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

amcg_ · 13-03-2021 1:53pm

bazz26 wrote: »

So the burning question is has anyone tried bringing one in yet? Everyone is waiting for a guinea pig including Revenue probably.

I might end up being that person....
I’m from NI and live in ROI. Seen a used car in NI but was brought to NI from England mid Jan so English address on logbook meaning I’ll have to pay VAT.
But if my dad who lives in NI bought it then sold it to me, I don’t have to pay it??
I’ve asked it as a question on a thread.

reubenreuben · 13-03-2021 6:22pm

deezell wrote: »

They are probably working furiously with their insider revenues contacts to devise a bodge for dealers to avoid the double VAT and offset the duty, but in such a way that the private importer is excluded.
Pre Brexit they banged the drum endlessly that we were all bringing in smoky unroadworthy clocked fixed up writeoffs, and only they could be trusted to supply used cars. Turns out they were importing the dross, we were bringing in the cream.
I smell a rat from the campervan dealers response.

Thats true in my experience, all the cars I have imported from ni over the years were much higher spec and lower mileage than anything to be found in irelands dealers.

Thomasirl123 · 13-03-2021 7:35pm

funnyname wrote: »

I spoke to the campervan dealer today to get the Customs Declaration Number (MRN) so I could check for myself re the vat and import duty situation.

I was fobbed off, they told me a 3rd party looked after all of that for them and that they have done 2 similar post Brexit sales to mine and no issues re VAT, etc.

He said that given the VRT process is billed to a company in NI rather than a company or individual in ROI that VAT or Import Duty didn't come into play. However I'm still very sceptical about that given it'll be VRT'd by them however with my details.

I'm a bit of a doubting Thomas given the definitive info online and my main worry is that if it did go through the VRT process with no additional changes that I might at some stage in the future get a letter in the post from the Revenue saying oh by the way, you owe us 23% VAT and 10% Import duty.

You can be sure about one thing the Revenue will always get their man!

It can't be vrted without any tax/duties been paid so you should go for it. Mainly because we need a guinea pig ðŸ˜‚

Luckylow10 · 13-03-2021 7:36pm

LillySV wrote: »

ok just going slightly off topic for sec...has anyone ever had situation where their car reg isnt showing up on Insurance computer database for some reason?

Yes, when a car was new or newly registered, They just took my reg number and make and model and manually entered it.

User1998 · 13-03-2021 9:23pm

amcg_ wrote: »

I might end up being that person....
I’m from NI and live in ROI. Seen a used car in NI but was brought to NI from England mid Jan so English address on logbook meaning I’ll have to pay VAT.
But if my dad who lives in NI bought it then sold it to me, I don’t have to pay it??
I’ve asked it as a question on a thread.

Your dad would have bought it after Brexit so you’ll probably still have to pay VAT

LillySV · 13-03-2021 9:49pm

Luckylow10 wrote: »

Yes, when a car was new or newly registered, They just took my reg number and make and model and manually entered it.

i think this is in ireland for over a year...and it does appear on motorcheck and micksgarage...just not on allianz

deezell · 13-03-2021 9:58pm

reubenreuben wrote: »

Thats true in my experience, all the cars I have imported from ni over the years were much higher spec and lower mileage than anything to be found in irelands dealers.

...And the first Imported car I ever bought was from a dealer here, who clocked it by 30k miles. We caught him out though, when I copped the vin on the service record didn't match the car. One car check later, followed by a comlaint to consumer agency, he denied everything, ended up in court in the midlands, gulity as charged, had to pay us 2 grand. Result.

LillySV · 13-03-2021 11:05pm

deezell wrote: »

...And the first Imported car I ever bought was from a dealer here, who clocked it by 30k miles. We caught him out though, when I copped the vin on the service record didn't match the car. One car check later, followed by a comlaint to consumer agency, he denied everything, ended up in court in the midlands, gulity as charged, had to pay us 2 grand. Result.

