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

Random Bloke

Looking for help...

Bought a car in UK but changed mind and tried to sell it. So I didn't pay the VRT. The car did not sell, and now I have changed mind again, and want to VRT it and start using it.

But the 30 days have lapsed, so I may be hit with a fine (?) even though the car has been parked up and not used on roads since it came into the country.

I think I can get the invoice re-dated by the UK garage. Will that be sufficient to avoid the fine? Or will I also need to have shipping confirmation within last 30 days?

How much is the fine anyway?

bazz26

As the car wasn't used just draw up a receipt/invoice with a recent date yourself.

aujopimur

bazz26 wrote: »

As the car wasn't used just draw up a `
receipt/invoice with a recent date yourself.[/QU

And a ferry ticket.

bazz26

aujopimur wrote: »

bazz26 wrote: »

As the car wasn't used just draw up a `
receipt/invoice with a recent date yourself.[/QU

And a ferry ticket.

Not needed if the receipt says it was bought in the North.

Random Bloke

Any ferry ticket or does it have to have the reg?

Random Bloke

So, hypothetically, if I buy a car up north from a private individual, and get a receipt from them, and present this when paying VRT, will it be sufficient?

Would the V5 have to reflect the seller as the last registered owner?

bazz26

Yes, they are not going to contact the seller of the car.

And they are not interested in who's name is on the V5C form, all they want off that document is the car's details such as VIN, co2 figures, engine/chassis number etc. The car could have been bought by you from a guy living in the North who imported it from the UK or bought it off someone else in the UK.

joujoujou

Lads, a question - saw an ad on donedeal, with imported car on UK plates. Dealer (no main dealer though) claims that car already has VRT paid and NCT done (car's 12 y.o.). Also states that car will have buyer's county number plates.

I always thought NCT can be done after Irish plates, not before. How's that possible?

rabbitinlights

Random Bloke wrote: »

Looking for help...

Bought a car in UK but changed mind and tried to sell it. So I didn't pay the VRT. The car did not sell, and now I have changed mind again, and want to VRT it and start using it.

But the 30 days have lapsed, so I may be hit with a fine (?) even though the car has been parked up and not used on roads since it came into the country.

I think I can get the invoice re-dated by the UK garage. Will that be sufficient to avoid the fine? Or will I also need to have shipping confirmation within last 30 days?

How much is the fine anyway?

If you came in via Dublin port, the UK reg is recorded. The revenue questioned my date as my form and ticket said 13th Jan, but their records showed it arrived on the 14th as the last ferry was delayed. Wasn't an issue but they had the time and date it arrived.

bazz26

rabbitinlights wrote: »

If you came in via Dublin port, the UK reg is recorded. The revenue questioned my date as my form and ticket said 13th Jan, but their records showed it arrived on the 14th as the last ferry was delayed. Wasn't an issue but they had the time and date it arrived.

But what's to stop the OP telling them that he bought it off a third party on donedeal who probably brought it in from the UK through Dublin Port? Fellas selling UK reg cars on donedeal all the time that have been in the country well over the 30 day rule.

rabbitinlights

bazz26 wrote: »

But what's to stop the OP telling them that he bought it off a third party on donedeal who probably brought it in from the UK through Dublin Port? Fellas selling UK reg cars on donedeal all the time that have been in the country well over the 30 day rule.

The person presenting the car is liable for any fines if the vehicle has been in the state for more than 30 days. It's not from date of purchase, it's 30 days from "Arriving in the state"

Now, I'm not saying this doesn't happen, but has anyone here presented a UK reg car bought on DD to them? - You're going to have to say that you or someone took the car in on a certain date within 30 days.

bazz26

Reality is though that people buy UK registered cars from donedeal wheeler dealer types all the time and don't get stung for penalties because the car may have arrived in the country over 30 days ago. It would be interesting to see how many of them got stung for late penalty fines.

