Northern Ireland Car Tax visit to the UK

princess21

Hi I purchased a car from Northern Ireland and brought it down to the VRT office thinking I would be able to pay the VRT then and there and get my Irish plates. They said they have to send away for a stat code I've been down to check to see has it come back and nothing. Have been told it could take up to 15days. My problem is I have booked to take my kids and car on the ferry over to Legoland in England on Bank Holiday Monday. The car still has Northern Ireland plates but is untaxed what is the situation with the police ? Will I able to go ?

User1998

Can you not tax the car online? Road tax in the UK is usually free or very cheap

Maybe just bring the VRT sheet to show the car has been exported

princess21

No I've already tried to tax the car in North online but it won't let me the website says I need to bring it to a post office

User1998

Well you need valid road tax to drive on UK roads. It would be up to police discretion to believe your story and let you away with it

gipi

There have been stories in the past of the Welsh police impounding untaxed vehicles. Lads buying bikes in England were advised to have them couriered to the ferry rather than ride through Wales untaxed.

RavenBea17b

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119403567#Comment_119403567

Road tax in UK isn't free. Can tax the car on-line if still registered in NI. Also, if no car tax, check with car insurance company.

princess21

I have the declaration stating that Ive brought it down to the vrt office within the 7 days of it entering Ireland. The vrt office said it's fine to drive the car here in Ireland but they can't advice me on the situation with taking the car on holidays to the UK. The garage I bought from tried to help with the situation but I cant tax it at a northern post office as you need an address in the north and proof of insurance in a northern address.

ELM327

You can not bring that car to the UK. The police there are not like AGS here. Your car will be impounded if you are stopped. They sometimes give you leeway if you're on the way to the port and show your ferry ticket but even then people get done. If you're over there , do not drive that car.

bazz26

You might also want to double check with your insurance company that you are actually covered to take the car abroad again while it's still on foreign plates. They usually cover you to drive it home on UK plates from the UK until it's VRTd and put on Irish plates but that doesn't automatically mean they will cover you to take it over there again if it's not on Irish plates. Never assume anything with insurance companies.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119404006#Comment_119404006

I didn’t say its free. I said it is usually free or very cheap. Which is true.

goochy

Not usually free . Only for electric cars .

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119405326#Comment_119405326

Nope. Lots of pre 2017 petrol/diesel cars are free to tax.

A lot of the time a pre owned small engined car could be free or around £20 for the year.

Not trying to get into a road tax debate. My original point was that OP should try tax the car because it won’t be expensive.

Marcusm

OP: Put the reg number in here and establish whether you can tax the car. It may be that the vendor has already notified the DVLA that it was sold for export in which case there might be a more significant flag if it turns up on ANPR in GB.

even if not marked as exported it might have been the subject of a SORN which will also throw up a flag. As will the absence of U.K. insurance as the motor insurers database there has been a direct feed into ANPR for more than 10 years. All in all, you might not be stopped but it’s probably an issue you don’t want with kids.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425725#Comment_119425725

He was going two days ago.

Miscreant

The OP is more than likely already in the UK with the car at this stage. Either that, or they borrowed a car for the trip.

They tried taxing the car in the North and that was a no go due to not having an NI address. The car is in a registration/tax limbo so if the OP brought the car on holidays, then best of luck with the trip.