Disabled Drivers VRT Exemption

boardsie08

Hi all;

I'm enquiring this on behalf of a family member; to give a bit of background info, they were seriously ill 10 years ago where they were in a wheelchair, thankfully they have improved a bit since, however they're severely limited mobility wise and disabled.

Tbh, they probably should have applied for this a long, long time ago, but due to pride they just wouldn't; they didn't want any handouts, or to be classed as disabled etc..

They have now reached a point however where they are coming to terms that they will need to apply for assistance, or for a driver to carry them as a disabled passenger.

They have been told that if they buy a car they can claim to get all the VAT back, also be exempt from VRT and road tax annually.

The thing is, they're completely clueless as to how to go about this, they're not the best for asking for help, or getting information.. Who can I tell them to go to, or who can help them?

Also, how exactly does the whole process work? I have to admit, I know next to nothing about any of this either or how to go about it..

As a side note, they have been looking at a car up in the North (MUCH cheaper than in the South)

If they were to buy this and bring it to the South do they first have to get it fitted with adaptations for a disabled driver before applying for the VAT and VRT exemptions, or do they modify the car afterwards?

Also, where do you go to get these modifications done? Are there special garages/centres that specialise in this?

Also, would they first have to pay the VAT and VRT, then apply for a refund, or can they not pay it at all in the first place?

Say the car is worth Euro 10k, then VRT on top of this would be 15k.
Also, if UK VAT of 17.5% has been paid, is this refundable, or just Irish VAT of 21%?

Does it make a difference if the car is bought in the North as opposed to in the Republic? From what I understand one stipulation is that the car has to be purchased from a Dealer, and not a private sale.

Sorry if the questions aren't too clear - I'm a bit muddled up with all the contradicting info I've been looking up so far, and I'm not sure where to send them to go, or who to speak to.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through this process or knows of anyone, and could impart their experience and the process or applying and form filling etc.. it's all a bit daunting!

Any info at all is greatly appreciated,

Thanks!

Your local citizen information office will have a person who's job it is to make sure that disabled people are aware of their entitlements.

You are getting the car tax free. So I don't see the point in buying in the north. You would have to check the UK system to see if you would get a VAT exemption.

You basically are medically assessed by the health board. You buy the car, and apply for the refunds. It takes about 6 weeks.
You have adapt the car before you qualify. IWA would be the people to talk to to get a list of mechanics that provide that service.
Dealers will hold the car and wait for the refund to come through, if you don't want to raise all the funds.
Certain marks also offer a small discount for disabled drivers.
There is also a grant you can get from the healthboard towards the purchase of a car.

Moonbeam

It is probably worth contacting disabled drivers in Ballindine.
http://www.iol.ie/~ability/index.htm