Kevrev

Iv just been told that vans cant be road taxed in Ireland unless it is being used for business. Is that true? I own a van here in England and I will be taking it when I finally move to Ireland. What do I need to do?

sickntired

After you have the van re-registered and DOE'd you tootle of to the tax office with registration document, and COMMERCIAL INSURANCE CERTIFICATE, and of course the DOE Cert. They will then give you a form to take to the Garda Station declaring that the vehicle will only be used for business purposes, they stamp the form and you then go back to the tax office pays yer money and get the tax disc. Then you drive around doing shopping or any social and domestic chore you need to do.

Kevrev

Thankyou sickntired. So the law is that all vans have to be used for business purposes? And if you don't run a business you cant have a van?

sickntired

You can run a van on social and domestic insurance, you then pay the relevant road tax, ie a 2 litre Transit van would be €900 instead of the flat rate commercial of €330. If you had a small Opel Combo 1.3Cdti that would be €385. But if you had a large engined van of 3 litre you'd pay €1908. So what van have you got?

sickntired

You can run a van on social and domestic insurance, you then pay the relevant road tax, ie a 2 litre Transit van would be €900 instead of the flat rate commercial of €330. If you had a small Opel Combo 1.3Cdti that would be €385. But if you had a large engined van of 3 litre you'd pay €1908. So what van have you got? These figures are based on engine cc on 2008 and earlier.
Post 2008 go by CO2 emissions. As you can see it is easier and cheaper to insure for business and pay the €330.

Kevrev

Jesus! That's shocking! I have a 99 reg 2.5 litre transit. Over here its around 250 a year I think. Don't know off hand as I normally get 6 months at a time. If I tax it as a business van for cheaper rates and then need to sign on would they use it to wriggle out of paying job seekers?

sickntired

Firstly, the Social Welfare won't know what you drive. They won't know if you have a van or a Reliant Robin. But don't tell them you're self unemployed looking for self employment. Tell them you are looking for PAYE work. The only problem might be if you turn up to sign on in a van with your name plastered all over it offering plumbing etc.

You might have difficulty getting JSA initially as they'll claim you are not habitually resident here.

Kevrev

Oh the van doesn't have any writing on it, I only have a van because I have 7 dogs :P They fit better in the van. But I would be discreet about parking it. Re signing on, its a headache all of its own. I know the habitual residency clause is going to hurt me. And jobs are not exactly growing on trees. Self employment........well its a big risk. I may post an ad in the local paper and be inundated. On the other hand I may not get ANY work. And still need to feed myself............

sickntired

What sort work are you going to do? If you're a plumber, electrician you might get some work - getting paid for the work is the next problem. Which county are you moving to?