VRT on a car I've owned for 9 years

Aiden101 · 18-03-2018 10:39pm #1

Anyone here have any info in relation to this;

Im an Irish citizen, used to work in the UK from 2006-2010. Bought a UK reg car in 2009, put a SORN on it in 2010, put the car in storage, then I moved abroad for 5 years or so.

Returned to live in Ireland again, car is still in storage (in Northern Ireland now, previously in Scotland) and still has the SORN.

If I wanted to put it back on the road and have the plates changed to Irish plates, as I've been living here now for few years, do I still have to pay VRT on it?

Can't seem to find any info about this. Everything is in relation to people buying used cars and importing them. I've owned this car for 9 years now but haven't driven it in 8 or so. I have no proof of living in the UK as it was so long ago now. I've been driving an Irish reg car since I moved back a few years ago.

Anyone able to help?

(It's a Honda Civic Type R GT, in fantastic condition, recently serviced, and very low milage.)

colm_mcm · 19-03-2018 9:09am

No, that’s not gonna work for you.

michellie · 19-03-2018 9:16am

I agree with Colm. That won't work out.

Rave.ef · 19-03-2018 9:24am

VRT is vehicle registration tax... you know the same thing we get screwed for week in week out... TAX...
So you selling a chape car are you:D

Aiden101 · 19-03-2018 1:21pm

Rave.ef wrote: »

VRT is vehicle registration tax... you know the same thing we get screwed for week in week out... TAX...
So you selling a chape car are you:D

Not selling it, no. My Irish car is 16 years old, ready for being scrapped. Have to either get a replacement or put the other back on the road.

Aiden101 · 19-03-2018 1:25pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

No, that’s not gonna work for you.

What's not going to work? Can you be more specific?

Aiden101 · 19-03-2018 1:26pm

michellie wrote: »

I agree with Colm. That won't work out.

Why is that?

bazz26 · 19-03-2018 1:32pm

I think you have to prove to Revenue that the car was actually in use over there by you, ie taxed, insured, etc while you owned it for a minimum length of time before you moved back here.

darragh o meara · 19-03-2018 1:34pm

The conditions for getting free VRT are very strict for people who have been living in the UK for the specified period. It’s designed for people who are moving from the UK to Ireland and the timeline is pretty tight, they also require a lot of proof that you have in fact owned and lived in the UK for that time, the fact that you haven’t lived there for a while, nor have much of any documentation to prove this will Work against you.

Unfortunately I can’t see you getting off the hook for VRT here unfortunately. That said, VRT for a car of that age shouldn’t be too bad though.

BTW, a colleague at work who is a UK citizen and moving here legitimately for work is having the world of hassle trying to get his car VRT’d for free here. The amount of documentation he has been asked for is horrendous.

colm_mcm · 19-03-2018 2:18pm

Aiden101 wrote: »

What's not going to work? Can you be more specific?

As in there are strict criteria you’d need to meet in order to qualify for an exemption, you don’t meet them.

Marcusm · 20-03-2018 9:15am

The exemption exists to make VRT immune from a challenge under EU fundamental freedoms (although the exemption is provided irrespective of where you are moving from). It is framed in the context of an exemption from tax on assets you are using abroad and which you bring here. As you have lived in one country but stored the car unused in another, the view would be that leaving it abroad would not
Impinge on your freedom to establish yourself in Ireland.

VRT on a car I've owned for 9 years

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