Will a leased Northern Irish car be VAT-free on import?

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a car from a dealership in Belfast. The car I am looking at has been leased by that company to a person in NI for two years. The V5C is listed in the leasing company's name. Do you think that the car will that meet the Windsor agreement threshold for VAT-free import?

Marco Cavalleri (Ennis Co Clare )

May 2025 Filed under: importing

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Expert answer

Hi Marco,

Revenue says that it treats every car individually depending on circumstances, but our feeling is that there would be no customs duties or VAT payable on this car so long as you have paperwork to prove all of the above. The key thing here is that the car was used in Northern Ireland already and not just imported there to be sold on.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor