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

bazz26

awec wrote: »

If I'm importing a car does the V5C have to be in my name? I assume not, and having it in the dealer's name who I bought it from is fine?

It doesn't make any difference who's name is on the V5C as Revenue use it for confirming details of the car such as reg, VIN and Co2 figures. You wouldn't get the V5C in your name anyway unless you are a UK resident.

Jurgen Klopp

Lads for the VRTVPD2 form

https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/documents/vrt/form-vrtvpd2.pdf

My mother sent the sister money to buy a car for her in London

The receipt of sale is in the sisters name as she purchased it obviously

For section 2 can she put the toyota dealers it was bought from?

Then should my sisters name be in part 3 or can it be left blank as it was bought on behalf of my mother who's name it will be in bit confused

Someone said that legally the sister bought the car and now technically my mother is buying it off her so I'm confused

turfin

I'm looking to go over to the UK to buy a Passat next week. My only query is what happens when I drive off the forecourt to go to the ferry re car tax? The car has no tax so is there a possibility I could be pulled and maybe have the car seized? I haven't seen this addressed recently. Has anyone any info on this?

awec

turfin wrote: »

I'm looking to go over to the UK to buy a Passat next week. My only query is what happens when I drive off the forecourt to go to the ferry re car tax? The car has no tax so is there a possibility I could be pulled and maybe have the car seized? I haven't seen this addressed recently. Has anyone any info on this?

I'd say you'd be fine if you were able to show the officer your ferry ticket, proof that you live in Ireland and the invoice to show you just bought the car.

awec

One of the VRT requirements is showing proof of the date the car entered the state. My car came from NI, so I have no proof. Last time I imported (5 years ago) they just asked me to sign a declaration on the day to say what date I brought it in, is that still the process?

turfin

awec wrote: »

I'd say you'd be fine if you were able to show the officer your ferry ticket, proof that you live in Ireland and the invoice to show you just bought the car.

I'd say it might be ok too, but maybe there is someone out there with knowledge of what happens in practice?

bazz26

turfin wrote: »

I'm looking to go over to the UK to buy a Passat next week. My only query is what happens when I drive off the forecourt to go to the ferry re car tax? The car has no tax so is there a possibility I could be pulled and maybe have the car seized? I haven't seen this addressed recently. Has anyone any info on this?

Alot of dealers will not allow you drive off their forecourt without taxing the car. The dealer can tax the car on your behalf online. The car can be taxed for a minimum of 1 month but to tax it for one month the DVLA will only do it online via direct debit and you need to have a UK bank account. Some dealers may allow you to pay them the tax fee and they will put their bank account details in, some won't though. The alternative is for the dealer to tax it online for you for 6 months using your credit or debit card. You will then get a tax refund from the DVLA a few weeks later once they process the permanent export paperwork. Did it with a mate back in June and the cost of taxing the car was only £60 for 6 months and he got a refund of something like £40 a few weeks later in the post. We drove from Preston to Hollyhead and seen a good number of police cars on patrol along the way. They have ANPR fitted to their patrol cars so they can pull you over if the car is flagged as having no tax. It just wasn't worth chancing driving without tax that distance just for the sake of maybe saving £20 in tax.

awec wrote: »

One of the VRT requirements is showing proof of the date the car entered the state. My car came from NI, so I have no proof. Last time I imported (5 years ago) they just asked me to sign a declaration on the day to say what date I brought it in, is that still the process?

I've heard that recently they have started back dating VRT penalties to when the last tax expired on the car if proof of purchase date cannot be produced even from NI.

awec

bazz26 wrote: »

Alot of dealers will not allow you drive off their forecourt without taxing the car. The dealer can tax the car on your behalf online. The car can be taxed for a minimum of 1 month but to tax it for one month the DVLA will only do it online via direct debit and you need to have a UK bank account. Some dealers may allow you to pay them the tax fee and they will put their bank account details in, some won't though. The alternative is for the dealer to tax it online for you for 6 months using your credit or debit card. You will then get a tax refund from the DVLA a few weeks later once they process the permanent export paperwork. Did it with a mate back in June and the cost of taxing the car was only £60 for 6 months and he got a refund of something like £40 a few weeks later in the post. We drove from Preston to Hollyhead and seen a good number of police cars on patrol along the way. They have ANPR fitted to their patrol cars so they can pull you over if the car is flagged as having no tax. It just wasn't worth chancing driving without tax that distance just for the sake of maybe saving £20 in tax.



I've heard that recently they have started back dating VRT penalties to when the last tax expired on the car if proof of purchase date cannot be produced even from NI.

I can show my invoice to give proof of purchase no problem, will they just assume that day of purchase is the same day I brought it to Ireland?

bazz26

Is the invoice dated?

awec

bazz26 wrote: »

Is the invoice dated?

yea.

bazz26

I'd imagine if the date of sale on the invoice is within the 30 days of it coming into the country then you should be fine.

turfin

bazz26 wrote: »

Alot of dealers will not allow you drive off their forecourt without taxing the car. The dealer can tax the car on your behalf online. The car can be taxed for a minimum of 1 month but to tax it for one month the DVLA will only do it online via direct debit and you need to have a UK bank account. Some dealers may allow you to pay them the tax fee and they will put their bank account details in, some won't though. The alternative is for the dealer to tax it online for you for 6 months using your credit or debit card. You will then get a tax refund from the DVLA a few weeks later once they process the permanent export paperwork. Did it with a mate back in June and the cost of taxing the car was only £60 for 6 months and he got a refund of something like £40 a few weeks later in the post. We drove from Preston to Hollyhead and seen a good number of police cars on patrol along the way. They have ANPR fitted to their patrol cars so they can pull you over if the car is flagged as having no tax. It just wasn't worth chancing driving without tax that distance just for the sake of maybe saving £20 in tax.



I've heard that recently they have started back dating VRT penalties to when the last tax expired on the car if proof of purchase date cannot be produced even from NI.

Great post Bazz, thanks for that!

foozzybear61

Went to see a motor from this garage today. was exactly what I wanted they they were very pleasant and eager to close a deal . Small deposit , they would do the VRT and new NCT all included in the sticker price. all sorted within 10 days deal almost felt too good...Anyone had any dealings with them said they used to be in Drogheada ?

Mayo_Boy

Has anyone VRT'd a car lately and been asked for a ferry ticket?

The_Conductor

Mayo_Boy wrote: »

Has anyone VRT'd a car lately and been asked for a ferry ticket?

Asked for proof of when I paid for it- and was able to show it on my credit card (which I got a temp increase in the overdraft facility for).

Whats happening

Was talking with a large franchise dealer in UK this morning and later recieved an email stating they are no longer allowed to export cars to southern Ireland as they called it. Replied explaining I will be exporting the car bought in a straight deal, and no ask on them other than Pt 4 of DLVA document 
Anyone ever get this from garages?

ironmonkey

Has anyone ever brought a car back to the UK? I bought a Mazda RX8 from a place in Sheffield in 2008. I am now going over to get a Nissan Leaf. Has anyone ever tried to re reg to their UK plates and offer it as trade in. Or would they laugh at it!

Isambard

Whats happening wrote: »

Was talking with a large franchise dealer in UK this morning and later recieved an email stating they are no longer allowed to export cars to southern Ireland as they called it. Replied explaining I will be exporting the car bought in a straight deal, and no ask on them other than Pt 4 of DLVA document 
Anyone ever get this from garages?

you need the whole V5C

tell them you're form NI or somewhere else in the UK, give a freind or family members address

Jurgen Klopp

Isambard wrote: »

you need the whole V5C

tell them you're form NI or somewhere else in the UK, give a freind or family members address

Just got caught on this myself didn't have the whole V5. Thankfully it was sold to the sister who's living in the UK so now have to get her to apply for the full log book

It's 0.15% a day of the VRT amount in fines after 30 days isn't it? I only have 2 week of my 30 days limit left

Fuzzybuddy

Hey guys, collecting a car from the north tomorrow - armed with all the info you have given me about the v5c and such, will I make the dealers fill out the VRT forms as some seem like they should be filled out by them or is it all me?

