Benny Kovacs

My Hungarian wife and I are moving to Hungary late summer 2019, this is still the transition period (assuming we don't crash out on a No Deal).

The only thing that has me a little anxious is our car, it's LHD (10 y/o) and we intend to bring it with us, if we register it in say September will this be classed as importing from Outside EU or is this still classed is Within EU as this is inside the transition period?
I'm thinking we're going to get hammered cost wise unless we bring it in before March 29

I have a tax number already because of stamp duty when we bought our house but don't have address card. My wife has address card for her parents address and everything else although she doesn't have a licence. Should I transfer the car to her on the V5 and we take it over there in February, register it and leave it in her parents garage until we move there or are we ok to wait until September and bring it when we move?

Or is every body as bewildered about what is happening as we are?

Benny

Peter_in_Hungary

If the UK is in the transition period then all the EU rules still apply, so say all the articles I have seen or heard. So until the end of the transition period freedom of movement, customs union etc. all apply. Bringing it over in Feb and registering it is possible - perhaps but registering a car is not a 'pop down to the office and fill in a couple of forms - unfortunately. From what I have heard it is Hungarian bureaucracy at its best !! Perhaps others on here can give an indication of how long it takes.

I'm not sure if you need a licence to own and insure a car here - if you do then this may impact your wife registering the car. Otherwise you will have to get an address card.

You can find out the tax due on import at
https://regisztraciosado.hu/

P.S. Your name implies Hungarian descent - if so then citizenship will be easier, but with a name like yours everyone will expect you to speak the language !

Benny Kovacs

That's pretty much how we were viewing it with the transition period but there's always that niggling doubt.

Registering cars isn't as bad or as expensive as it used to be from what I can gather and having a native Hungarian helping out (doing it all) will make it easier to fill in the paperwork. As with everything the office you visit makes a big difference and having everything ready also helps.
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It's my internet name πŸ˜‰

Peter_in_Hungary

So Mr Smith - you will have all the fun of learning Hungarian then

I was at the meeting in Budapest with the British Ambassador and the strong message from both him and the Hungarian Minister was 'get everything sorted before March 29th. just in case there is 'no deal'

Benny Kovacs

The 'no deal' option is worrying, would the UK Government seriously consider that?

I know the public are daft enough to vote for it if given a chance but surely not those in power.

Then again....

Peter_in_Hungary

The UK government are not seriously considering a no deal (Rees-Mogg and the ERG excluded) - the problem is that a 'no deal' happens unless something else is done and the track record of agreeing to do something else is not good.

kohoutek

We bought our Peugeot 307 SW over.from UK, took to a friend in next village who checked it over before booking into MOT, had to change the front lens and rear left to comply with LHD system. MOT was 20 mins, took paperwork to an office in Szombathely to pay registration tax. Once done went to Sarvar Government office to hand over my V5/MOT and Tax paperwork, was handed over a new set of number plates within 10 mins... so straight forward for me... Insurance for the car is 25,000 FT


Michael?Julie

Szeged

You do not need a driving license to own a HU car, but you would need an Address Card. For example: I could buy a HU car for my HU wife, as a gift, in my name whereby I did not have a driving license.

wolfi

If the car is 10 years old you might have a problem, make sure that it fulfills the emission standards!
I "sold" my German Astra to my wife's son and though MOT was no problem he bitterly complained about the Hungarian paperwork - things like to pay he had to go to a different office with strange opening times ...

On the other hand I asked him for papers to close the German tax and insurance - he told me he didn't get any!
I started to get worried and asked the German car tax office by phone what to do - the nice lady asked me about the licence plate no and bingo!
She told me she got it all on her commputer and I'd get a paper and my refund soon - with the paper I went to the local insurance office and all was ok.
Now I don't know how it'll be managed after Brexit but inside the EU the procedure seems to automatic and well managed ...

Benny Kovacs

It's Euro 4 standard, is this going to be a problem?

​​​​​​I did read somewhere that Euro 4 and under won't be allowed in cities with over 100,000 population in 2025 but struggle to find the article now .

That's five years away so we'll worry about that closer to the time, if it happens.

Peter_in_Hungary

You can see the amount of registration import tax you will have to pay if you use the link I gave above. The Hungarian used car market is IMO less than honest. There are not the consumer protection standards enjoyed by the UK. If your car is in good nick and you like it and know any issues then you are probably better off bringing it in than selling it and buying one here. Used cars are expensive here compared to the UK and given that it is left hand drive selling it in the UK won't be easy.

I don't think the Euro 4 issue counts for much - or at least any implications will equally apply equally to the UK and Hungary. Whether it is diesel or petrol may have more implications. It is always a difficult decision as to when to change cars, perhaps the devil you know.........

Benny Kovacs

It's a diesel, we love it, it's been well looked after.

If we were staying in UK we would get rid of it as I work within the North/South Circular in London and we will soon be faced with Β£12.50/day charge for anything under Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol.

In Hungary the same spec cars in similar condition are about 2.5x what we would get here for it, and as you say, we know what is good with it and what isn't.

wolfi

In Germany you won't be allowed to enter many cities with a Euro4 Diesel starting this year - right now or in the following months.
I don't know however whether Hungary is planning something similar.

Benny Kovacs

As nice as it is I've not been to Germany for over 25 years and we don't have any plans to visit for the foreseeable future.

​​​​If we do ever visit we can always borrow the in-laws car to use.

Peter_in_Hungary

With the daily charge coming in this will (has?) affected the resale value in the UK and given the better sale price you would get here - if you later wanted to sell it - even if restrictions were imposed like in the UK and the fact that you like the car and know it - this is beginning to sound like a 'no brainer'

Do the tax calculation from https://regisztraciosado.hu/

Look at https://en.nav.gov.hu/intormation_on...residence.html
Which may help with worries about importing after brexit with no deal on March 29th. although I think I would endeavour to get it all sorted before March 29th if it looks like no deal is looming. (note import duties are not registration tax - which I think will still need to be paid)

From information I have heard it would appear that procedures started before the 29th but not yet completed will continue under todays rules (in the event of no deal) so AFAIK if you start registration procedure for your car before the 29th March you should be OK - but I wouldn't leave it until the 28th !!