Buying a van for personal use

Cona44

Folks
Sorry if this has been asked a million times but I cant seem to find a correct answer here. I am thinking about buying an old Ford Transit (or similar) van that I can use for odd jobs around the house.

How can I tax and insure this? If I insure it commercially, how do I tax it without a VAT number?

Could someone explain how I do it please?

garv123

Cona44 wrote: »

Folks
Sorry if this has been asked a million times but I cant seem to find a correct answer here. I am thinking about buying an old Ford Transit (or similar) van that I can use for odd jobs around the house.

How can I tax and insure this? If I insure it commercially, how do I tax it without a VAT number?

Could someone explain how I do it please?

Some insurers, not many tho, will allow you to insure it privately, then just tax it privately too.
I know a friend did it, cant remember what company he used tho.

https://www.gocompare.com/van-insurance/private/

_Brian

It varies from county to county.

Recently taxed a new to me van.

Got goods declaration stamped in Garda station. Guard didn’t ask for proof of commercial activity, just stamped it.

Tax office same, just accepted documentation at face value and taxed it.

Some counties push for explicit evidence.

Cona44

_Brian wrote: »

It varies from county to county.

Recently taxed a new to me van.

Got goods declaration stamped in Garda station. Guard didn’t ask for proof of commercial activity, just stamped it.

Tax office same, just accepted documentation at face value and taxed it.

Some counties push for explicit evidence.

So you got the RF111a letter stamped by guards? Did you just put your PPSN on the form?
Doesnt this specifically say that you declare not to use it for Social, Domestic? Would that make the insurance null void...

Sorry im a bit confused here, didnt realise the hassle

beveragelady

I have been driving vans for nearly a decade, taxed and insured as a private domestic vehicle. I don't need a van for my job, I just find them very handy because I have dogs who can't keep pout of puddles on our walks.
The tax is a little more than it would be for a car but not crazy. I was insured with FBD for a few years, now I'm with Allianz. Might be worth giving them both a call. My insurance and tax are fully above board, there's no way in a million years I'd try to pull a fast one with it. There's always a risk you'll need your insurance and they won't be on your side if you told them lies!

Edited for clarity re "taxed privately."

Cona44

Op here again - thanks for the replies:

Part I am confused about is the tax office need you to fill out RF111A form which requires you to list your 'Income Tax Reg Number' and declare that vehicle will not be used for Social, domestic, pleasure...

If I read this correct, do I:
- Get private van insurance (if possible)
- Fill out RF111A form with my PPSN and bring to Guards station
- Tax van using private rates?

Still confused here....good lord why is this country backwards

beveragelady

Cona44 wrote: »

Op here again - thanks for the replies:

Part I am confused about is the tax office need you to fill out RF111A form which requires you to list your 'Income Tax Reg Number' and declare that vehicle will not be used for Social, domestic, pleasure...

If I read this correct, do I:
- Get private van insurance (if possible)
- Fill out RF111A form with my PPSN and bring to Guards station
- Tax van using private rates?

Still confused here....good lord why is this country backwards

I just sauntered into the county council every time I got a new van. I'd say "I bought a van, it has been taxed commercially up to now but I'd like to tax it as a private vehicle now please." There's a bit of paperwork to be filled out at the counter and then they send you the stuff in the post a little while later. The first time I did this the lady was determined to get me to tax it commercially, she said my PPS number would be enough, but I don't take any risks where insurance is concerned so I insisted.

I think it's only complicated if you're looking for ways to get away with taxing it as a commercial vehicle.

Cona44

Thanks for the info, that very helpful. Two other things if you dont mind:

When insuring the van, did you say you only wanted private van insurance or is it commerical with social, domestic included?

Did you fill in the RF111a with your PPS number at the Guards station?

garv123

Cona44 wrote: »

Op here again - thanks for the replies:

Part I am confused about is the tax office need you to fill out RF111A form which requires you to list your 'Income Tax Reg Number' and declare that vehicle will not be used for Social, domestic, pleasure...

If I read this correct, do I:
- Get private van insurance (if possible)
- Fill out RF111A form with my PPSN and bring to Guards station
- Tax van using private rates?

Still confused here....good lord why is this country backwards

you dont need the rf111a form, you can tax it as a private vehicle.

beveragelady

Cona44 wrote: »

Thanks for the info, that very helpful. Two other things if you dont mind:

When insuring the van, did you say you only wanted private van insurance or is it commercial with social, domestic included?

Did you fill in the RF111a with your PPS number at the Guards station?

I definitely didn't do any Garda station stuff.
I told the insurance people I had a commercial vehicle for private use.

I just checked and the insurance docs say that commercial use is excluded, so there's nothing commercial about any of it apart from the shape of the vehicle!

There's a hidden annoyance nobody has mentioned yet. I always get charged commercial rates at tolls. I have argued my way through a couple of times but it's really not worth the effort! It annoys me because a monster SUV has a bigger engine and takes up more room but is charged less.

whisky_galore

beveragelady wrote: »

I definitely didn't do any Garda station stuff.
I told the insurance people I had a commercial vehicle for private use.

I just checked and the insurance docs say that commercial use is excluded, so there's nothing commercial about any of it apart from the shape of the vehicle!

There's a hidden annoyance nobody has mentioned yet. I always get charged commercial rates at tolls. I have argued my way through a couple of times but it's really not worth the effort! It annoys me because a monster SUV has a bigger engine and takes up more room but is charged less.

Should be done by engine size or weight as 'commercial' is a broad church, but this being Ireland...