Id say our dealers have brought a lot of ****e in. I went looking for car afew years ago and came across two dealers near enough to each other in Clare who had imported cars for sale but had to change the clocks on the cars ..as they were faulty....yea right

newmember2 · 14-03-2021 2:43am

amcg_ wrote: »

I might end up being that person....
I’m from NI and live in ROI. Seen a used car in NI but was brought to NI from England mid Jan so English address on logbook meaning I’ll have to pay VAT.
But if my dad who lives in NI bought it then sold it to me, I don’t have to pay it??
I’ve asked it as a question on a thread.

So you're saying, regardless when the vehicle is brought into NI, once I can get it registered there I won't be liable for VAT when I bring it down South? Surely if that was the case we'd have agents registering vehicles in NI to beat the band and charging a small fee to anyone needing to import from the UK?

User1998 · 14-03-2021 3:16am

No, the poster is wrong in their conclusion

Isambard · 14-03-2021 10:16am

newmember? wrote: »

So you're saying, regardless when the vehicle is brought into NI, once I can get it registered there I won't be liable for VAT when I bring it down South? Surely if that was the case we'd have agents registering vehicles in NI to beat the band and charging a small fee to anyone needing to import from the UK?

eventually that might be the case, but he'd have to convince Revenue that it wasn't just a stroke to avoid tax. Obviously a car genuinely imported into NI from GB will at some stage be seen as an NI car, but no one knows how that will pan out yet. His car could be held by Customs for a long time whilst it is sorted out.

Car99 · 14-03-2021 1:14pm

Anyone know the process as a private individual to claim back UK VAT on a vat qualifying car once you export it?

mickdw · 14-03-2021 2:22pm

Car99 wrote: »

Anyone know the process as a private individual to claim back UK VAT on a vat qualifying car once you export it?

Dont pay it to start with - i believe there is a process to buy that way.

Isambard · 14-03-2021 2:57pm

mickdw wrote: »

Dont pay it to start with - i believe there is a process to buy that way.

i think that's the only way. You can't claim back VAT someone else paid

spuddy · 14-03-2021 3:04pm

Isambard wrote: »

...Obviously a car genuinely imported into NI from GB will at some stage be seen as an NI car...

What leads you to think that?

Car99 · 14-03-2021 3:10pm

mickdw wrote: »

Dont pay it to start with - i believe there is a process to buy that way.

I see . A small uk dealer has a vat qualifying car for sale. He wont sell me the car without the vat but he said I can claim it back if I was UK VAT registered . I guess he could sell me the car ex VAT for export but he doesnt want the hassle. I do know some used car dealers will sell ex Vat for export but I suppose they have the extra hassle priced in to the car .

deezell · 14-03-2021 3:45pm

Car99 wrote: »

I see . A small uk dealer has a vat qualifying car for sale. He wont sell me the car without the vat but he said I can claim it back if I was UK VAT registered . I guess he could sell me the car ex VAT for export but he doesnt want the hassle. I do know some used car dealers will sell ex Vat for export but I suppose they have the extra hassle priced in to the car .

You've just said it. The process exists, but they can't be arsed. Same as some simply refuse to hand over V5 and just submit the export slip to the dvla.

Isambard · 14-03-2021 4:06pm

spuddy wrote: »

What leads you to think that?

my brain mostly

Isambard · 14-03-2021 4:09pm

Car99 wrote: »

I see . A small uk dealer has a vat qualifying car for sale. He wont sell me the car without the vat but he said I can claim it back if I was UK VAT registered . I guess he could sell me the car ex VAT for export but he doesnt want the hassle. I do know some used car dealers will sell ex Vat for export but I suppose they have the extra hassle priced in to the car .

Yes they would have to account for the VAT which would hit their cashflow. They want you to pay it and then reclaim it so they can have it in their accounts fttb.

Marcusm · 15-03-2021 12:17am

Isambard wrote: »

Yes they would have to account for the VAT which would hit their cashflow. They want you to pay it and then reclaim it so they can have it in their accounts fttb.

He would not have to pay the VAT to HMRC if he zero rates it for export. He would have paid VAT on acquisition which he would have recovered on his next VAT return (monthly or quarterly).

deezell · 15-03-2021 12:26am

Marcusm wrote: »

He would not have to pay the VAT to HMRC if he zero rates it for export. He would have paid VAT on acquisition which he would have recovered on his next VAT return (monthly or quarterly).

