Unregistered Classic Car - what to do?

Madeupname1 · 11-10-2017 11:23pm #1

My late father inherited a classic car from the UK in 1991. The car (1961) was registered in the UK and ownership was transferred to my father officially. He brought it back to Ireland, and we have a Irish Motor Vehicle Duty Certificate issued December 1991, 26 years ago. But we don't seem to have any documents to show that is was registered here and it still has English plates. It has been off the road, garaged for 99% of its time in Ireland and isn't drivable for quite some time. My brother now wants to import it to the US where he lives. What steps do we need to take to make that possible? Will VRT need to be paid? Who can register it? Any help/advice would be really appreciated as this is all new to us.

unkel · 12-10-2017 12:32pm

I would focus on the local rules in the USA for importing a car first and not worry too much about getting it registered here first per se.

Bigus · 12-10-2017 3:07pm

unkel wrote: »

I would focus on the local rules in the USA for importing a car first and not worry too much about getting it registered here first per se.

I totally disagree,

I'd be in touch with DVLA To resurrect the uk reg documents.

Even if the documents are not available, the DVLA will issue a print out of last known details, this is a very useful and valuable print out to get.

I know this for a fact as such a print out was good enough to register a classic here in Ireland that had lost uk papers, therefore making it a registered saleable exportable vehicle rather than a shell with no papers.

It'll subsequently be much easier to import to USA or any country once papers are present and correct. SO DVLA in Swansea would be first call with chassis number and last known uk reg.

Testacalda · 12-10-2017 3:53pm

Madeupname1 wrote: »

My late father inherited a classic car from the UK in 1991. The car (1961) was registered in the UK .

What car is it, we always love to know!

Never sent a car to the usa before but I would imagine to make things easy you need to get some Irish paperwork for it before exporting it from here.

Was it registered to your Dad at a uk address?

The fact that you have that Irish Motor Vehicle Duty cert would mean that your Dad went through some of the steps involved in getting it registered in Ireland but never followed through.

Silvera · 12-10-2017 9:25pm

The DVLA vehicle history documents are only issued to the current (or a previously) registered owner of a vehicle. They will not issue these outside the UK. I went through this with a previous classic I owned. The application is known as 'Form V888'.

Madeupname1 · 12-10-2017 9:43pm

Thanks for the replies - it is a Rover 80
Ownership was transferred to my dad using his Irish address on a Vehicle Registration Document from the UK Dept of Transport late 1991. We have this document. So is it the UK or Irish Dept we need to contact next? Really not sure!

Esel · 13-10-2017 12:53am

Do you actually need to get more paperwork here (Ireland/UK)?

Has your brother researched it all at his end - import regulations/conformance etc.?

Silvera · 13-10-2017 7:56pm

Madeupname1 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies - it is a Rover 80
Ownership was transferred to my dad using his Irish address on a Vehicle Registration Document from the UK Dept of Transport late 1991. We have this document. So is it the UK or Irish Dept we need to contact next? Really not sure!

That's very confusing?! I never heard of the UK dept issuing a certificate to an Irish owner - and using an Irish address??

Could you perhaps post a pic of the cert (with private details blanked out)?

Isambard · 16-10-2017 2:45pm

you have the Irish Motor Vehicle Duty Certificate, so the duty has been paid and the vehicle re-registered and the logbook would not be issued until it was taxed, which was never done I assume..

Forget the UK , it's now an Irish car. If your brother wants to export it to the US i suggest he can do so using the documentation available. As Unkel says, investigate what the regulations are in the US for an import.

Madeupname1 · 17-10-2017 11:21am

Thanks for all the replies. from reading a few forums, I think it may be that the UK form transferring the car to my father (at his Irish address) is returned to the Irish owner (which is why we seem to have the original form rather than an official registration document)
My brother has got some information on importing the car - this car is not one that is on a special list so the value of it needs to be determined and he has to figure how to to do that at US values - not many of these in the States I think. Needs to do more digging.

aujopimur · 17-10-2017 11:50am

Madeupname1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. from reading a few forums, I think it may be that the UK form transferring the car to my father (at his Irish address) is returned to the Irish owner (which is why we seem to have the original form rather than an official registration document)
My brother has got some information on importing the car - this car is not one that is on a special list so the value of it needs to be determined and he has to figure how to to do that at US values - not many of these in the States I think. Needs to do more digging.

U

Use classic car website sales for a valuation.

Unregistered Classic Car - what to do?

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