Are there taxes on wheelchair-accessible taxis?
The question
Hello,
I want to buy a wheelchair-accessible minivan for my taxi business in Ireland. Will I have to pay all the VAT, VRT etc or are wheelchair-accessible vehicles free of these payments?
Thanks in advance.
Asked by angela cunningham ·
Expert answer
Revenue does run a tax-relief scheme for vehicles adapted for drivers and passengers with disabilities, but the Government has confirmed that this does not apply to public service vehicles such as taxis or hackneys, wheelchair-accessible or not. In other words, a wheelchair-accessible taxi is not automatically free of VAT and VRT.
What you can benefit from is the National Transport Authority's Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) Grant Scheme, which offers a cash grant towards the cost of buying or converting a wheelchair-accessible taxi or hackney. That grant doesn't remove VAT or VRT, but it can significantly reduce the overall cost to you – by up to €17,500 depending on the age of the vehicle.
Answered by Shane O' Donoghue