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Child Item

2016 UK import - step by step

Bumski

I recently purchased a car in the UK. There are a number of threads on this issue, including the bumper one, but given the recent Brexit and the sterling rate and their impact on the value formoney that can be got, I thought I’d put down a number of steps that I followed on the process.
I’m an average guy with no specialised knowledge about cars,mechanics or engines. Others, more expert, might not bother with the AA check I paid for, but it saved me time and I was able to fly to the UK and leave on the ferry with the car on the same day. I hope that this can be of use to someone

So the steps (with costs) were:

1 sourced the car model and spec on autotrader UK and/or motors.co.uk

2 Check the probable VRT cost online on the Revenue ROS VRT calculator

2A Check the UK MOT site for mileage at last MOT https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

3 Checked with my insurance company the impact of the proposed new car on my policy and premium

4 I booked a low fares airline morning midweek return flight to the UK for a date 2 weeks later for €30 (the return leg cost €10 included in the €30 – I bought the return leg in case of any unforeseen problem) I booked to Manchester for 10.30am

5 contact the garage and discuss price – noted to garage that I would be exporting the vehicle and so would not be test driving myself ahead of time (I did not want to buy from a private seller as I think it would be more difficult to arrange an engineer car check and meet up and payment safely)

6 Check how many keys are there for the car (is there a master key or code tag), whether there is a service history, are there any further documents (eg. Previous mot certs, garage receipts for work done). Is the user manual in the car.

7 Agreed a small deposit (£200) by phone and paid garage with visa

8 Organised a comprehensive car inspection using Dekra (£125) This inspection also includes a full HPI. Adverse findings are advised orally but the full results of the check are not included in the report

9 Opened an account with transfermate to minimize sterling conversion costs. This needs to be done maybe a week before the date you want to pay as there are some admin requirements including proof of identity and address. Emails of pdfs of utility bill, bank details and passport required)

10 Received car inspection report and phone the engineer to get his non written general opinion

11 A few minor niggles reported to the garage to be sorted before I collected the car

12 Obtain UK garage bank details and send to transfermate

13 Type up a letter seeking refund of UK road tax that most garages will get you to pay online before leaving

14 Organise transfer with transfermate. Allow 2 working days. Day one transfers from your Irish account to Transfermate. Day 2 – transfers to UK.

15 The day before flying – organise to transfer insurance to the new car (you need the make model and reg)

16 Book the ferry for the next day I booked the latest possible at 8pm – cost me €144

17 On arrival at the garage obtain all keys, the manual, an invoice and a complete V5C document (minus part 4 which is sent bythe garage to the DVLA in Swansea)

18 Pay the UK road tax (minimum 6 months) Maybe you can avoid this but it cost me €77 (but depends on the emissions of the car and the exchange rate) and UK car tax no longer transfers with change of ownership. UK cops have the right to impound an untaxed car (though any reasonable cop probably wouldn’t if it’s en route to the ferry for export)

19 Give the letter seeking refund to the garage to include with the V5C part 4 to send to the DVLA.

20 Drive to Holyhead smiling!

21 On arrival in Ireland book the VRT test at the NCTS. The cost of the inspection is covered in the VRT that you pay. No separate charge. This inspection does not test the car (it is not a standard NCTS test) and only verifies that the VRT amount is correct. The booking must be made within 7 days and all paperwork completed within 30 days or the import is subject to fines

22 Although not necessary, I kept a colour copy of the V5C and the other documents that I supplied to the NCTS, the documents required are detailed at: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/vrt-guide.html

· I provided: V5C (this is very important!)

· Dated Invoice for the car

· Recent Utility bill

· P60 (you can black out salary details)

· Recent Internet Bank statement (but subsequently stamped by my bank as revenue insist on one original document – myP60 and utility were also online generated printouts)

· VRT Vehicle Purchase Declaration Form VRTVPD2 http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/vrt-guide.html#section2e3

· Proof of date of entry (I used my ferry booking details)

· Declaration Form for the Registration of a newVehicle/ Motorcycle

23 Pay the VRT following the inspection. Max allowable on a debit card by banks is normally €1500 (your individual limit may differ - if you're planning to go this route check with your bank and the NCTS that it's ok). Credit cards can be used subject to a 1% additional fee (and subject to your individual credit limit). If necessary, NCTS advised me that you can mix payments from both cards to minimise the cc fee. You can also pay with a bank draft – my draft cost €2.40.

