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

ArphaRima

Kotek Besar I think you read it better than I did. I thought he wanted to keep the car in the UK and then bring it in once he was leaving Spain.
Not the case on a re-read.

Though I would be cautious about declaring it a done deal. It's an unusual way to do it and might raise issues.

APM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

If the address he fills in is your address in Spain, then *I think* the DVLA will write to you (in Spain), informing you that a foreign address cannot be placed on the V5.

You will also not be able to tax the car as you will not have UK insurance. An untaxed car runs the risk of being impounded if on any public road in the EU.

If I were you, I'd use the address of a friend or relative in the UK. That way you would have no problems with the V5 (helpful also when you eventually return to Ireland). You could easily tax the car also.

The company I'm insuring the car with have an office in Spain but are a UK company so afaik the insurance certificate will be a UK one.

They've also said there is no problem insuring the car with only a Spanish address....but I'll take your advise and try and friend a friend/colleague with a UK address to make things easier.


EDIT: Just to clear things up. From Ireland, I live in Spain but want to buy the car in UK, drive it down to Spain immediately and eventually bring it back to Ireland

ArphaRima

If you can insure it on a spanish address that is what you should do. My uk policy only covers 30 days foreign use for example even though its an EU-wide company.

If that is the case and your car gets nicked from outside your Spanish house you had better hope you have a ferry ticket dated no more than 29 days before.

APM

fluffer wrote: »

If you can insure it on a spanish address that is what you should do. My uk policy only covers 30 days foreign use for example even though its an EU-wide company.

If that is the case and your car gets nicked from outside your Spanish house you had better hope you have a ferry ticket dated no more than 29 days before.

without taking the thread too far off topic http://www.ibexinsure.com/motor-insurance.htm

Kotek Besar

Just make sure the car tax is current, that is all. Spanish police impound foreign registered cars that have out of date tax.

This is why you need the V5 in your name, and you will only get it in your name if you provide the DVLA with a UK address. You will also need UK insurance (solely for the purpose of buying tax - you can cancel it once the car's taxed).

Or get the seller to tax it before selling it to you.

Headshot

Im hoping this is the right thread to ask this

I got a Audi A6 02, 1.9 Northern ireland registration and I want to change it to an irish registration. So how much am I looking at

Kotek Besar

Headshot wrote: »

Im hoping this is the right thread to ask this

I got a Audi A6 02, 1.9 Northern ireland registration and I want to change it to an irish registration. So how much am I looking at

https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry.html?execution=e1s2

Headshot

Kotek Besar wrote: »

https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry.html?execution=e1s2

sorry for my ignorance but what's a Statistical Code that I need for the above link

Kotek Besar

Headshot wrote: »

sorry for my ignorance but what's a Statistical Code that I need for the above link

Just ignore that and proceed with the bit below instead.

Headshot

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Just ignore that and proceed with the bit below instead.

perfect thanks Kotek.

SteM

Not sure if anyone can help me here but thought I might give it a shot. My wife is English but has been living here for the last 10 years and has been offered a 05 Passat by her uncle that lives in London. He's offering it to her free of charge. If she were to take it from him would she be able to bring it over here without paying VRT or would she still have to pay VRT?

Kotek Besar

SteM wrote: »

Not sure if anyone can help me here but thought I might give it a shot. My wife is English but has been living here for the last 10 years and has been offered a 05 Passat by her uncle that lives in London. He's offering it to her free of charge. If she were to take it from him would she be able to bring it over here without paying VRT or would she still have to pay VRT?

She'd still have to pay VRT, I'm afraid.

SteM

Kotek Besar wrote: »

She'd still have to pay VRT, I'm afraid.

Had a feeling she would alright, thanks for clarifying.

