cutback

Hi,

I’m wondering if anyone might have any experience of a situation I find myself in or more to the point thinking about. I’m semi-retired and live in London but my daughter lives in Southern Ireland and is married to an Irishman. I’d like to buy a second car in London, keep it registered to at my London address but base it in Ireland so when I’m over there I can use the car, I’d like to put my daughter and husband on the insurance so when I’m not in Ireland they can give the car a run out. Once I have the car in Ireland I can fly over and then use it for as long as I need it.

Has anyone done anything similar or can anyone see any problems I might encounter doing that?

Jock04

So long as you've owned the car 6 months, you'll be allowed to bring it into Ireland without having to pay the dreaded VRT.
Customs are hot on this right now, so make sure you have your proof of date of taking ownership etc, and then you can register car on Irish plates without VRT.
If you keep it on UK plates you'll probably save on car tax but have to take it back once a year for MOT. But you'll get hassle from Customs at checkpoints.

cutback

But because I'm not planning on moving to Ireland permanently (London is my permanent residence) I won't be able to get around paying VRT and as such I think leaving the car on the UK plates is possibly the best way to go. I was more interested in insurance implications and how the Irish police would view my daugher and her husband driving around in my UK reg'd car in Ireland while I'm not actually in Ireland.

Horus

To keep a UK registered car in Ireland you would still need to pay UK road tax and you can't get road tax with a valid MOT certificate, the Irish NCT wouldn't be accepted and they wouldn't do an NCT on a UK registered car.

Your best be would be to buy the car in the UK and keep it for 6 months to avoid paying VRT, then bring it to Ireland. Register it over here and get Irish plates then you can tax and insure it without any problems.

As far as I know there's only one insurance company over here that will insure UK registered cars.

Another problem you could face is the one where cars purchased in the UK then kept permanently in Ireland legally have to go through the registration process the day after they arrive in the country (although many don't). If the car is stopped by the Guards whoever is driving it at the time (you, your daughter or son-in-law) could get into serious trouble.

wmq

Cant be done I'm afraid, you can try it but you run the risk of having the car confiscated.

Irish residents are restricted from driving vehicles that are not registered in Ireland, this is to protect the 30% vehicle registration tax that exists in the Republic of Ireland which provides the Irish government with billions of Euro income each year.

The only way of doing it is to import the car into Ireland and obtain a southern Irish reg by paying 30% of the Irish value of your car to the local taxation authority (its 25% if the car is under 1900cc)

So much for European integration eh!

WQ

Horus

That's only if you've had the car a short time though. I registered my UK bought car here and it didn't cost me a penny (or a cent).

wmq

Yes thats possible, but only on transfer of residence, and you must have proof of living in the UK for at least 6 months or more and proof of moving domicile to Ireland. In all other cases VRT must be paid. Believe me the customs and excise pound is full of vehicles belonging to those who thought otherwise.
Failure to comply can mean instant confiscation. Your car can only be returned on full payment or outstanding VRT and usually the maximum fine of 10,000 Euro.

JAJ

Wouldn't it be cheaper to see if car rental agencies are willing to do a deal to rent you a car for a month or two.

And depending on terms and conditions, it might be cheaper to hire it out of Belfast and drive to the Republic of Ireland.

Or why not take your own car across on the car ferry whenever you visit? (again, probably a lot cheaper).

businessman

hi cutback,

i am starting up a business in london and i will be buying a car in london and renting an apartment there so i will be insuring the car and taxing it in the UK. I will predominantly living in Southern Ireland as I have business there and am originally from there. I will just be making simi reular trips to london in the car. It will be necessary for me to drive the car over and bac to london so leaving it there is not an option. and i am keen to get a UK car because i can buy a nice car at a fraction of the cost. ad save on tax and insurance etc. I guess i'm just thinking with my "business head" on! does anyone know any possible problems i may face or of any laws i might be potentially breaking? I would be very grateful for any information.

Being a native Paddy i'd be happy to help anyone with any questions about ireland. dont be shy to ask!

jdr

Read post five....
If you are a resident in any EU country you must matriculate your vehicle to local plates, tax and insurance.
You cannot be a resident of one country and have a car registered in another.
Also read the smallprint on UK insurance policies, they only cover you for 3 months tourism out of the UK.

Gulf Stream

Both of these are options! Less complicated ones anyways! Bring your driving licence and car insurance with you.

If your daughter has a car, you can be named on her policy temporarily, and depending on the insurance company it might be free - I did this for my brother several years ago and it didn't cost anything, although this was only for a week...

Chackett

Hi

I am currently over in preston studying, i am from southern ireland. I have been living in preston since september. Could i buy a car and bring it home with me in july without having to pay to bring the car in?

TheBellFella

Ok,

I'm a UK citizen with a family address in the UK, I co-own a property in ROI in which my partner lives, however I do not work in Ireland and spend less than 130 days per year here. I am legally allowed to drive a UK reg car in Ireland for up to 12 months, as I am a visitor, according to Revenue.

I'm curious to know what would happen if I was stopped by the Gards and/or Customs whilst driving a UK reg car here or if I was subject to check whilst the ccar was parked outside my house here in Ireland. Legally, I am not resident, as I spend more than 6 months a year overseas and the car is brought in & out of the State regularly, so I have tickets to prove this. However, I believe that it is up to the individual to prove their case rather than Customs i.e. guilty, so prove your innocence.

This seems very subjective - what happens to foreign holiday makers with cars, do they get hassle at checkpoints? Seems a bit harsh if so.

Does anybody know exactly what Customs ask to see at their checkpoints? It looks like you have to drive around with every scrap of paper relating to the vehicle in the vehicle at all times.