Moving to NI with car

pinktoe

I'm considering taking a 2 year contact in Belfast and I'm wondering what my options are with my car.

I bought it last February in Northern Ireland and Vrt'd it. Do I just leave it on Irish plates and keep it taxed and insured down here or do I put back the NI plates on it and tax it up there or is that even possible.

The handiest option would be to sell it here I suppose, but its unlikely to sell fast.

Do I need to cancel insurance here and get insurance in NI? Will insurance companies up north insure Irish plates?

NIMAN

You can put it back on its original plates and claim a VRT rebate afaik.

I'd speak to the insurers to see what they advise. You may need to cancel your policy and take out one in NI.
Or you could just keep it at the registered address in RoI and keep it on Irl plates.

pinktoe

Thanks Niman.

Was looking into it a bit further there, putting back on NI plates seems the easiest way and insure it there.

NIMAN

Don't forget about the rebate!

Tazio

RE: VRT Rebate.... Just be careful if it's an older car... if you decide to re-vrt it again back in Ireland you may be hit with a huge NOX tax too.

Explosive_Cornflake

Tazio wrote: »

RE: VRT Rebate.... Just be careful if it's an older car... if you decide to re-vrt it again back in Ireland you may be hit with a huge NOX tax too.

But if he's living up there for 2 years, he can bring it back in without paying the VRT.

pinktoe

Its 2018.
Probably trade it 6 months before returning.

jimmycrackcorm

Explosive_Cornflake wrote: »

But if he's living up there for 2 years, he can bring it back in without paying the VRT.

Why do that when you can save much more money by buying a newer car and not having to pay the VRT moving back.

Explosive_Cornflake

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Why do that when you can save much more money by buying a newer car and not having to pay the VRT moving back.

That'd be the better thing to do.
My comment was in the context of :

Tazio wrote: »

RE: VRT Rebate.... Just be careful if it's an older car... if you decide to re-vrt it again back in Ireland you may be hit with a huge NOX tax too.

Xertz

I would just sell it in the Republic now or move it once and not plan to return it to the Republic again, particularly as if you're going to be back in Republic after 31/12/2020. By then UK will have completely left EU rules and the Brexit transition period (unless extended) will have ended.

All we know is that the Common Travel Area rules will continue to apply to people with Irish or UK citizenship - i.e. you'll be able to live/work in or travel between Ireland and the UK without any issues, but for goods, services and sale of vehicles cross-border the reality is nobody know what the arrangements might be, as they've yet to be negotiated.

I'd definitely sell it in the Republic and buy a new car in the North and avoid all the VRT and cross border complications entirely.

Beyond 31/12/2020 you can't take anything for granted to continue as-is. I certainly wouldn't make any plans based around existing rules anyway.

You could play it by ear, and who knows, maybe it will be relatively uncomplicated to bring it back into the Republic and put t on Irish plates, but realistically, nobody could advise you as the rules beyond December are an unknown.

Kop On

Just something that occurred to me. If you cancel your insurance in the Republic and in 2 years time return here and seek to be insured here again will they honour your previous driving record and NCB etc.

I know friends who returned from Oz (albeit after longer than 2 years) got screwed for insurance and went back to zero in the eyes of insurance companies.

Explosive_Cornflake

Kop On wrote: »

Just something that occurred to me. If you cancel your insurance in the Republic and in 2 years time return here and seek to be insured here again will they honour your previous driving record and NCB etc.

I know friends who returned from Oz (albeit after longer than 2 years) got screwed for insurance and went back to zero in the eyes of insurance companies.

Typically they'll count a UK NCB, and the opposite can be done with a bit more legwork, i.e. an Irish NCB recognised in the UK.