Question about vehicle registration

TheLedge

My scenario is thus::

I buy car in UK, keep it for 6 months, or more in UK.

Subsequently bring the car home to Ireland.

I decide to leave Ireland again for a while. I can't sell the car without paying VRT in the first 12 months... SO...

Can I just insure my brother/relative on the car and let them drive it while i'm away, while I still retain ownership and registration of the vehicle.

Cheers for any replies.

Dades

Don't see why not.

As long as you can get someone insured on it without them having to prove title. Even Motor tax can be paid online.

G'luck!

unkel

Yeah should be no problem. Put your family member as named driver on YOUR insurance policy

bazz26

Maybe I got this wrong but if you don't pay the VRT then my understanding is that you cannot register it here. You are only issued a registration number when the VRT is paid. The first thing an insurance company will ask you here is for the registration number of the car. I don't think they will cover vehicles that are not registered here.

MrPudding

bazz26 wrote:

Maybe I got this wrong but if you don't pay the VRT then my understanding is that you cannot register it here. You are only issued a registration number when the VRT is paid. The first thing an insurance company will ask you here is for the registration number of the car. I don't think they will cover vehicles that are not registered here.

Further, no resident of Ireland can drive legally drive a car with foreign plates.

My GF is French and we carried out extensive research to see if we could get round VRT and buy a car in France. We thought of buying a car under her fathers name and bringing it over, similar to what you are thinking of. Even if they are here on holiday in their own car we technically cannot drive it unless VRT has been paid.

The only time a resident can drive a foreign registered car is if the owner is the employer of the resident.

MrP

TheLedge

I'm exempt from VRT if i have the car for 6 months in the UK though...

When the car arrives in ireland for the first time, all I have to do is register it, and get plates done up... then it can be taxed and insured.

But can you insure somebody on your car, if the regsitered owner(me) is not insured on it?? I don't see any reason not to be able??

Dades

Yeah Ledge,
Once you can prove you owned the car for 6 months in the UK you aren't liable to VRT (subject to the 12mth restriction you mentioned).

MrPudding (!)
You would have to prove that you owned the car in France for 6ths, and probably that you were living there to get the same exemption. Your GF could buy the car, and "move" here in 6 mths. Then, like TheLedge the car would have to remain here in her name for a further 12 mths.

Re the question of insuring someone as a main driver on a car not registered in their name - I too would like to know the answer to that. I've never been asked by an Insurance co for title docs, but I haven't read the T&Cs either which might make ownership a requirement for a valid policy...

MercMad

AFAIK either you, your spouse, a garage or your company has to be the registered owner of any vehicle before you can insure it, unless it is a temporary arrangement lasting no more than 1 month.

This is what I was told about 2 years ago when I wanted to use my mothers car for a few months. They wouldn't let me use MY policy on it.

You MAY be able to insure the car in your name and have someone else as a main driver. Technically this is legal but I wouldn't like to have to make a claim in the event of an accident !

MrPudding

The Atheist wrote:

MrPudding (!)
You would have to prove that you owned the car in France for 6ths, and probably that you were living there to get the same exemption. Your GF could buy the car, and "move" here in 6 mths. Then, like TheLedge the car would have to remain here in her name for a further 12 mths.

The problem is, I believe, you need to prove that you were living in the other country for those 12 months. We would have been unable to do that.

MrP

mackerski

TheLedge wrote:

I'm exempt from VRT if i have the car for 6 months in the UK though...

When the car arrives in ireland for the first time, all I have to do is register it, and get plates done up... then it can be taxed and insured.

But can you insure somebody on your car, if the regsitered owner(me) is not insured on it?? I don't see any reason not to be able??

I used the VRT exemption when moving back from Germany. I waited the max time allowable before re-plating. After all, I didn't know whether I was back for good. At registration time, when being handed my documents, I was advised of the restrictions: "You can't sell it within 12 months and only you can drive it". In fact, I think certain relatives (possibly only spouse) may also drive, but maybe a brother is allowable.

The reason for the restriction is clear - otherwise, you could enter into an agreement to sell the car in 12 months, but hand it over immediately to the prospective owner.

Dermot

MrPudding

mackerski wrote:

: "You can't sell it within 12 months and only you can drive it". In fact, I think certain relatives (possibly only spouse) may also drive, but maybe a brother is allowable.


Dermot

This is more or less what we discovered. My reading of it was no Irish resident can drive a car that has not had the VRT paid on it unless it is outside the 12 month period. Family ot not.

MrP

Gatster

On a slightly different note, a lot of UK registered cars that you see around are registered and insured in the UK and driven by people who are resident in Ireland but have an English address they can use.

When stopped they quote the English address/show English documents, obviously helps a lot to have an English accent in this scenario. Don't know how many people eventually get busted though, as they are at the very least telling an 'alternative' version of the truth...