24 On receipt you will be given a new registration number by the NCTS

25 New plates can be made by many motor factors for about €20

26 Notify your insurance company of the new registration

27 Change any relevant details for etolls, M50 or any work related car information if applicable.

28 One day later your registration details will appear on the motor tax online website and the tax can be paid online using a pin number supplied by the NCTS

29 The tax disk arrived for me two working days later.

30 I am currently awaiting the new VLC which should arrive this week and will then book my required NCT.

I'm ever hopeful that I might get a five month rebate on the UK motor tax paid.....

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Comments

celtic_oz

If you drive a car in from northern Ireland, bought from a private seller what would constitute proof of

1. Vehicle invoice which must have the date of purchase/sale clearly indicated.

is a dated hand written note appropriate when the seller is private ?

2. For vehicles imported from Northern Ireland, where the invoice is dated more that 30 days earlier than the date the vehicle is presented for registration, details of where the vehicle was stored.

If the date on the hand written note above is within 30 days, then no details required?

IrishGrimReaper

You are correct on both, for me when I was buying I did my own invoice on my computer though(looks a bit more legit).

michellie

griffin100 wrote: »

Did you try this site - https://www.motorcheck.ie/blog/vrt-calculator/

That website is chronic for giving out wrong stat codes. More hassle than anything.

squeekyduck

Just a word of warning to people who are buying cars and not taxing them in the UK, technically its illegal and you can loose the car if stopped by the police or it may be clamped.

The tax rules are different so when a car is sold the tax is refunded to the seller, that means that the new car does not have tax.

You can check if a car is taxed and has a valid MOT using this site.

https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

Generally you cannot tax a car unless it has valid insurance or a valid MOT.

Generally check this site before driving away or you could be having uncomfortable conversations when you go through an ANPR.

Sesame

I went through the VRT process yesterday so wanted to add a couple of tips.

1. You don't need the Registration Declaration Form from. The VRT confirmation email is confusing about this. As a private buyer you just need the VRTVPD2 form.

The email has these two lines:
"You bring your completed VTRVPD1 (Tan Holders) and Registration Declaration Forms
Click here to download this form
You bring your completed VRTVPD2 for Private vehicles
Click here to download this form"

2. Try to arrange your VRT appointment for the start of the month (but still fall within the 30 days). I had mine yesterday but I still need to pay the tax back to Nov 1st.

Mine was quick and easy and I brought far to much proof and documents with me. I checked over the OMSP value and its exactly the average of similar cars on the market so no chance of an appeal!

Isambard

Sesame wrote: »

I went through the VRT process yesterday so wanted to add a couple of tips.

1. You don't need the Registration Declaration Form from. The VRT confirmation email is confusing about this. As a private buyer you just need the VRTVPD2 form.

The email has these two lines:
"You bring your completed VTRVPD1 (Tan Holders) and Registration Declaration Forms
Click here to download this form
You bring your completed VRTVPD2 for Private vehicles
Click here to download this form"

2. Try to arrange your VRT appointment for the start of the month (but still fall within the 30 days). I had mine yesterday but I still need to pay the tax back to Nov 1st.

Mine was quick and easy and I brought far to much proof and documents with me. I checked over the OMSP value and its exactly the average of similar cars on the market so no chance of an appeal!

you could have declared the car off road and paid from 1 dec if it was off the road of course....

FastFullBack

Sesame wrote: »

I went through the VRT process yesterday so wanted to add a couple of tips.

1. You don't need the Registration Declaration Form from. The VRT confirmation email is confusing about this. As a private buyer you just need the VRTVPD2 form.

