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

deezell

But will you pay excise on a car of European origin ( Vag, Renault etc) just because it passed through the UK on its way here? Might be different for a Jag or a Hyundai.

garo

Safest answer right now is we don't know for sure what the VAT and excise situation will be for UK imports from 1/1/21. We could yet have a deal that makes all of this redundant. We could have a temporary extension of the transition. Or we could have a diamond hard Brexit where both sides decide to full WTO.

Brewster

deezell wrote: »

But will you pay excise on a car of European origin ( Vag, Renault etc) just because it passed through the UK on its way here? Might be different for a Jag or a Hyundai.

Well gets complicated then. I presume you mean if the car originated in France, was exported to the U.K., and then was imported into Ireland?

Brewster

garo wrote: »

Safest answer right now is we don't know for sure what the VAT and excise situation will be for UK imports from 1/1/21. We could yet have a deal that makes all of this redundant. We could have a temporary extension of the transition. Or we could have a diamond hard Brexit where both sides decide to full WTO.

I am not sure it’s that binary. The EU has a trade agreement with Japan, but it’s still a third country and VAT and excise is due on any Japanese car import. I don’t think it will be much different with the U.K.. Once the transition period is over, the U.K. is then treated as a third country. I don’t believe this is part of trade discussions!?

Peintre Celebre

Hi lads I'm sure this has been asked before

I'm buying a vehicle up north this week. I've the money in my southern account

I do have a northern account as well

What would be the cheapest way to purchase? Use transfer wise to send to my northern account and pay then or does it make much difference and just pay with my southern euro account?

Lofidelity

I cannot see how the supply of used vehicles from the UK would suddenly go from 100,000 per year to zero at the end of December. The consumer wants them and its a big source of revenue to the government.
The average spend on a UK import is €16k which wont go far on a new car, so its not as simple as choosing to buy new instead, as SIMI would suggest.

If there is no deal, maybe Revenue could drop VRT on used imports where vat and excise is paid instead....

garo

Brewster wrote: »

I am not sure it’s that binary. The EU has a trade agreement with Japan, but it’s still a third country and VAT and excise is due on any Japanese car import. I don’t think it will be much different with the U.K.. Once the transition period is over, the U.K. is then treated as a third country. I don’t believe this is part of trade discussions!?

I absolutely do not claim it is binary. And you are right. More likely than not VAT and excise will apply from Jan 1st. But the truth is we don't know!

garo

Peintre Celebre wrote: »

Hi lads I'm sure this has been asked before

I'm buying a vehicle up north this week. I've the money in my southern account

I do have a northern account as well

What would be the cheapest way to purchase? Use transfer wise to send to my northern account and pay then or does it make much difference and just pay with my southern euro account?

Use transferwise.

Brewster

Lofidelity wrote: »

I cannot see how the supply of used vehicles from the UK would suddenly go from 100,000 per year to zero at the end of December. The consumer wants them and its a big source of revenue to the government.
The average spend on a UK import is €16k which wont go far on a new car, so its not as simple as choosing to buy new instead, as SIMI would suggest.

If there is no deal, maybe Revenue could drop VRT on used imports where vat and excise is paid instead....

There is no doubt there is something in this. If it was a UK Ireland trade deal something would be included. As it’s U.K.-EU, it’s not on the radar I suspect. But yes, who is going to supply all the cars when simple economics determine that many people can’t afford to buy a new car. Could the Irish dealers even supply them if there was the demand? Maybe over time, but not immediately.

deezell

Peintre Celebre wrote: »

Hi lads I'm sure this has been asked before

I'm buying a vehicle up north this week. I've the money in my southern account

I do have a northern account as well

What would be the cheapest way to purchase? Use transfer wise to send to my northern account and pay then or does it make much difference and just pay with my southern euro account?

