NI car in ROI?

bigstudio123

Hi guys

i was hoping to get some help here as its been frying my head for weeks!

I travel around europe / USA frequently for work as an entertainer. Last year I moved my company and personal taxes to NI as the Irish tax system was charging me a fortune. My current tax resident address is NI but when home I spend most my time in ROI as thats where my friends and family are. I spend a good 5 months a year (in different periods) out of country and usually away weekends

Is it possible to buy a car in Northern Ireland, get insured as a UK resident - but still spend my home time in ROI? I have been told since I am a NI tax paying resident and can show my resident status is in NI i should have no problems but im slightly worried that I might get stopped somewhere or get reported (you know what we're like in Ireland). The car would be parked in NI most weekends at Belfast airport and the likes.

I currently hold an Irish driving license but considering swapping out to a UK one?

FYI - I tried going down the route of buying a car in ROI but figured i wont get insured in ROI now that im not a tax paying resident here.

Thanks alot

zg3409

Sound like a tax dodge on both taxes for work and taxes for car. I would thread very carefully and answer questions asked by insurer such as place normally resident carefully. Your car is supposed to be registered to where you live in non company car cases.

I am sure people in border areas many have companies in NI but live in ROI. You should get good legal advice as if you are prosecuted for say vrt avoidance it might get expensive. Customs would be interested in this case too. Try to remain as legal and honest as you can. You do t want a back dated tax bill.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058266171/ni-car-in-roi

As NI is still in that grey zone between being inside and outside the EU, if you insure with an insurer in NI, they allow unlimited driving in the south. I know this because I’ve just insured my son with AxaNI and that is their policy. One of my daughters recently insured her car with a mainland UK insurer, and it only gives 60 days driving per year in Ireland. So you will have to do your research.

Im by no means a tax expert, but you might want to talk to your accountant, I can’t imagine it’s as easy as saying you live in NI, but actually living in ROI.

galwaytt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058266171/ni-car-in-roi

The short answer is related to the key item you've stated in your post : UK residency. If you are tax-resident in RoI, that really is where the buck stops. Residency is what determines a lot of things.

Indeed, under the Finance Act (1997 iirc), an Irish resident cannot even DRIVE a foreign registered car here, under penalty of having it seized by Revenue. Naturally all the other matters hinge on that too; insurance, tax, NCT etc.

As for licence, I'm not 100% sure, but if you're tax-resident there you may have to surrender it/get a UK one after 12 months anyway.

NIMAN

Its where you live. If you are an roi resident , you must have irish plates on the car. Customs often have sweeps in border counties to try to locate those driving ni plated cars when they actually reside in Ireland. And they have major powers to hit you with fines and even confiscate your car.

I am in a similar position. Work in NI, pay tax in NI, but live in Ireland. So I have irish cars.

Re: car insurance. Where you pay tax is irrelevant. I pay tax in NI but insure my irish car without any issue.