Importing from the UK - definitive guide (Q and A)

I viewed a 2022 car in NI today, at a chain used car dealer.

It was registered to a NI address, I saw the registration Cert.

The reg plate has three letters, indicating a NI car.

However, what worries me from a VRT perspective, is that the owner was "Volkswagen Financial Services", i.e. a fleet car provider.

So it is not in the name of a private person.

Will that be enough for the Revenue?

Thanks for any advice.

The dealer showed me a document, which has the name and address of the previous owner.

VW Financial Services, NI address.

I presume this is the V5?

The text below suggests that I need MoT as well?

Sorry, I am panicking a bit.

Vehicles that were previously in use in NI

A vehicle that has previously been in use in NI can be registered for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) in the State without liability to additional Customs Duties and import Value-Added Tax (VAT). Proof will be required that the vehicle has been in private ownership for a reasonable period of time.

Proof that the vehicle was previously in use in NI prior to purchase includes:

• the V5C showing the last registered keeper in NI and a date of registration to that keeper
• a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test history in NI.

I was at the VRT centre this morning, they said the model wasn't on revenues systems so they need to send some paperwork to them to confirm what charge is applicable.

I asked about the VAT treatment given I have the NI customs declaration, and the lady in the VRT centre seemed to think it would still be subject to Vat even with this as its a UK car originally.

I won't know for sure until probably the new year given the Xmas period.

Have you any advice if this turns out to be the case (e.g. Where could I point to to dispute it) ? I'm quite worried as the vat would be a sizeable hit to take.

Any help or advice you have would be really appreciated!

I'm really struggling to find where it's articulated on their website about the vat element in this scenario, it seems very confusing to me,but I could be looking in the wrong place. I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where you think its clearly outlined, it'd be good to have this if they hit me with a bill!

If its 90 days and you take it in on 90 days its fine . Its black and white with them so you will be fine , just make sure the issue date in section 2 on the V5 - the bottom left hand corner over the 90 days (three months)

Thanks for that, that will help with the anxiety! I read that part in isolation from the paragraph that sits above it.

Information for others.

I upgraded my Revolut plan two steps up for €8.99, to avoid limits on FX.

I paid a £20.10 fee on a bank transfer to car dealer of £17k approx.

Revolut issued a new physical card in the post, even though I have one already. I didn't really want this, but couldn't see any way to stop it.

A week later, I downgraded the plan. They refunded me the €8.99, but charged €20 for the phsical card.

So the total fees were €20 + £20.10.

You mean use a physical Revolut card in the car dealer in NI for a transaction over GBP 15,000?

I had not thought of that. There are daily limits in RoI on max spend on a card, I think? I supose that's why I never considered it.

Also, the card is attached to the Basic plan. The day I did the bank transfer from Revolut to the dealer, I had earlier upgraded to the Premium plan, and they were issuing a new physical card for that plan. The next day, I collected the carin NI. Would the original card have worked for a 15k transaction using a terminal?

Sorry for late reply, yes I went back up when the rule changed back to 90days and got it cleared with just VRT charges.

no, they put down that I didn’t show up. If you started the process while the rule was 6 months the you still have to go by the 6 month rule they told me. So if they had logged that I turned up I would have had to go by the 6 month rule.

Hi all,

I'm planning to buy a car in UK.

My question is: has anyone used car import companies like for example: ukcarimports.ie or mhhinternational.com or vatqualifyingcar.com?

Thanks, Rappid

I know years ago my mum bought a car in Northern Ireland and when she went to vrt it she had to pay late fees as someone else had already tried to import it so they said the car had been in the country for months before she actually purchased it and she had no choice but to pay the late fees.