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

Kotek Besar

Hassee wrote: »

Hello,

I am working in Ireland, I am a resident of Finland and i have planned on buying a car in British licence plates from Northern Ireland. I would drive the car 2 months while at work here in Ireland, and after that I would take the car to Finland and register it into Finnish licence plates. How does the British and Irish law go in these situations? Is it possible and in what way? What procedures does it require? How much would the insurances and permits cost for this time?

Thanks,
Hasse

According to European Union law, assuming that you are a citizen on Finland, your right of residence in Ireland is effective immediately on entry to the state. As an Irish resident, you are required to register a foreign car immediately upon importation. So, legally, you would be required to register the UK car in Ireland and then again in Finland when you re-export it to there.

Practically speaking however, I'd personally be inclined to leave the car on NI plates, drive it in Ireland on Irish insurance that covers a foreign registered car for 1 month (as some do), then change to a different, equivalent insurance company for the second month before removing the car permanently from the state to Finland.

awec

For this step:


(14) They will then give you a document that will have your new Irish Reg on it. Go and get some plates done up and put them on the car.

Where do I get plates done up and any idea of the cost of getting them?

smilgy

awec wrote: »

For this step:


(14) They will then give you a document that will have your new Irish Reg on it. Go and get some plates done up and put them on the car.

Where do I get plates done up and any idea of the cost of getting them?

Most motor factors should do them. They should cost around 10-15 euro a plate.

awec

smilgy wrote: »

Most motor factors should do them. They should cost around 10-15 euro a plate.

Any recommendations in the Sandyford area?

And how long does it take to get the plates?

smilgy

awec wrote: »

Any recommendations in the Sandyford area?

And how long does it take to get the plates?

I don't know that area so can't help you there. They should be able to do it on the spot I think.

The_Conductor

awec wrote: »

Any recommendations in the Sandyford area?

And how long does it take to get the plates?

Halfords will do them. It takes about 10 minutes- you will need to bring the vehicle docs with you to prove you are the owner of the car for the plates you're getting done. UK reg'ed cars may have had plates a different shape/size than ours- bring them in with you- that way they'll drill the holes in the right place for you.

awec

smccarrick wrote: »

Halfords will do them. It takes about 10 minutes- you will need to bring the vehicle docs with you to prove you are the owner of the car for the plates you're getting done. UK reg'ed cars may have had plates a different shape/size than ours- bring them in with you- that way they'll drill the holes in the right place for you.

I plan on going straight from the NCT centre after the VRT inspection to Halfords, presumably I'll have all the necessary docs there?

MidlandsM

smccarrick wrote: »

UK reg'ed cars may have had plates a different shape/size than ours- bring them in with you- that way they'll drill the holes in the right place for you.

ohhh sweet jayus......a young halfords monkey with a cordless drill and your car............:eek::eek::eek:##don't, just dont.

sheehan12

awec wrote: »

I plan on going straight from the NCT centre after the VRT inspection to Halfords, presumably I'll have all the necessary docs there?

you do not need any docs to get a number plates make.. in uk you do but not in ireland

Unrealistic

smccarrick wrote: »

UK reg'ed cars may have had plates a different shape/size than ours- bring them in with you- that way they'll drill the holes in the right place for you.

MidlandsM wrote: »

smccarrick wrote: »

UK reg'ed cars may have had plates a different shape/size than ours- bring them in with you- that way they'll drill the holes in the right place for you.

ohhh sweet jayus......a young halfords monkey with a cordless drill and your car............:eek::eek::eek:##don't, just dont.

I think/hope that smccarrick was referring to drilling the plates to suit the car rather than drilling the car to suit the plates. That was the way I did it when I brought in my car. I taped the new Irish plates to the old UK plates and drilled through to line up the new holes. That way no drilling was required on the car. I got plates from http://www.numberplates.ie/ which didn't have any pre-drilled holes. No problem driving around on UK plates for a couple of days waiting for Irish plates to be delivered as long as you have a copy of your VRT receipt with you.

awec

Question:

Got VRT, car is over 4 years old. Do I need to wait until I have paid the tax (can't do that til tomorrow) and recieved the registration doc in the post before I book NCT?

awec

awec wrote: »

Question:

Got VRT, car is over 4 years old. Do I need to wait until I have paid the tax (can't do that til tomorrow) and recieved the registration doc in the post before I book NCT?