But if you pay it, and he zero rates for export, he can trouser it. You'd have no hope of recovering it from HMR as they know it's exported, their accounts are in order, and it would be up to you to get it back from the dealer. Good incentive for the dealer to try it on.

mickdw · 15-03-2021 2:18am

deezell wrote: »

But if you pay it, and he zero rates for export, he can trouser it. You'd have no hope of recovering it from HMR as they know it's exported, their accounts are in order, and it would be up to you to get it back from the dealer. Good incentive for the dealer to try it on.

That would be outright vat fraud by dealer. If the buyers pays vat on a vat qualifying car, they will be getting a vat receipt to reflect that. A dealer fhen returning it as a zero vat export to revenue would be caught pretty quick.
Plenty main dealers were insisting vat had to be paid then reclaimed. There is no way they were all engaged in vat fraud, more a case of keeping things simple i think.

newmember2 · 15-03-2021 3:30am

Car99 wrote: »

Anyone know the process as a private individual to claim back UK VAT on a vat qualifying car once you export it?

The time I did it I paid the seller the VAT and then got the DVLA to issue a Certificate of Permanent Export and presented it to the seller who then refunded the VAT. This was 10 years ago, with those certs being discontinued I'd imagine best way is not pay in the first place but if already paid I'm assuming there's some way, maybe contact HMRC.

User1998 · 15-03-2021 11:15am

It won’t be worth importing if you pay the VAT and reclaim it, because your VAT here will be much higher. Example:

UK invoice states £10,000 including VAT (€11,700)

You then pay 10% customs and 23% VAT here, based on the invoice selling price

€1,170 and €2,960

And then you get the VAT refund a few months later of £1,333 (€1,560) (20% of £10,000)

So the total you pay is (€11,700 + €1,170 + €2,960) - €1,560 = €14,270

Compared to

UK invoice states £8,333 with no VAT (€9,735)

You then pay 10% customs and 23% VAT

€973 and €2,462

So the total you pay is €9,735 + €973 + €2,462 = €13,170

So realistically paying the VAT and then reclaiming it is a non runner in my opinion

Car99 · 15-03-2021 12:38pm

I was looking at a 2016 A4 Avant ultra sport 150 84kmiles FSH 1 owner trade sale for about £8000 . Nox 100mg .

€9280 purchase price plus €480 for delivery to Ireland. €9760 total .
Import duty 10% €976
VAT 23% of €9760 + €976 = €2470
Total €13205
ROS VRT calculator €3824
NCT plus plates plus 12 months tax €300
€17329

My cheap 8K stg car travels across the Irish sea and becomes a €17300 car with no warranty and that is for a car with a Euro 6 adblue engine .

Same car here is retailing with independant dealers for about €17k .

Vicxas · 15-03-2021 1:10pm

What about seeing if the north has one?

Car99 · 15-03-2021 1:38pm

Vicxas wrote: »

What about seeing if the north has one?

Over the years I found the English cars to be quality used car stock than NI .

User1998 · 15-03-2021 2:02pm

Car99 wrote: »

I was looking at a 2016 A4 Avant ultra sport 150 84kmiles FSH 1 owner trade sale for about £8000 . Nox 100mg .

€9280 purchase price plus €480 for delivery to Ireland. €9760 total .
Import duty 10% €976
VAT 23% of €9760 + €976 = €1025
Total €11761
ROS VRT calculator €3824
NCT plus plates plus 12 months tax €300
€15884.

My cheap 8K stg car travels across the Irish sea and becomes a €16000 car with no warranty and that is for a car with a Euro 6 adblue engine .

Same car here is retailing with independant dealers for about €17k .

Your calculation is wrong

€9760 x 10% = €976
€9760 + €976 = €10,736
€10,736 x 23% = €2,470
Total €13,205
VRT €3824
NCT TAX €300
Customs broker €150
Total €17,480

Marcusm · 15-03-2021 2:16pm

deezell wrote: »

But if you pay it, and he zero rates for export, he can trouser it. You'd have no hope of recovering it from HMR as they know it's exported, their accounts are in order, and it would be up to you to get it back from the dealer. Good incentive for the dealer to try it on.