Esel

She should still take the car, of course...

tankbarry

It says that u can Inherit a car from somebody in the uk. If I was to get my mothers aunt to buy the car and then give it to me or my mother would we have to pay the VRT then..... probaly a stupid question but worth a go

Esel

Your mother's aunt would have to die for someone to inherit the car..... :eek:

tankbarry

she has being told because of her operations that she cant drive anymore so I thought that as she is being down as Incapacitated it might help ( sry about spelling)


ALSO

can anybody here tell me how much the VRT would cost on a 1.3 toyota corrolla hatchback.... I can get the car for £800 in the uk and its a Very Good car. over here for the same car I would pay about 2300 euro. ( computer wont load up VRT site )


I rang about the car and the person involved said he would pay half of the AA car check price he is that confident on it.

Esel

Get the VRT amount here https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry.html?execution=e1s2

You don't need a Statistical code, btw.

tankbarry

by doing the sums I can buy a car for 850euro in the UK the VRT calculated is 420euro . The same car in ireland is 2200 as Im going there in June/July I think this just might be worth it.

the car is a toyota corrolla 1.3 hatchback....

PILOT

Im currently in England at University. I have an English bank account and can prove my residence in England for the past 2 years and for the next year.

The only problem is gaps of 2 months in the summer when im back home in Ireland where I cant say I was living in the UK....

Would I still be able to Buy a car in England and import it into Ireland without paying VRT?

ArphaRima

I dont think being a student counts. I dont have the reference to hand but I know one of my colleagues had that very problem when he came home from Oxford.
He was forced to sell as the VRT bill was unbelievable.

opinion guy

Ay fluffer is right - doesn't count if you are a student. Thou if you have been workign as well I don't know what the story is. Hell though if you happen to be a law student or something then it might be time to test this rule legally!! I don't see why students should be punished!!!

tankbarry

hey Guys does 420 VRT seem right for a car that is being bought for 850.....

hplp

PILOT wrote: »

Im currently in England at University. I have an English bank account and can prove my residence in England for the past 2 years and for the next year.

The only problem is gaps of 2 months in the summer when im back home in Ireland where I cant say I was living in the UK....

Would I still be able to Buy a car in England and import it into Ireland without paying VRT?

If you had owned it for over 6 months before you came back, yes. They would ignore the 2 months in the summer as the other 10 months you were in the UK. You need to be over 6 months in any 12 to be resident.

H

The_Conductor

hplp wrote: »

If you had owned it for over 6 months before you came back, yes. They would ignore the 2 months in the summer as the other 10 months you were in the UK. You need to be over 6 months in any 12 to be resident.

H

Incorrect. Check again. Students do not qualify for a VRT exemption. Its all going to be academic shortly (if you'll excuse the pun)- but as it stands, students are specifically exempted under legislation, from qualifying for a VRT exemption.

opinion guy

smccarrick wrote: »

Its all going to be academic shortly

whys that?

hplp

opinion guy wrote: »

whys that?

indeed...do tell

The_Conductor

opinion guy wrote: »

whys that?

A further Article 90 ruling (against Denmark) for discriminatory treatment of imports (the charging of higher tax on imports than on similar and/or competing domestic products). This follows the Portuguese ruling in 2009- alongside the annual fines the Irish are paying for refusing to reform the VRT regime. Both FG and Labour have undertaken while in opposition to reform the regime (what happens post the election is anyone's guess).

Seth Brundle

VRT isn't a tax on imports though.
As for FG & Lab - given that they will most likely be in power in a few weeks and they will soon see how fecked we are financially, don't expect to see VRT change for the better.
How much are the fines that Ireland pays over VRT?

The_Conductor

kbannon wrote: »

VRT isn't a tax on imports though.
As for FG & Lab - given that they will most likely be in power in a few weeks and they will soon see how fecked we are financially, don't expect to see VRT change for the better.
How much are the fines that Ireland pays over VRT?

Its strictly speaking not a tax on imports (as successfully argued by Ireland, Portugal and Denmark to the European Commission). It is however an impediment to the free movement of goods and services, and viewed by the Commission as a distortion in the crossborder sale of second hand vehicles. Ireland, Portugal and Denmark are all on notice, and incurring fines, for failure to reform the regime, as it pertains to the sale of second hand cars.