The email has these two lines:
"You bring your completed VTRVPD1 (Tan Holders) and Registration Declaration Forms
Click here to download this form
You bring your completed VRTVPD2 for Private vehicles
Click here to download this form"

2. Try to arrange your VRT appointment for the start of the month (but still fall within the 30 days). I had mine yesterday but I still need to pay the tax back to Nov 1st.

Mine was quick and easy and I brought far to much proof and documents with me. I checked over the OMSP value and its exactly the average of similar cars on the market so no chance of an appeal!

I've got my VRT check on Friday the 1st, so I got lucky from that viewpoint.

Defintely the VRT email is confusing between VTRVPD1 and VTRVPD2 forms.

Even the first line on the VTRVPD2 form is highly confusing
"To be completed by a person other than an Authorised Person who is presenting the vehicle for registration"

Anyway I have both forms printed and will fill in and bring both.

Sesame

Didn't know that Isambard. Too late now!

They could do with rewriting those emails and forms in plain English alright.
After reading the email 10 times, understood that the VTRVPD2 was for garages and VTRVPD1 for private individuals (or non-authorised persons, what a strange way to describe them), but it was the third Registration Declaration form that confused me.
The VRT man said you don't need that one anymore. If that's the case, delete it from the email template!

FastFullBack

Sesame wrote: »

Didn't know that Isambard. Too late now!

They could do with rewriting those emails and forms in plain English alright.
After reading the email 10 times, understood that the VTRVPD2 was for garages and VTRVPD1 for private individuals (or non-authorised persons, what a strange way to describe them), but it was the third Registration Declaration form that confused me.
The VRT man said you don't need that one anymore. If that's the case, delete it from the email template!

I’m still confused, do I need to fill in VTRVPD1 or VTRVPD2?

awec

FastFullBack wrote: »

I’m still confused, do I need to fill in VTRVPD1 or VTRVPD2?

#2 for private vehicles.

#1 if you're a registered motor trader.

Sesame has it back to front in the post you quoted.

I wouldn't worry about it anyway, if you have the wrong form filled in they'll just give you the other one to fill in. They aren't going to be telling you to go away and come back, the VRT desk is nowhere near as busy as the NCT desk.

Sesame

Sorry got it backwards, didn't mean to add to confusion. Yes it's the one ending in 2 you need.

griffin100

michellie wrote: »

That website is chronic for giving out wrong stat codes. More hassle than anything.

I've been tracking a car for a few weeks in the UK waiting to see if the dealer dropped the price. He did yesterday, I was about to confirm an offer when I checked the VRT on the Revenue site. Motorcheck said €1,800; Revenue said €3,500 :mad: Glad you posted!!

On a related note, if I wait until January to bring a car in from the UK will the VRT be lower as the car is now a 'year older'?

michellie

griffin100 wrote: »

I've been tracking a car for a few weeks in the UK waiting to see if the dealer dropped the price. He did yesterday, I was about to confirm an offer when I checked the VRT on the Revenue site. Motorcheck said €1,800; Revenue said €3,500 :mad: Glad you posted!!

On a related note, if I wait until January to bring a car in from the UK will the VRT be lower as the car is now a 'year older'?

That website is a joke, I don't know how they get it so wrong. I don't know why people use it anyway when the revenue calculator is so easy to use ( almost fool proof, almost)

Price should go down in January, OMSP ( mostly)goes down each month. But it's not guaranteed. I have seen price increases. Today being the 1st of the month - most prices dropped by €10-€20 off yesterday's quotes.

TripleSSS

Does anyone recommend a car dealer near to Birmingham / Leeds?

FastFullBack

sweeney2014 wrote: »

Does anyone recommend a car dealer near to Birmingham / Leeds?

If you’re looking for Nissan I’d recommend these guys about 40mins outside Birmingham http://www.westwaynissan.co.uk/west-way-nissan-stourbridge

Deal was very easy to complete.

griffin100

Yevon wrote: »

Going through this process next week hopefully. Think all the documents should be fine but what do people use as the evidence of the date on which the vehicle entered the state? We'll be buying in Enniskillen and registering in Dublin so there will be no 'import documents' as such apart from the invoice but that's listed separately on the website as a requirement?