Oh Jesus, only an idiot would pay it at this stage. If the invoice is issued without VaT then there is nothing to pay and nothing to recover. If an invoice is issued inclusive of full VAT (not margin scheme) then that is the instrument which can be used to effect a recovery where possible but it is highly inadvisable.

Car99 · 15-03-2021 3:48pm

User1998 wrote: »

Your calculation is wrong

€9760 x 10% = €976
€9760 + €976 = €10,736
€10,736 x 23% = €2,470
Total €13,205
VRT €3824
NCT TAX €300
Customs broker €150
Total €17,480

My bad I dont know what figure I used to end up up at my 23% vat total . Cheers. And I did forget about customs broker . Thanks again.

0lordy · 15-03-2021 6:56pm

Weird one here. I brought my car in December past. Didn't get it inspected until January (no inspection slots). It took 6 weeks to get a fee from Revenue (long story) and when I did, it was a massive €7,300, about €2K over what I expected.

I've appealed it, of course, but that's taking another couple of weeks. They are looking for evidence that I tried to get it inspected last year. I've supplied that, but said that's not the point, the incorrect rate is being applied, at 31%.

Can someone sanity check this for me? The CO2 value on the V5 is 125g/km. The WLTP equivalent is 149.8915 (petrol), which should result in a VRT rate of 21%. Unless I'm missing something...

Luckylow10 · 15-03-2021 7:27pm

It looks like could have calculated ur wltp equivalent of 149 but used it on the old nedc rates and not the new wltp rates..

https://www.vrt.ie/faq/compare-2020-vrt-rates-2021-vrt-rates/

I’m having a similar issue, my vehicle is nedc 55 and they adjusted it to equivalent of wltp 81 using their “formula”, but I have provided them with evidence showing the actual WLTP of 73. I’m waiting nearly 2 weeks on a reply in the myenquiries website..

Covid21 · 16-03-2021 7:52am

Anyone recommend a good customs broker?

I’m getting a car delivered from the Uk next week. It’s my own car, so I’ll be registering it personally.

ZV Yoda · 16-03-2021 8:16am

Car99 wrote: »

Over the years I found the English cars to be quality used car stock than NI .

Just to add balance to the discussion, I brought a car in from NI last year. Could not be happier with my purchase from a main dealer. The dealer was fantastic. I gave it a good test drive before I paid the deposit. It was less expensive than the equivalent car on the mainland. Better spec’d too as it happens.

I previously brought from mainland UK. The car was fine, but it was a lot more hassle with plane / ferry.

Moral of the story - do your own research.

Dante · 16-03-2021 2:51pm

Maybe a stupid question - during the VRT appointment the lad mentioned that I need to send part of the V5C form off to the DVLA to inform them that the car has been permanently exported from the UK. Given they don't give you back the V5C form after completing the VRT process, how are you supposed to send it off?

16-03-2021 2:52pm

Covid21 wrote: »

Anyone recommend a good customs broker?

I’m getting a car delivered from the Uk next week. It’s my own car, so I’ll be registering it personally.

MCC Customs brokers - (01) 836 3408

User1998 · 16-03-2021 4:00pm

I don’t think MCC are doing UK cars

User1998 · 16-03-2021 4:01pm

DaaaaaaaaaaN wrote: »

Maybe a stupid question - during the VRT appointment the lad mentioned that I need to send part of the V5C form off to the DVLA to inform them that the car has been permanently exported from the UK. Given they don't give you back the V5C form after completing the VRT process, how are you supposed to send it off?

Don’t mind him you don’t need to send anything

reubenreuben · 16-03-2021 8:51pm

DaaaaaaaaaaN wrote: »

Maybe a stupid question - during the VRT appointment the lad mentioned that I need to send part of the V5C form off to the DVLA to inform them that the car has been permanently exported from the UK. Given they don't give you back the V5C form after completing the VRT process, how are you supposed to send it off?

That vrt guy should get a different job.

masit · 17-03-2021 11:45am

DaaaaaaaaaaN wrote: »

Maybe a stupid question - during the VRT appointment the lad mentioned that I need to send part of the V5C form off to the DVLA to inform them that the car has been permanently exported from the UK. Given they don't give you back the V5C form after completing the VRT process, how are you supposed to send it off?

Dealer should have done that or done it online

11wingnut · 17-03-2021 12:47pm

Never sent it in, only brought in two this year third on the way.They deal with swansey .Vrt guy could not count seats, only belts.. Had never seen or herd of a car with no belts. (classic car) Wanted belts installed or an engineers report .. got neither but IVVCC came to rescue..

obi604 · 18-03-2021 11:13pm

Have not read through the thread.........my question is: since Brexit, has the import of cars from the UK fallen off a cliff?

nialler1978 · 18-03-2021 11:31pm

obi604 wrote: »

Have not read through the thread.........my question is: since Brexit, has the import of cars from the UK fallen off a cliff?

yes, but a lot of it by design. I wouldn't blame brexit on it, its just been one thing after another. Brexit was just the icing on the cake for SIMI and government, one of the positives in their minds.

We pay some of the highest prices in the world for very basic cars.

obi604 · 18-03-2021 11:36pm

nialler1978 wrote: »

yes, but a lot of it by design. I wouldn't blame brexit on it, its just been one thing after another. Brexit was just the icing on the cake for SIMI and government, one of the positives in their minds.

We pay some of the highest prices in the world for very basic cars.

Thanks. I wonder have many people who based their livelihoods on importing cars from the UK have had to change career.

User1998 · 18-03-2021 11:40pm

By the looks of it not many. Dealers are still bringing in older stock from the UK that clearly isn’t VAT qualifying. Not sure how their doing it tbh

Azatadine · 18-03-2021 11:40pm

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks. I wonder have many people who based their livelihoods on importing cars from the UK have had to change career.

I wonder about that too. There are loads of places that have that as their business model so when pre-existing stock is gone, are they finished?

mickdw · 18-03-2021 11:46pm

Im aware of norther irish cars being ok to import here say if sitting on northern plate and owned by someone withe northern address.
What paperwork is needed from a dealer if buying a uk plate car from them that has been in the north since before brexit.
If dealer paperwork is enough to prove car was bought before brexit, id say the trade are up to all sorts of skullduggery.
Plenty haulage companies willing to scribble out docket for haulage docket re transport to NI for any reg you like too.

Luckylow10 · 19-03-2021 11:38am

Ok so further to my original posts about my Volvo t8 that was registered in feb 21, I’m even more confused now.

Originally it was registered here going off the v5 nedc rate of 55 co2 using Revenues WLTP “calculations” and so I got my reg cert with 80 co2 emissions.

I then queried the 80 wltp as officially the car is 73 wltp co2 and I provided them with proof.

I heard nothing back except this morning I received a new reg cert out of the blue.

The new reg cert says 55 co2 and when I check motortax.ie it says the basis for assemment is under the old nedc ?now I apparently owe motor tax cause I’m in a different bracket.

I was of the understanding that any cars being first registered here from jan 21 were to be on the wltp basis?

0lordy · 19-03-2021 11:51am

Luckylow10 wrote: »

Ok so further to my original posts about my Volvo t8 that was registered in feb 21, I’m even more confused now.

Originally it was registered here going off the v5 nedc rate of 55 co2 using Revenues WLTP “calculations” and so I got my reg cert with 80 co2 emissions.

I then queried the 80 wltp as officially the car is 73 wltp co2 and I provided them with proof.

I heard nothing back except this morning I received a new reg cert out of the blue.

The new reg cert says 55 co2 and when I check motortax.ie it says the basis for assemment is under the old nedc ?now I apparently owe motor tax cause I’m in a different bracket.

I was of the understanding that any cars being first registered here from jan 21 were to be on the wltp basis?

That's very interesting, I too received a new registration certificate, my previous one had CO2 at 149 (which is the WLTP equivalent of 125), the new one is the 125 figure. No other updates from them.

Luckylow10 · 19-03-2021 12:08pm

That’s interesting, I called revenue just now about my pending query on emissions and he said it wasn’t revenue that issued/prompted the new cert. maybe call vrt and ask them why u got a new cert?

I also emailed motor tax to ask them why I was sent a new cert.

If you put in your reg in the motor tax website it will tell you what basis your being taxed on now.

I’m very certain that all cars registered from jan 21 are to be under the wltp basis so I’m not sure what’s going on.

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

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