Phoned up, so to answer my own question for anyone else who's wondering:

Had to fax them off my import receipt, details will be on their system within 24 hours and then I can book.

awec

When do I get my Vehicle Reg Document?

I have taxed my car and received the tax disc in the post and all, and paid VRT last week.

I have NCT booked for Tuesday and I think I need the reg document before then?

The_Conductor

Unrealistic wrote: »

I think/hope that smccarrick was referring to drilling the plates to suit the car rather than drilling the car to suit the plates. That was the way I did it when I brought in my car. I taped the new Irish plates to the old UK plates and drilled through to line up the new holes. That way no drilling was required on the car. I got plates from http://www.numberplates.ie/ which didn't have any pre-drilled holes. No problem driving around on UK plates for a couple of days waiting for Irish plates to be delivered as long as you have a copy of your VRT receipt with you.

I haven't laughed as much all week......
Yes- I meant- bring the UK plates in with you- and they'll drill holes in the same place in your new Irish plates for you.

Re: Ownership docs and getting plates done up- legally you don't need to bring any documents into Halfords (or any other shop) who make up plates. Depending on the location of the store- they may or may not implement a policy of asking for ownership documents (some stores have been requested to do so by Gardai, to foil people making up spurious number plates to disguise the identity of cars)

MidlandsM

awec wrote: »

When do I get my Vehicle Reg Document?

I have taxed my car and received the tax disc in the post and all, and paid VRT last week.

I have NCT booked for Tuesday and I think I need the reg document before then?

the log book should arrive from shannon about now, if not , don't fret. Just bring the VRT reciept with you to your nct appt and show it informing them you just imported it and your waiting for the new logbook. There will be no issue.

Road-Hog

Bought car in from uk recently, have invoice from dealer plus other docs but no v5c was given to me by the dealer he said that he had to sent off a form to the DLMV and that they would forward me the v5c in a few weeks. I've subsequently contacted the DLMV and they now tell me that they are not able to issue licensing Certs ie v5c Certs to non uk residents and suggested that i contact the northern Ireland DLMV and that they might be able to issue me one. I contacted the northern Ireland DMLV but they said also that they can't do anything for me.

Does any one have any suggestions as to how I can get a v5c cert so I can sort out the vrt before the 30 days period expires I have 11 days left. I have already made a wasted appt with the vrt people at the local Nct centre to be told that I need a licensing cert from uk

Our man in Havana

The clown you bought it from should have given you the V5. There is no way the DVLA will issue a new V5 now. You can apply for an export cert instead using form 976 but you won't get that for a few weeks.

Road-Hog

Our man in Havana wrote: »

The clown you bought it from should have given you the V5. There is no way the DVLA will issue a new V5 now. You can apply for an export cert instead using form 976 but you won't get that for a few weeks.

Many thanks for that. One question about the export cert. does it matter what date I put on the application form, as in should the application for the cert be made on the day of export or a few days before hand as opposed to 2 wks later. Also I take it that I am the new 'keeper'.

Our man in Havana

You tell the DVLA on the form what date it was exported.

The DVLA will never record you as the keeper. They always list the last keeper as they can't record someone resident outside the UK as keeper.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_065267.pdf

Fill up form 576 and off you go.

jjmcclure

Kotek Besar wrote: »

According to European Union law, assuming that you are a citizen on Finland, your right of residence in Ireland is effective immediately on entry to the state. As an Irish resident, you are required to register a foreign car immediately upon importation. So, legally, you would be required to register the UK car in Ireland and then again in Finland when you re-export it to there.

Practically speaking however, I'd personally be inclined to leave the car on NI plates, drive it in Ireland on Irish insurance that covers a foreign registered car for 1 month (as some do), then change to a different, equivalent insurance company for the second month before removing the car permanently from the state to Finland.

I think this is inaccurate, check with revenue. I believe you are entitled to a temporary exemption.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/leaflets/temporary-exemption-foreign-registered.html

Road-Hog

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You tell the DVLA on the form what date it was exported.

The DVLA will never record you as the keeper. They always list the last keeper as they can't record someone resident outside the UK as keeper.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_065267.pdf

Fill up form 576 and off you go.

If i have the english reg plates on the car post 30 days since import could the car be impounded by the customes officials. VRT people have told me that for every day over the 30 there is a penalty of 0.1% of the VRT rate x no of days you are over so if you pay 1000 vrt and are on day 40 before you registed then the penalty would be €10 (i.e. 1000x0.001x10), does this sound right?

aujopimur

Yes.
Yes.

