxed in 1988. Seller of the car has an invoice for the car from a London dealership but no sign of a v5c or other documentation. Might this car need to be physically exported and reimported? Are there road tax implications for it in the UK if an export was never completed?

Are you thinking of buying the car? I wouldnt touch it until the owner gets the proper documentation to show that they actually own the car in the first place, an invoice means nothing. I'd say given the passage of time, it could be very difficult to regularise that car without at least a V5

Sheikh

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Are you thinking of buying the car? I wouldnt touch it until the owner gets the proper documentation to show that they actually own the car in the first place, an invoice means nothing. I'd say given the passage of time, it could be very difficult to regularise that car without at least a V5

Thanks Cee-Jay-Cee. Yes, I am in negotiation with the cars owner who is actually US based and therefore not in a good position to search for any other related documentation. He has offered me a new bill of sale for the car as well as the original receipt from when he purchased the car.

I'm working on the basis that the car dating from the early 70's which was imported to Ireland around 1988 may have a tax liability if it were to be produced at a VRT office without proof of import on a date after the car reached vintage status. Hence my query about the possible need to remove the car from the state and then import it correctly with proof of arrival etc. I will certainly need to require the seller to produce a V5 I guess!

savagethegoat

you wont need to export it and reimport it. Any liability wont rest with you if you buy it.

Personally I'd run a mile from a car with incomplete documentation

Sheikh

savagethegoat wrote: »

you wont need to export it and reimport it. Any liability wont rest with you if you buy it.

Personally I'd run a mile from a car with incomplete documentation

Yes, aware that the liability won't rest with me, but as the seller is a friend nor do I want bad planning to expose him to an avoidable liability. I will be working to ensure I have a V5 - either one that was presented to him at the point he purchased the car in the 1980's or one that he may now need to have re-issued.

ba_barabus

What car is it? The reason I ask is some owners clubs will help you out.

The dvla in Swansea can issue new documents for the car if you contact them.

As for tax liabilities here if you turn up with a handwritten receipt within the previous month to register the car here nothing further will be requested other than the normal fee.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Sheikh wrote: »

Thanks Cee-Jay-Cee. Yes, I am in negotiation with the cars owner who is actually US based and therefore not in a good position to search for any other related documentation. He has offered me a new bill of sale for the car as well as the original receipt from when he purchased the car.

I'm working on the basis that the car dating from the early 70's which was imported to Ireland around 1988 may have a tax liability if it were to be produced at a VRT office without proof of import on a date after the car reached vintage status. Hence my query about the possible need to remove the car from the state and then import it correctly with proof of arrival etc. I will certainly need to require the seller to produce a V5 I guess!

The car has been in storage here and was not officially imported so for all intensive purposes the car was NOT here, was not used here, was not driven on the roads here. There is no tax liability attached to your friend. He may have bee living here but the car was still registered in the uk. There is no obligation on him to register it here if it's not in use.

If you buy it all you need to be sure of is that the car can be registered in your name (which will be difficult without a V5) The owner would have to do all the donkey work and probably sweat an affidavit and have the car registered in his name with the DVLA before he can sell it to you.

ba_barabus

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

if you buy it all you need to be sure of is that the car can be registered in your name (which will be difficult without a V5) The owner would have to do all the donkey work and probably sweat an affidavit and have the car registered in his name with the DVLA before he can sell it to you.

Not necessarily True. Op contact the DVLA and they will tell you the process to go through. A bit of paperwork is involved but it's not difficult.

biko

Moved out from old thread.

Marcusm

savagethegoat wrote: »

you wont need to export it and reimport it. Any liability wont rest with you if you buy it.

Personally I'd run a mile from a car with incomplete documentation

In order to get the car registered the VRT will need to be adjudicated, if it can be proved it was in Ireland pre 1992 it may be easy. Otherwise, the car remains liable to seizure until registered. If the OP purchases the car before it is registered, he certainly becomes exposed to any liability.

Marcusm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

The car has been in storage here and was not officially imported so for all intensive purposes the car was NOT here, was not used here, was not driven on the roads here. There is no tax liability attached to your friend. He may have bee living here but the car was still registered in the uk. There is no obligation on him to register it here if it's not in use.

I don't think your analysis is correct. From 1/1/93, owners of mechanically propelled vehicles were obliged to get them registered irrespective of whether they were ever going to be used on the road. There was no general exemption for vehicles being kept in storage. If it can be proved that the car was in Ireland legitimately before that date (commencement if EC single market) then likely no VRT was due. However, the vehicle remains liable for seizure until registered. All that being said, I imagine this can all be sorted out for a nominal cost.

savagethegoat

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

The car has been in storage here and was not officially imported so for all intents and purposes the car was NOT here, was not used here, was not driven on the roads here. There is no tax liability attached to your friend. He may have bee living here but the car was still registered in the uk. There is no obligation on him to register it here if it's not in use.

If you buy it all you need to be sure of is that the car can be registered in your name (which will be difficult without a V5) The owner would have to do all the donkey work and probably sweat an affidavit and have the car registered in his name with the DVLA before he can sell it to you.

there is indeed a requirement to re-register a car on import. You have (nowadays) 7 days to book an appointment and a month to complete the process. There are penalties for late VRT payment. This is the responsibility of the owner not the purchaser.