NCTS have also been known to provide the pen and paper to people in order to scribble up a receipt/invoice if they don't have one already. The late penalties are really only enforced when someone is taking the piss by driving around on foreign plats for ages avoiding to pay VRT and put it on Irish plates.

aujopimur

bazz26 wrote: »

But what's to stop the OP telling them that he bought it off a third party on donedeal who probably brought it in from the UK through Dublin Port? Fellas selling UK reg cars on donedeal all the time that have been in the country well over the 30 day rule.

If you are registering a car and are not the importer, you must fill in a declaration giving the sellers details, this is then passed to Revenue who may or may not persue the seller for any outstanding monies due.

bazz26

This is Ireland, reality is that they are not going to chase anyone. They neither have the resources or the will to do it otherwise all they would have to do is go chase half of the Irish residents selling foreign registered cars on donedeal which is illegal too.

All in all

Hi, I have just bought a car in Manchester and have done all the necessary checks. I had planned on getting the car home by a transporter, but the garage had offered to deliver the car to Holyhead or Liverpool and said it can be arranged to be put on ferry and collected at the port. Does anyone have experience of doing this and the logistics of it?

Silpac

Balls --😟 I only got the v5c/2 form - new keeper piece, it's all the co2 details and model on it ? Will that do the Nct/ vrt guys. I've seen some posts saying I should've kept the lot ?

Pete123456

There really needs to be a sticky with all the FAQs because the same stuff gets asked over and over

mad m

Silpac wrote: »

Balls --😟 I only got the v5c/2 form - new keeper piece, it's all the co2 details and model on it ? Will that do the Nct/ vrt guys. I've seen some posts saying I should've kept the lot ?

If you have the main/original V5 form with cars details on it you will have no problem. You don't have to write on this form, just hand it in with the completed V5 form you get from Revenue.

I VRT mine this morning, took all of 10mins. Its mad though if car I got up north was first registered after June when it was purchased 2 years ago I'd of saved 150 euro on VRT ...:rolleyes:

CalamariFritti

Silpac wrote: »

Balls --😟 I only got the v5c/2 form - new keeper piece, it's all the co2 details and model on it ? Will that do the Nct/ vrt guys. I've seen some posts saying I should've kept the lot ?

Yes you should have. Happens to the best. You have exactly what I got, the little V5C/2 slip, and I was refused at the NCTS centre the other day with that.

And there is no way you can get a V5C now as the DVLA will not issue one to you as you're not a British resident.

However, what the DVLA will issue to you is a 'certificate of permanent export' which will be accepted at the NCTS centre.
You have to download a V756 form from the DVLA website which is an application for said certificate and then you send that to Swansea and within a couple of weeks (hopefully) you have your docs in order.

mel123

How much is the fine if your late registering?

bazz26

It's daily percentage of the VRT figure afaik.

superhooper

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Yes you should have. Happens to the best. You have exactly what I got, the little V5C/2 slip, and I was refused at the NCTS centre the other day with that.

And there is no way you can get a V5C now as the DVLA will not issue one to you as you're not a British resident.

However, what the DVLA will issue to you is a 'certificate of permanent export' which will be accepted at the NCTS centre.
You have to download a V756 form from the DVLA website which is an application for said certificate and then you send that to Swansea and within a couple of weeks (hopefully) you have your docs in order.

Same thing happened to me.DVLA actually posted the V5C to me saying that they couldnt register me as new owner.:D . This took about 3 weeks from time I bought car.

rob316

grebtol2 wrote: »

Cargiant is now much more difficult to go to for Irish buyers. They require you to go over and view the car before making any arrangements, they will not take a deposit over the phone. So unless you can get over at very short notice on the cheap (rail and sail maybe) the car you want will very likely be gone before you can make it over. They also want passport, EU driver's licence and 2 forms of proof of address before they'll sell to you. I don't know why places like this work so very hard at putting barriers in the way.

They will reserve it for you for a maximum of 24 hours. Disappointing. I literally had my bank card in my hand asking them to take a deposit and they refused. "It's praceeeedjha".