Only if the Dealer gives you a really preferential rate. You're wide open to whatever Mark up he might add if you try to pay in €. Have the base exchage rate on the day on your phone, and run the final price in £ to €, see how he compares. If he's within a percent, fair enough. If it's 3 or 4, pay in £, after you've transferred to your own £ account.

deezell

Brewster wrote: »

There is no doubt there is something in this. If it was a UK Ireland trade deal something would be included. As it’s U.K.-EU, it’s not on the radar I suspect. But yes, who is going to supply all the cars when simple economics determine that many people can’t afford to buy a new car. Could the Irish dealers even supply them if there was the demand? Maybe over time, but not immediately.

Sadly, heaven for the dealers, who will aggressively promote new sales with attractive trade ins, then stuff the used car market with inflated used prices for well worn junk, just like back in the 70s-80s. Win win for them.

Lofidelity

Brewster wrote: »

There is no doubt there is something in this. If it was a UK Ireland trade deal something would be included. As it’s U.K.-EU, it’s not on the radar I suspect. But yes, who is going to supply all the cars when simple economics determine that many people can’t afford to buy a new car. Could the Irish dealers even supply them if there was the demand? Maybe over time, but not immediately.

I dont follow the news too closely but i believe Northern Ireland was to have one foot in the UK and one in the EU. Perhaps NI dealers could act as brokers and supply UK cars to southern customers vat and excise free?

bazz26

Lofidelity wrote: »

I cannot see how the supply of used vehicles from the UK would suddenly go from 100,000 per year to zero at the end of December. The consumer wants them and its a big source of revenue to the government.
The average spend on a UK import is €16k which wont go far on a new car, so its not as simple as choosing to buy new instead, as SIMI would suggest.

If there is no deal, maybe Revenue could drop VRT on used imports where vat and excise is paid instead....

It's not all about selling new cars, people will still want or need used cars, except their options with buying them abroad will be reduced significantly if importing becomes prohibitively expensive. That's what consecutive Governments do here, instead of encouraging choice for the consumer, they just reduce options through higher taxation on those options.

The other side of the coin is that the more cars we buy in the UK, the more money we are sending out of the country instead of keeping it at home. No Government will want to be seen encouraging that irrespective of the Brits leaving the EU or not.

garo

There are no cars made in Ireland since the DeLorean. So ANY car you buy, you are sending money out of the country.

colm_mcm

garo wrote: »

There are no cars made in Ireland since the DeLorean. So ANY car you buy, you are sending money out of the country.

You know DeLorean was made in Northern Ireland and all the money left the country for Columbia

bazz26

garo wrote: »

There are no cars made in Ireland since the DeLorean. So ANY car you buy, you are sending money out of the country.

We are talking about used cars not new ones. The money from buying a used car here doesn't go directly to the British treasury. BTW DeLoreans were never built here, they were built in Belfast.

Brewster

Lofidelity wrote: »

I dont follow the news too closely but i believe Northern Ireland was to have one foot in the UK and one in the EU. Perhaps NI dealers could act as brokers and supply UK cars to southern customers vat and excise free?

That’s correct in the NI imports will be exempt from VAT and customs excise next year. However, it may well be that car needs to originate in NI. It’s not fully clear yet. Clearly there would be a loophole if NI was allowed to act as some sort of clearing house for GB exports into Ireland. I don’t see this being an option long term.

Atlantic Dawn

Brewster wrote: »

That’s correct in the NI imports will be exempt from VAT and customs excise next year. However, it may well be that car needs to originate in NI. It’s not fully clear yet. Clearly there would be a loophole if NI was allowed to act as some sort of clearing house for GB exports into Ireland. I don’t see this being an option long term.

Revenue might insist on proof it was owned by a resident of NIRL for 6 months.

Isambard

and all bets off with No Deal

garo

colm_mcm wrote: »

You know DeLorean was made in Northern Ireland and all the money left the country for Columbia

bazz26 wrote: »

We are talking about used cars not new ones. The money from buying a used car here doesn't go directly to the British treasury. BTW DeLoreans were never built here, they were built in Belfast.

