VRT relief for EV's imported from Northern Ireland

Homesick Alien · 05-08-2025 03:35PM

I was in the North yesterday looking at a few cars. The one I fancy is owned privately from new in NI so I think it ticks all the boxes (he's looking for 30k gbp) so within threshold.

As far as I know I can just drive it south and send in the paperwork to the vehicle registration office and they send me out new plates, is that right?

Does anyone know if you get to keep the old UK plates?

Hyzepher · 05-08-2025 04:11PM

You will need to present the car to be inspected - normally at the NCT centre. They will register and you wil get an Irish reg number. You then replace the plates yourself - so you will get to keep the old ones

blobert · 05-08-2025 05:40PM

Question on VRT on 40-50k EVs from NI Ireland

Under 40k is VRT free.

What rate does 40-50k attract? And is it on the full amount on the amount above 40k?

And my understanding is anything 50k + would be full rate on full price of car. Ie 60k Taycan would be 7% on full 60k.

Any advice much appreciated!

User1998 · 06-08-2025 09:29AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123698929#Comment_123698929

You can use the online VRT calculator to check. Porsche isn’t on it, but just choose another expensive EV

fergiesfolly · 06-08-2025 09:42AM

HobTec Cars on YouTube does a couple of very good videos on importing from NI including EVs. I found it easier to follow than written instructions.

blobert · 08-08-2025 10:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123700129#Comment_123700129

Looks like at just over 40k the rates remain low, but as you get up to 50k it seems close to being full whack 7% on total value.

So seems to be well worth getting a car for €40k or under to save a lot of VRT.

I'm hoping I can import an EV9 for about 40k by next summer, seems like it should be possible.

joe1303l · 09-08-2025 08:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123707999#Comment_123707999

On your EV9 quest, it should be absolutely possible at some point but you could have a struggle with Revenue here on the VRT. I suspect they’ll have an artificially high OMSP on them here even though they’ll be cheap as chips in the UK. It’ll be difficult to argue what the correct OMSP should be with so few examples for sale here.

User1998 · 09-08-2025 08:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123708373#Comment_123708373

The VRT appeals staff do accept that asking prices do not equal selling prices and thus they will allow for a 5% reduction in asking prices. So if you can show them 3 examples with asking prices of under €42k you would get free VRT. And thats if they even apply an artificially high OMSP. They usually don’t on mainstream brands.

joe1303l · 09-08-2025 08:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123708391#Comment_123708391

That’s exactly where the OP will likely struggle. Any EV9’s advertised here currently are overpriced examples at €75K+. Very few available outside the KIA dealer network which doesn’t help. Yet plenty low mileage EV9’s in the UK at less than £50K.

User1998 · 09-08-2025 08:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123708407#Comment_123708407

Oh yeah in that case then you’d have no luck. The price you paid in the UK doesn’t really come into it at all. It would be good if you just paid VRT on the balance above €40k, rather than VRT being applied to the entire amount.

blobert · 09-08-2025 07:29PM

Thanks for the replies.

Assuming I could prove I'd paid <40k for it up North (either from an auction or a dealer) I'm guessing this would not work?

Or would I have to prove the average sale price for the particular spec up North was 40k by showing them some other examples of recent ones on Autotrader etc?

The issue is, similar to here in Ireland, there's only a tiny amount of them for sale in NI and at really unrealistic prices.

There are GT Line (the one I'm interested in) models for £49k and falling in the UK, I'd imagine they'd be <€40k by next summer. I did see an individual one up north for £49k the other day so there might be the odd one up there that would come close to general UK pricing.

Would it be a case of printing out some ads of recent ones to provide evidence of them being available at X price or would they just look at it on the day they were looking into it?

Is it just decided by the VRT person in the NCT centre? I'm assuming they will go on the info on their system and you have to pay it/appeal it later if you think you have a case?

User1998 · 09-08-2025 08:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709805#Comment_123709805

You need to do more research

Every car has a VRT rate which is based on the car’s emissions

The VRT rate is multiplied by the OMSP to calculate a VRT amount

The OMSP is the Open Market Selling Price

The OMSP is the price the car would sell for in the Irish market with all taxes and fees paid

EV’s with an OMSP of less than €40,000 are exempt from VRT

The VRT rate for EV’s with an OMSP of about €40,000 is 7%

Make sense now?