I used the sales invoice as date of importation when I bought my car up north.

aaabbbb

If you import from the uk is your insurance loaded because it's an "import"?

FastFullBack

aaabbbb wrote: »

If you import from the uk is your insurance loaded because it's an "import"?

No doesn't make a difference from what I've seen

Fann Linn

FastFullBack wrote: »

No doesn't make a difference from what I've seen

From talking to a broker he said if the car was a LHD from the continent there would be.

FastFullBack

Fann Linn wrote: »

From talking to a broker he said if the car was a LHD from the continent there would be.

Ok LHD probably yes, but UK RHD no.

aaabbbb

pah wrote:

When the insurance company ask you if the car is imported you answer NO. That may change post brexit but a car brought in from the UK is not an "import"

How so?

aaabbbb

pah wrote:

When the insurance company ask you if the car is imported you answer NO. That may change post brexit but a car brought in from the UK is not an "import"

How so?

awec

pah wrote: »

When the insurance company ask you if the car is imported you answer NO. That may change post brexit but a car brought in from the UK is not an "import"

This is incorrect. If the vehicle is imported into Ireland it's an import. It's a fairly straightforward concept.

A UK import will have no impact on your insurance. Your insurance company may take a bit extra time to get you a quote if the exact spec of the car you are importing does not exist in Ireland.

ION08

awec wrote: »

This is incorrect. If the vehicle is imported into Ireland it's an import. It's a fairly straightforward concept.

A UK import will have no impact on your insurance. Your insurance company may take a bit extra time to get you a quote if the exact spec of the car you are importing does not exist in Ireland.

I'm sorry but you are actually incorrect.

By that logic, EVERY car in Irleand is an import. - Last time I checked no cars currently on the road were actually manufactured here where they?

Insurance companies ask the "import" question to determine whether a car is a Japanese Domestic import due to the lack of security features and higher theft rate and scarcity of parts of such cars

A car personally imported from the UK or Northern Ireland is not classed as an "import" per se.

Some also sepeartely specifiy if the car is LHD or not.

Taken for T&C of an insurance doc:

So, in short, when obtaining quotes for a UK car, then NO you car is not an "import".

Mr_Man

Hi Folks,

anyone have any experience with VRT'ing a car when the Co2 band on the actual car is much lower than than shown on the VRT calculator.

I am looking at an A3 which is listed as 133g/Km on the cars technical data. On the VRT calculator it is shown as 159g which puts it into a much higher VRT band. The difference is around €5k. The 159g/km is for the older engine of the same model.

Were you able to get the NCT staff to accept the lower rate or did you have to appeal it to the revenue.

Thanks!

aujopimur

Mr_Man wrote: »

Hi Folks,

anyone have any experience with VRT'ing a car when the Co2 band on the actual car is much lower than than shown on the VRT calculator.

I am looking at an A3 which is listed as 133g/Km on the cars technical data. On the VRT calculator it is shown as 159g which puts it into a much higher VRT band. The difference is around €5k. The 159g/km is for the older engine of the same model.

Were you able to get the NCT staff to accept the lower rate or did you have to appeal it to the revenue.

Thanks!

What's on the V5?.

bazz26

There is no such thing as trying to convincing the NCT staff, they go off the co2 figure listed on the car's V5c registration document and Revenue's VRT statistical code.

Chances are you maybe selecting the wrong variant of the car on the ROS website which is giving a higher co2 figure.

Mr_Man

Thanks for the responses, I don't have the V5 and am going by the tech specs listed on the car advert which is on the official Audi UK website.

All the details entered into the VRT calculator match the car, I think that the change is due to an update of the engine as the model, number of doors engine size etc all correspond to those on the calculator except for the CO2 figures.

bazz26

Ask the dealer to confirm the Co2 figure from the V5c.

aujopimur

Put the reg into motorcheck.ie, and see what it says.