Road-Hog

aujopimur wrote: »

Yes.
Yes.

Related to my post above, can anyone answer the following:

When a car purchased in UK is landed in Dublin (or any of the other ports) using a car transport company, do the customs record each vehicle's entry into the state and then develop a 'hot list' of imported car regs that they check up on to make sure that the VRT is paid within the 30 day time limit. Similarly for the cops, do they get a list of imported car reg's from customs to check up on?

It now looks like I will not have the 'certificate of permanent export' that I require in order to be able to pay the vrt and get the irish plates within 30 days. Should I leave the car parked in the driveway until the cert arrives and I pay over the VRT and get then new plates once the 30 days have expired or is this approach being over cautious.

Any advice appriciated

MidlandsM

Road-Hog wrote: »

Related to my post above, can anyone answer the following:

When a car purchased in UK is landed in Dublin (or any of the other ports) using a car transport company, do the customs record each vehicle's entry into the state and then develop a 'hot list' of imported car regs that they check up on to make sure that the VRT is paid within the 30 day time limit. Similarly for the cops, do they get a list of imported car reg's from customs to check up on?

It now looks like I will not have the 'certificate of permanent export' that I require in order to be able to pay the vrt and get the irish plates within 30 days. Should I leave the car parked in the driveway until the cert arrives and I pay over the VRT and get then new plates once the 30 days have expired or is this approach being over cautious.

Any advice appriciated

no, no list is kept by customs...

re; what to do, well only you can decide that.

Road-Hog

MidlandsM wrote: »

no, no list is kept by customs...

re; what to do, well only you can decide that.

I know only I can decide ultimately however sometimes people offer opinions/advice from which I can assess the risks and then make a decision.

MidlandsM

Road-Hog wrote: »

I know only I can decide ultimately however sometimes people offer opinions/advice from which I can assess the risks and then make a decision.

bit late ehhhh, you should have sought opinions/advice prior to making the purchase and you'd have been told to ensure you get the full v5c document with the car. :rolleyes:

aujopimur

Road-Hog wrote: »

Related to my post above, can anyone answer the following:

When a car purchased in UK is landed in Dublin (or any of the other ports) using a car transport company, do the customs record each vehicle's entry into the state and then develop a 'hot list' of imported car regs that they check up on to make sure that the VRT is paid within the 30 day time limit. Similarly for the cops, do they get a list of imported car reg's from customs to check up on?

It now looks like I will not have the 'certificate of permanent export' that I require in order to be able to pay the vrt and get the irish plates within 30 days. Should I leave the car parked in the driveway until the cert arrives and I pay over the VRT and get then new plates once the 30 days have expired or is this approach being over cautious.

Any advice appriciated

Keep it off road until you you have the docs. sorted, otherwise you run the risk of having it siezed.

Road-Hog

MidlandsM wrote: »

bit late ehhhh, you should have sought opinions/advice prior to making the purchase and you'd have been told to ensure you get the full v5c document with the car. :rolleyes:

yes hindsight is a wonderful thing...........I sense a bit of a 'condesending' tone to your response..............maybe someone else can offer an opinion as to the likehood of the customs or guards stopping an english reg car and checking up on its vrt status and also the likely actions they might take, such as give you a warning and a period of time to sort it out or sieze the car immediately until vrt is sorted.

I worked with an english guy recenlty who was living here and he had his english reg plates on his car for over four years before getting a knock on the door by the officials to get it re-registered.............not that I have any intention of leaving it four years.

The Guvnor

^ It is very much luck of the draw IMO - you could get away for four years or get done in the first week.

As for what happens that would within reason be down to the officer who did or did not stop you as IMO they have a level of discretion.

Here in North Louth many UK registered cars around rarely in 5 years have I seen any pulled over - maybe twice and iirc that was about fuel not vrt.

Road-Hog

The Guvnor wrote: »

^ It is very much luck of the draw IMO - you could get away for four years or get done in the first week.

As for what happens that would within reason be down to the officer who did or did not stop you as IMO they have a level of discretion.

Here in North Louth many UK registered cars around rarely in 5 years have I seen any pulled over - maybe twice and iirc that was about fuel not vrt.

Many thanks, kind of responses I was looking for.......