The statement below is incontrovertibly true.

There are no cars made in Ireland since the DeLorean.

Really don't want to get into a debate on whether NI is Ireland. Hint: Look at what the I in NI stands for. :rolleyes: Fair point about Columbia though

So my point remains that if there is a demand for X number of cars in the ROI, you can either buy new - in which case the money goes abroad - or buy used from abroad - in which case the money goes abroad too.

If you buy used here vs UK you have one less car in ROI. So demand for that car has to be filled through an import - either used or new. In either case, money leaves ROI.

LillySV

Brewster wrote: »

That’s correct in the NI imports will be exempt from VAT and customs excise next year. However, it may well be that car needs to originate in NI. It’s not fully clear yet. Clearly there would be a loophole if NI was allowed to act as some sort of clearing house for GB exports into Ireland. I don’t see this being an option long term.

Don’t think it will make a difference... my experience of the cost price of cars in Northern Ireland is that in majority of cases, u get them as cheap here after you have it cleared... once Uk mainland locked off, I can’t imagine it getting better

beggars_bush

LillySV wrote: »

Don’t think it will make a difference... my experience of the cost price of cars in Northern Ireland is that in majority of cases, u get them as cheap here after you have it cleared... once Uk mainland locked off, I can’t imagine it getting better

an awful lot of cars up there are just bought on the mainland and resold to buyers from down south
handy way to make €2000+ per car

tobehonestwithy

Quick question.

I bought a car in the UK 3 weeks ago and going to the NCT tomorrow.

I have all documentation ready but then one of the lines was

For used vehicles, you must provide documentation approved by the Revenue commissioners confirming the CO2 emissions. (only applicable to category A vehicles)

Doesnt say anything else. I have a the log book from the seller with all that detail. Is that enough.

Trying to google this and I saw something about a Certificate of Confirmity to be loaded on to Revenue online. I assume that was something to do afterwards?

Any help I would appreciate it. Panicking now

SummerK

tobehonestwithy wrote: »

Quick question.

I bought a car in the UK 3 weeks ago and going to the NCT tomorrow.

I have all documentation ready but then one of the lines was

For used vehicles, you must provide documentation approved by the Revenue commissioners confirming the CO2 emissions. (only applicable to category A vehicles)

Doesnt say anything else. I have a the log book from the seller with all that detail. Is that enough.

Trying to google this and I saw something about a Certificate of Confirmity to be loaded on to Revenue online. I assume that was something to do afterwards?

Any help I would appreciate it. Panicking now

You should be good if log book states co2 and car is > 6 months old and odo is > 6000km. No coc is required in this case.

tobehonestwithy

SummerK wrote: »

You should be good if log book states co2 and car is > 6 months old and odo is > 6000km. No coc is required in this case.

Perfect mate. Thank You. Yeah, it meets all that criteria.I can relax now

User1998

Does anyone know the best way to get a certificate of conformity or any other documents that state the emmisions. Car is Jap import

LillySV

beggars_bush wrote: »

an awful lot of cars up there are just bought on the mainland and resold to buyers from down south
handy way to make €2000+ per car

Exactly what happens

Borboleta81

Hi,
Does anyone know where you can obtain the Statistical Code for a vehicle please?

Thanks ðŸ‘

Cona

I rang to make a booking with VRT Center on Friday. Got confirmation email but no date or time. Mentioned it would prob be first or second week of December.

How do I know when I get my actual appointment? Do they send an email to confirm or what?

Bogwoppit

LillySV wrote: »

Don’t think it will make a difference... my experience of the cost price of cars in Northern Ireland is that in majority of cases, u get them as cheap here after you have it cleared... once Uk mainland locked off, I can’t imagine it getting better

Nonsense, I saved at least 5 1/2k on my last car, bought up north. 17 1/5k brought in vs 23-24 here.