Also I have my VRT booked and insurance sorted (AXA were very good, have my temp insurance on the English reg for the next month, 1600 for 9 months free car and key cover and all for a first time named policy 21y/o 1.2l Clio 1 year driving experience) but I’ve one question regarding the VRT - I am in full time employment but have not worked a full year yet so have no p60, my payslips are all online, and I’ve nothing else that has my PPS number except that little dicky European health insurance card that is a name and PPS number, will they accept that, will I print my payslip or is there any other method? I’ve nothing else with my PPS number - It’s just under two weeks away

bazz26

Northern dealer may not do the VRT bit for you while others might who deal with Southern buyers all the time but really VRT is not their concern.

As for the PPSN thing. I've no idea, they may well ask for further proof and have you jumping through hoops.

Benildus

Whats happening wrote: »

Was talking with a large franchise dealer in UK this morning and later recieved an email stating they are no longer allowed to export cars to southern Ireland as they called it. Replied explaining I will be exporting the car bought in a straight deal, and no ask on them other than Pt 4 of DLVA document
Anyone ever get this from garages?

Some franchises are instructed by their UK head office to not sell to the Republic as it harms the Irish franchises.

I got it when looking to buy a car in the summer, strangely it wasn't a brand of the franchise I was buying but another brand they had in stock at the time.

You just need to find another dealer.

Whats happening

Benildus wrote: »

Some franchises are instructed by their UK head office to not sell to the Republic as it harms the Irish franchises.

I got it when looking to buy a car in the summer, strangely it wasn't a brand of the franchise I was buying but another brand they had in stock at the time.

You just need to find another dealer.

Read somewhere about using Addresspal to obtain a UK Address / Postal Code to allow garage complete a UK based invoice. Rang garage and they'd no problem with this approach.

Any concerns as long as i have the VC5 in hand leaving the dealership

Esel

Whats happening wrote: »

Read somewhere about using Addresspal to obtain a UK Address / Postal Code to allow garage complete a UK based invoice. Rang garage and they'd no problem with this approach.

Any concerns as long as i have the VC5 in hand leaving the dealership

With a UK address, they may not be happy to give you the full cert. I would be wary of using a UK address for this reason.

awec

Do I have to fill in both VRTVPD1 and VRTVPD2 forms? Or just #1?

#1 - https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/documents/vrt/form-vrtvpd1.pdf

#2 - https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/documents/vrt/form-vrtvpd2.pdf

The email is pretty unclear.

Edit: also what happens if they can't find the exact model on their system? I know they have to ring revenue etc, but anyone any idea how long this takes?

Fuzzybuddy

awec wrote: »

Do I have to fill in both VRTVPD1 and VRTVPD2 forms? Or just #1?

#1 - https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/documents/vrt/form-vrtvpd1.pdf

#2 - https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/documents/vrt/form-vrtvpd2.pdf

The email is pretty unclear.

‘TAN = trader account number with revenue and would normally only be held by companies who are importing on a commercial basis or very frequently. So I believe that VRTVPD2 is the form you need. The other one would be for traders who may be registering the car (for example) in their customers name and using their TAN to pay the VRT’ from another post on this same question, it is an odd phrasing

if Indoubt just call them though I don’t see why they wouldn’t just tell you that themselves

mgn

You only need to fill out the VRTVPD2,The VRTVPD1 is for dealers.

EAFC_rdfl

Could someone help clear something up for me. I'm hoping to purchase/collect a car in N.I. tomorrow. Can I then wait until January to get the VRT inspection and make the payment? It says you have 30 days, and if that means working days, it would bring me up until 4th January.
I believe the VRT would be reduced a bit by waiting until the new year? Or am I missing something?

Nettle Soup

Can anyone recommend any good dealers in NI for Volkswagen cars?

wedger

EAFC_rdfl wrote: »

Could someone help clear something up for me. I'm hoping to purchase/collect a car in N.I. tomorrow. Can I then wait until January to get the VRT inspection and make the payment? It says you have 30 days, and if that means working days, it would bring me up until 4th January.
I believe the VRT would be reduced a bit by waiting until the new year? Or am I missing something?

No it’s 30 days from date of purchase and I can’t see there being much of a saving to be honest. Especially if you bring the wrath of revenue down on you.