Does an imported car from the North have to be in 'private' use?

I am about to import a car from the north of Ireland that was originally registered in the UK in early 2022 and brought into Northern Ireland in late 2022.

I can show it was in the North for a reasonable amount of time (about three years), but the car is a company car and as a result it is registered to a Northern Irish company.

When reading the VRT rules it seems to suggest that the car must be shown to be in "private" ownership in the North for a period of time to be VAT and customs exempt.

Does this mean I will be liable for VAT and customs if I import this car? Is there any way to avoid this?

Conor (Waterford)

Aug 2025 Filed under: importing

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Expert answer

Hi Conor,

Our understanding is that it will be good enough to show that the car has been in use, even if it was a company car. Essentially, once the car has not been brought in by a car dealer to sell on right away it is likely to be exempt from VAT and import duty.

As ever, we encourage would-be importers to check their individual case with Revenue direct before committing to a purchase.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor