VRT for english ?
Discussion
Hi guys,
I keep getting threats of having my car impounded from customs and excise.
I am english living in england but i work in ireland about 140 days a year. I drive an english reg car (registered to my girlfriend), when im in ireland.
As far as i see it there threats to 'take' the car are nothing more than misinformed bullying? Am i wrong?
I keep getting threats of having my car impounded from customs and excise.
I am english living in england but i work in ireland about 140 days a year. I drive an english reg car (registered to my girlfriend), when im in ireland.
As far as i see it there threats to 'take' the car are nothing more than misinformed bullying? Am i wrong?
Nope, they are not wrong. If the car is used semi-permanently in the Republic, they will want you to register it there.
What you need to do is check out the time limits they have for transferring the reg plates to Ireland. I used to work with a chap who moved back to Ireland and took his UK car back with him. After a fewe months, the Irish Customs were on to him to have it properly registered.
What you need to do is check out the time limits they have for transferring the reg plates to Ireland. I used to work with a chap who moved back to Ireland and took his UK car back with him. After a fewe months, the Irish Customs were on to him to have it properly registered.
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 19th June 18:54
If you're officially an english resident, paying english taxes, and can prove this then theoretically you should be alright. Quite possibly, even as a UK resident though, there could be a defined period of time beyond which you become liable to have the car road legal. Again, it would be pretty difficult to prove this unless you were spotted and noticed over a period of time. Have recent bills, maybe a bank account statement etc in the car.
Any Irish resident caught driving an English reg car runs the risk of getting the car confiscated more or less on the spot by either the Gardai or Customs.
Any Irish resident caught driving an English reg car runs the risk of getting the car confiscated more or less on the spot by either the Gardai or Customs.
.How are Customs and Excise contacting you with their threats - via your address in England or an address in Ireland?
I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
Ive been stopped twice on the way to/from work at the airport. They seem to have roadside checkpoints looking specifically for foreign reg cars.
The car isnt a ferrari but it is a bright yellow S2000 ! not hard to miss!
I read this and cant see what the police here are on about:-
http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/vrt2.htm
looks to me like im allowed to keep a car here for 12months as i am an english resident
The car isnt a ferrari but it is a bright yellow S2000 ! not hard to miss!
I read this and cant see what the police here are on about:-
http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/vrt2.htm
looks to me like im allowed to keep a car here for 12months as i am an english resident
razzele said:
Ive been stopped twice on the way to/from work at the airport. They seem to have roadside checkpoints looking specifically for foreign reg cars.
The car isnt a ferrari but it is a bright yellow S2000 ! not hard to miss!
I read this and cant see what the police here are on about:-
http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/vrt2.htm
looks to me like im allowed to keep a car here for 12months as i am an english resident
Perhaps if you got a cheap NI reg transfered to your car it might attract less attention from them? The car isnt a ferrari but it is a bright yellow S2000 ! not hard to miss!
I read this and cant see what the police here are on about:-
http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/vrt2.htm
looks to me like im allowed to keep a car here for 12months as i am an english resident
JuniorD said:
How are Customs and Excise contacting you with their threats - via your address in England or an address in Ireland?
I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
I wonder if have they a "softly softly" approach regarding NI reg cars but a harsher atitude to GB reg cars? I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
Eric Mc said:
JuniorD said:
How are Customs and Excise contacting you with their threats - via your address in England or an address in Ireland?
I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
I wonder if have they a "softly softly" approach regarding NI reg cars but a harsher atitude to GB reg cars? I lived in the Republic until very recently and my neighbours on one side kept an Northen Irish registered and taxed car for the enrire period I was there (4 years) and had no contact from anyone while the neigbour on the other side was constantly being harassed about his English registered and taxed car.
I drove a UK reg car for about 16 months without getting hassle. If I was stopped at a checkpoint I simply told the Garda that I had just bought the car. They usually don't give a damn and send you on your way telling you to get it sorted out.
Saying that though, I have never encountered a customs checkpoint, and they do exist out there.
Saying that though, I have never encountered a customs checkpoint, and they do exist out there.
Just to add to this discussion, albeit late, I brought an S2000 into Ireland 2 weeks ago. Customs and Excise pulled me in while I was driving off the boat. They checked my licence, took the details of the car and informed me very politely of my obligations regarding the payment of VRT.
I paid the next day but it was a serious amount of money.
To the OP, if the car is/has been registered to you in the UK for at least 6 months, I think you should be able to register it for a nominal administration fee. E-mail vro@revenue.ie for information.
I could be slightly off here but worth a check.
I paid the next day but it was a serious amount of money.
To the OP, if the car is/has been registered to you in the UK for at least 6 months, I think you should be able to register it for a nominal administration fee. E-mail vro@revenue.ie for information.
I could be slightly off here but worth a check.
You don't pay VRT when registering a vehicle if you are 'transferring residence' - basically meaning that you have had the car for more than 6 months and can prove you were living overseas (utility bills, bank statements, etc) in the 12 months prior to registration. I have bought 2 cars into ireland this way (a VW and a TVR).
There is a backlog and it takes a few weeks. There is a 12 month restriction on selling the car, otherwise you have to pay the VRT. Any car registered now is subject to the new road tax rates, even if the original registration date was before the change!
You can keep a car on UK plates for up to 12 months if you can prove that you are only here temporarily and are ordinarily resident in the UK. Unfortunately, the revenue commissioners are pretty tenacious once they have stopped you ... the guards won't be interested unless the car is not insured/doesn't have a valid MOT/tax disc.
Hope this helps.
There is a backlog and it takes a few weeks. There is a 12 month restriction on selling the car, otherwise you have to pay the VRT. Any car registered now is subject to the new road tax rates, even if the original registration date was before the change!
You can keep a car on UK plates for up to 12 months if you can prove that you are only here temporarily and are ordinarily resident in the UK. Unfortunately, the revenue commissioners are pretty tenacious once they have stopped you ... the guards won't be interested unless the car is not insured/doesn't have a valid MOT/tax disc.
Hope this helps.
Newly registered cars are not subject to the tax rates automatically, it depends on the year of first registration. All 2008 and newer cars are on the new CO2 tax system while all 2007 and older cars on the CC tax system.
All cars however are now subject to the VRT being calculated on the cars CO2 rating up to a maximum of 36% of the OMSP.
All cars however are now subject to the VRT being calculated on the cars CO2 rating up to a maximum of 36% of the OMSP.
I'm in a similar situation:
Have a UK company and am Tax/Ordinary resident in the UK. I keep my car up to date Insurance/Tax in the UK.
I've never had any problem with the Gardai - I just explain that I'm over on business, working some contracts, live in UK, give address, show bank cards/oyster card etc etc and they wave me through. Basically if your story is straight they won't bother you.
I don't see how the Irish Revenue could justfiy (even after 12 months) forcing you to register/vrt/tax your car in the Republic, what would happen if you were to change contracts and end up back "home" in the UK? On Irish plates? Seems a bit of a farce really....
Just my experiences - HTH.
Have a UK company and am Tax/Ordinary resident in the UK. I keep my car up to date Insurance/Tax in the UK.
I've never had any problem with the Gardai - I just explain that I'm over on business, working some contracts, live in UK, give address, show bank cards/oyster card etc etc and they wave me through. Basically if your story is straight they won't bother you.
I don't see how the Irish Revenue could justfiy (even after 12 months) forcing you to register/vrt/tax your car in the Republic, what would happen if you were to change contracts and end up back "home" in the UK? On Irish plates? Seems a bit of a farce really....
Just my experiences - HTH.
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