Are there taxes on wheelchair-accessible taxis?
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.
Angela Cunningham (Co Leitrim)Nov 2025 Filed under: taxi
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.
Do I pay any VRT or VAT on a NI-sourced EV?
I'm buying a used (2022) 100-per-cent-electric, NI-registered car from a dealer in the North. My understanding is I can register the car in the south, with no VAT or VRT, or do I have to get proof of MOT from the dealer?
Niall Doherty (Dublin)Nov 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Niall,
If the car has been in use in the North since new, or for what Revenue loosely calls “a reasonable amount of time”, then no VAT or customs duty will be payable. A full MOT history from the North should cover that, along with details in the car's equivalent to the old log book.
The VRT relief is limited, though, and only applicable to cars worth up to €50,000 in Revenue's eyes. There is no relief for cars worth more than that and it tapers down for cars worth more than €40,000 as well.
Looking for Japanese emissions for a BMW 320d...
Hi,
I'm looking for CO2 and NOx emissions for a BMW 320d diesel (LDA-8C20) Japanese import. I tried websites but cannot find that model.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Fred (Offaly)Nov 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Fred,
We did find a CO2 rating for that BMW on the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism website (click here for the file) – it's 121g/km, but it's much harder to find NOx ratings on there and I've not been entirely successful either.
I did find this official PDF showing a NOx figure for the BMW 320d (0.063g/km), but it does not specifically mention “LDA-8C20”.
Would the electric Opel Frontera make a good taxi?
Would you recommend this Opel Frontera EV for use as a taxi?
Robert (Dublin Ireland )Oct 2025 Filed under: taxi
Expert answer
Hi Robert,
Yeah, it would be fine as a taxi, although I'd avoid the seven-seat one as the extra seats are useless.
How do you rate the Renault Austral hybrid?
How do you rate the Renault Austral hybrid?
Frank Horgan (Cork)Oct 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Frank,
In general we like it, so long as you're on board with the premium pricing - as you are getting a premium car. It's spacious, has an excellent interior, is good to drive and decent to look at.
Read our reviews of the Renault Austral here, but come back to us if you have another specific question about the car.
Is an MOT history enough to avoid VAT etc from NI?
Hello, regarding importing from NI, I am looking to buy from a private individual. The car arrived in NI from 2019 so there is no customs declaration. It has a record of each MOT in NI though since then. Along with its V5, would that be enough for the Revenue to avoid VAT and customs charges?
Thanks
Jim Allen (Cork)Oct 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Jim,
We believe that should be sufficient, yes, but we always recommend people check with Revenue before committing to a purchase.
Can I change my Mazda2's seats?
Is there another set of front passenger seats available for the Mazda2 hybrid? I have a 2024 Homura model, and my only criticism is that the front seats are not particularly comfortable - I bought it as an ex-demonstrator with 4,700 miles on the clock. Could this explain why?
Shah Mugaseth (Nottingham)Oct 2025 Filed under: seating
Expert answer
Hi Shah,
That isn't very high mileage, regardless of how the car was used, so we doubt that has caused any issue.
The Mazda2 hybrid is effectively the same as the Toyota Yaris, so any seats that fit in that car will slot in seamlessly to yours. It won't be cheap to replace the seats, however.
Do I only pay VRT on a 1991 import?
Hello, hope you are keeping well.
I have the intention of purchasing a vehicle from NI. The car in question is a Golf Mk2 GTD 1.6 diesel from 1991. Is it true that I only have to pay €200 for the VRT? What about NOx levy? I understand that for diesel engines it can get quite expensive.
Thank you in advance.
Andrei David (Dublin)Oct 2025 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Andrei,
As that Golf is over 30 years old, it will indeed only attract the flat-rate VRT of €200, and it won't be slapped with any NOx levy either.
I'm missing data to import a Ford Mondeo...
I have a Ford Mondeo 2.0 Hybrid which was manufactured in 2019 but was in Germany from 2019 until 2023 and first registered to a private individual in Northern Ireland in 2023. The CO2 values and the NOx values are not on the V5 and having obtained the CoC from Ford (proper water marked and signed) they are not on it either. How would you import this to ROI without these values showing on the V5 or the genuine original CoC?
Frank Scallon (ENNISKILLEN)Oct 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Frank,
If Ford won't play ball in giving you a CoC with all the details on it, then next step is perhaps to try to find the information on an officially recognised UK website, such as this one from the Vehicle Certification Agency. If you can find your exact car on there, that should be accepted, but we strongly urge you to talk to Revenue ahead of the NCTS inspection about the documentation you have to hand.
Is a sunroof available on the new Opel Frontera?
Is a sunroof available on the new Opel Frontera?
Richard Mullally (Kilkenny )Oct 2025 Filed under: optional extras
Expert answer
Hi Richard,
I'm afraid not. We asked Opel Ireland for confirmation.