Buddy went over to a place called big motor world in Kent few weeks ago looking at cars. He had planned on buying that day and was happy enough as all the cars came with AA comprehensive reports. He made a deal and was good with the price, salesman asked are you exporting the car he said yes of course. No problem Sir, there is a £500 admin fee for exports just to make you aware. He wouldn't budge and the buddy walked and was left too.

Pure shakedown. He got sorted in a BMW dealer 5 miles away and drove off that day with no admin fee.

AH92

Hey lads,
On the day of the vrt test when you get the fee amount do you have to pay it then?
Have no problem paying it on the day but just curious in case the amount is substantially higher than the website calculation.

bazz26

No you don't have to pay it the day of the inspection but you have to complete the whole registration process within 30 days of the car entering the country. And they will not complete the registration process without payment of VRT first. Also note that they do not accept cash as payment either.

AH92

bazz26 wrote: »

No you don't have to pay it the day of the inspection but you have to complete the whole registration process within 30 days of the car entering the country. And they will not complete the registration process without payment of VRT first. Also note that they do not accept cash as payment either.

Thanks that's reassuring. I'll put it on the credit card and maybe 2 other cards depending on the fee which ideally will be around 4300.
Is it an online system for paying if not done on the day?

CalamariFritti

mel123 wrote: »

How much is the fine if your late registering?

Its difficult to get precise information on that. I tried to find out 'cos I might go a few days over myself. Thankfully not more than that. Actually had my export cert in the post today.

Anyway. Not even the lady on the VRT phone in Dublin could tell me. After further googling it seems only revenue would be able to tell you. So I tried the only number I could find for that but it goes to mailbox and the chap never rang back.

I found a PDF after more googling that seems to describe revenue VRT procedures and there it says 0.1% of the VRT figure for each day over. the 30 days. So if your VRT is €3,000 it's €3 for each day over.

But I saw other information where it says once you go over its 0.1% from the day you brought the car into the country. Means on day 1 over the 30 days you start immediately at 31 * €3 = €93.

Then I read that that's just for people taking the piss and a week or two over they typically let slip.

In other words I don't know. But the good news is its not going to be hundreds to be a few days over.

CalamariFritti

AH92 wrote: »

Hey lads,
On the day of the vrt test when you get the fee amount do you have to pay it then?
Have no problem paying it on the day but just curious in case the amount is substantially higher than the website calculation.

Your one out in the ncts centre here is just a clerical officer not a car expert. She's not going to spot adaptive headlights or whether there's a sport auto box in there or not. She matches your papers with their vehicle database end off.

So if you were able to locate your precise model, make and trim from the vrt calculator with the correct emissions figure it means they have it on their database and that's what you're going to pay.

And while you're not required to pay there and then I'd say you can.

baz_ctr

HI guys
Great thread and info I am looking at getting a Honda Accord Tourer ES GT from the UK but looking at emissions it's 154g/km (car tax €390)on the dvla site for the exact car when I put in the registion but most of the 08/09 Accord tourers here seem to be advertised as 157g/km (car tax €570) which push them in to the next tax bracket.
My question is how do you go about getting the exact emissions cert that the revenue / car tax office will accept for the vehicle you buy from UK to say it is in the bracket of 154g/km not 157g.km.

The_Conductor

baz_ctr wrote: »

HI guys
Great thread and info I am looking at getting a Honda Accord Tourer ES GT from the UK but looking at emissions it's 154g/km (car tax €390)on the dvla site for the exact car when I put in the registion but most of the 08/09 Accord tourers here seem to be advertised as 157g/km (car tax €570) which push them in to the next tax bracket.
My question is how do you go about getting the exact emissions cert that the revenue / car tax office will accept for the vehicle you buy from UK to say it is in the bracket of 154g/km not 157g.km.

Get onto Honda with the VID/VIN and they will issue you with 'Certificate of EU Conformity' which lists the factory specs for the vehicle in question, including its emissions.