Answered by: Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor - @neilmbriscoe

Answer

Hi Yvonne,

If you’re a disabled driver or passenger, you’re entitled to claim back, or in some cases not pay in the first place, both VRT and VAT on a new car, as well as not needing to pay VAT on the cost of any modifications needed to the vehicle to adapt it to your particular abilities.

However, right now there’s a crisis in the system. The problem is that the issuing of primary medical certificates, which are needed to confirm a person’s disability and therefore their meeting the criteria for the scheme, has been suspended following a supreme court judgement against. The Government, and the Minister for Finance have said they are working on a potential solution to the issue (which surrounds the competence of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal to refuse the issuing of a certificate) but right now, if you’re waiting for a Primary Medical Cert, you’re sort of stuck.