Gumbo · 10-08-2025 11:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709805#Comment_123709805

price you paid up north is irrelevant to a VRT appeal.
Prices of similar cars up north are also irrelevant.

You’d need to prove a price of about €42k here in Ireland to have a chance.

FastFullBack · 04-09-2025 03:22PM

Has anyone imported a Kia EV from NI? I assume warranty has no issues coming to an IE owner?

I imported a Qashqui from UK 7 years ago and only after I bought did I see the fine print that the warranty only applies if the car was in mainland UK.

Gumbo · 04-09-2025 04:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123785449#Comment_123785449

That’s strange. I brought in a Nissan leaf and the warranty was applicable here.

slave1 · 04-09-2025 04:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123785614#Comment_123785614

Same here, never needed it mind

turbodiesel · 26-09-2025 02:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123659536#Comment_123659536

How did you get on? How much did you have to pay and what did you have to show them?

markodaly · 01-10-2025 08:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123852545#Comment_123852545

It was all good, just make sure the car was an original NI car.

User1998 · 01-10-2025 09:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123868517#Comment_123868517

Doesn't have to be an original NI car at all

Gumbo · 01-10-2025 10:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123868517#Comment_123868517

Or a UK car in NI for a couple of months. Doesn’t have to be original NI.

User1998 · 01-10-2025 11:07PM

I VRT'd @unkel 's UK reg Model S today for free. It had a couple of NI MOT's on record which I didn't even bother printing

There's also no late fees on EV's which is an added bonus.

markodaly · 01-10-2025 11:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123868694#Comment_123868694

True, but it makes the process easier for the layman.

By all means DYOR on this.

crazyhorse · 07-10-2025 07:19PM

I'm interested in the car linked below. Opinions welcome.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/hyundai-ioniq-100kw-premium-38kwh-5dr-auto-2022/39974027

It was brought into NI from England by dealer about 5 months ago. It has been registered to same dealer since then. It hasn't had an MOT carried out in NI to best of my knowledge

Would I be liable for charges (VAT, VRT, Customs) if registering it in the Republic.

Thanks.

User1998 · 07-10-2025 08:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123886721#Comment_123886721

Depends. Can they give you an import document which shows NI VAT was paid?

crazyhorse · 08-10-2025 05:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123886916#Comment_123886916

I've been told it's a margin car - no VAT due and that dealer doesn't claim anything on it. A CDS import SAD is available and dealer maintains this is all I will need.

I would be grateful for any advice. I thought a car had to be privately registered in NI for a number of months to avoid charges when registering here.

User1998 · 08-10-2025 05:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123889296#Comment_123889296

Dealer is correct

david200 · 03-11-2025 02:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123886916#Comment_123886916

Hi, just to expand on the original question. If it can be shown that NI VAT was paid, does that mean that an EV can imported without being liable for VAT & Customs, even if it has been owned by a dealer? I thought there was some stipulation about the car being "in private use"? In other words, can you avoid Customs or VAT liabilities if you import a NI-first-registered EV, older than 6 months and with at least 6000km on the clock, registered by a dealer/business, or does this "private ownership" stipulation exclude a car that is bought directly from a dealer (who had originally registered it in NI from new)? Thanks.

User1998 · 03-11-2025 04:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123959017#Comment_123959017

Yes

dr.dundrum · 02-01-2026 10:10PM

hello all,

I got a message from one of the dealers in NI regarding one of the Tesla model y. Do you think it is safe to go forward with this? I asked if the car is NI registered, the answer is as below,

“This car is not NI registered, although that would not effect the VRT, as we provide a duty waiver that means you would not have to pay any VRT costs on the vehicle.”

As I have never dealt with importing EV from north, I need your help to understand better

MojoMaker · 03-01-2026 11:51AM

VAT and customs are your issues here, not VRT.

VRT relief for EV's imported from Northern Ireland

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