Irish plate is really necessary?

carapinha

hey everyone. I am moving to Ireland to work and I want to bring my motorcycle and still keep my Portuguese plate. What ways do I have to make it happen. I heard that I have to go once a year to the uk (England only or Northern Ireland works has well?

Appreciate all the help you can give!

Bluefoam

Depends on your long term plans... Staying here more than a year?

Your Portuguese insurance is unlikely to cover you for long term use abroad. You're unlikely to be able to get Irish insurance to cover you on a foreign registration. For tax and work purposes you are going to have to register as a resident here, so your license will need to be transferred. Travelling into the north of Ireland is unlikely to help in any way, taking the bike out of the country may have a short term benefit. Are you trying to avoid VRT? If so & you own the bike for 6 months before coming here, you should have any liability.

If you think you'll get away with speeding and traffic fines, you'll find yourself in more trouble. Also the Gardaí aren't thick, so if you do draw attention to yourself, they'll quickly figure out what you're up to and manage your situation appropriately, it probably wouldn't be worth the hassle...

If you only plan to stay a short while and want to a avoid the bureaucracy then a trip to Wales might be worth while, besides there's some great driving roads over there...

goblin59

if you are resident in Ireland you are meant to change your plates to reflect that.

The Garda can request plate details from Europe, the paperwork means they usually won't bother.

Your insurance is unlikely to cover you being resident in Ireland and if you have any problems and it comes to light that you breached the terms of your insurance then you'll be facing bigger problems.

Going once a year to the UK doesn't change anything tbh, especially Northern Ireland. Theres no proof you went to NI. At least with the mainland UK you have a ferry ticket. But this just sounds like bullshit people tell themselves to feel better about driving on the wrong plates.

Whats the big deal about keeping your portugese plates?

If you get caught and shown as resident in Ireland then you can face penalties for failing to register you're vehicle on arrival. The garda will most likely only bring this up if your caught playing silly buggers. But if revenue get wind of it they'll hound you.

emo72

Still can't wrap my head it. Freedom of movement in the eu and with more people working from home, or you can work remotely from anywhere. If you are withing a couple of months and moving on to another country it's so much hassle. Anyway I know, it's the law, just seems any benefits of eu didn't accrue to us.

Bluefoam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119870573#Comment_119870573

There's no need to register the bike for a couple of months... The scenario you describe is not affected...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119870573#Comment_119870573

If you move house within most European countries, as a citizen of those countries or as an EU citizen, you usually have to register within 90 days with the local town hall (or equivalent.)

You can’t keep the same plates even moving region to region in some countries.

There is freedom of movement, but there are still a lot of things that are tied to a particular country of residence, car registrations are one of those.

galwaytt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119870573#Comment_119870573

I don't know what your problem is - you don't seemt to comprehend what freedom of movement means - You do have freedom of movement.

The fact you can move from EU country to EU country at all, without impediment IS the benefit of being in the EU - just ask anyone from the UK who has lost that right.......

If I move to Portugal and stay more than 183 days I have to register my bike with Portugese plates as well - so what you're being asked to do here is no different. When you take up residency anywhere in the EU you must conform to local regulations.

EOQRTL

Just tell the Gardai you are here for a couple of months, they've better things to be doing than chasing down stuff like that.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119872140#Comment_119872140

If he has an accident it will come to light then. Garda will request a copy of his drivers license and personal details and see the two don't corralate.

Strictly speaking he is meant to swap his license for an irish registered one too if he is relocating to Ireland.

The insurance companies will see this as a reason to not pay out as well.

Del2005

The Portuguese insurance will provide the minimum level of cover required in an EU/EEA country for the term of the policy, this is EU law, they will need to get an Irish policy when the Portuguese one expires. There's no requirement to exchange a EU/EEA licence if you move country, you only have to exchange it to you country of residence when it expires. You will pay more for insurance with a non Irish licence.

It's against the law for an Irish resident to use a foreign registered vehicle, with a few limited exemptions none of which matter for the OP. The VRT for changing the bike over will be zero provided the OP's owned it for more that 6 months, even if they have pay VRT it's not that expensive for bikes. Travelling to another country doesn't change where you are resident, the criteria for residency is different for tax purposes vs vehicles.

If you get penalty points on your Portuguese licence a virtual Irish one is created and they never expire, they will be added to you Irish licence when you eventually exchange, with an Irish licence they only last 3 years.

galwaytt

Just another thing too, vis-a-vis Portugese insurance. If it's like here, and most insurance here is by pan-euro companies (AXA, Zurich etc), then your Portugese insurance probably only covers you for 30 days outside of Portugal per year.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119900389#Comment_119900389

You can loose fully comp or fire and theft after being out of your country for the XX days your company allows, but all policies cover the minimum level of insurance required for the duration of the policy as per EU law.

rock22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902688#Comment_119902688

Are you sure,?

regarding their basic third party, AXA state as follows,

"You’ll be covered to travel to Europe with your car for up to 90 days per year during your period of insurance."

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902915#Comment_119902915

i've heard this too, you basically get minimum insurance on the bike

. But if your in breach of contract such as lying about your residence status then they would void your insurance based on that.

I would recommend the OP talks to their insurance provider or someone who works in immigration law to find out what the best course of action is.

Forums are not often the best place for legal advice

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902915#Comment_119902915

3rd party is compulsory and valid for the term of the policy while anything optional, fully comp or Fire and theft, is at the discretion of your insurance company.

Validity of compulsory and optional insurance

When you register a car in any EU country, you must insure it for third party liability. This compulsory insurance is valid in all other EU countries. It covers you if you have an accident causing damage to property or injury to anyone other than the driver. It doesn't cover other costs (e.g. the cost of repairs to your own vehicle).

You can also take out additional, optional insurance, called first party liability, covering other risks. This insurance extends your cover (e.g. to injuries to the driver, damage to your vehicle, theft of your vehicle/its contents, vandalism, and legal assistance).

There are no EU-wide rules on additional optional car insurance. Check the terms and conditions with your local insurer before you travel abroad. Insurers can apply different rules in each country. So your insurance could be limited by time (e.g. a month abroad) or by distance (e.g. 150km from the border of your home country) or might exclude some countries for some types of risk (such as theft).

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/insurance/validity/index_en.htm

rock22

Thanks Del2005, good to know. The information on some of the Insurance company sites seem to be (deliberately?) misleading.

galwaytt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902688#Comment_119902688

yes, but even the TP is not for the (year), it's only for X period withing a year.

And so long at you are resident where it says on the policy............if he's resident here, insured over there, well then..............