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Hi Sharath,

There isn't clear instruction from Revenue on what to do in that situation. I'd suggest keeping toll or fuel receipts for the journey, along with the invoice/receipt from the seller. Those things should suffice.

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Hi Lynsey,

The only way to do it would be to permanently remove the rear seats and seatbelts and create a bulkhead between the front two seats and the cargo area. It will also require a conversion declaration.

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Hi Gerard,

On importation, you will not have to pay VRT as the Kona is all-electric and within the top limit for a full VRT rebate.

We can't determine the car's customs status for you, however, which determines whether or not you'll pay VAT and import duty. To avoid that, you'll need to ensure the car was actually imported into the North and used there for a “reasonable amount of time” (Revenue's words) before being sold on for export.

Put more simply, if the dealer brought the car into the North from England, Scotland or Wales just to sell on, it's highly likely that you will be stung for VAT and duty.

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Hi Derek,

We can only give you another estimate, I'm afraid, as there's no way to know what Revenue will actually value it at when it comes to its inspection.

There's a similar car on sale on Carzone as I write listed at about €37,000. Taking that as the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) and the CO₂ output putting it into Band 18 for VRT (156-170g/km) at 30 per cent of the OMSP, then the VRT bill would in theory be €11,100.

That's before the NOx levy, though it's only a few hundred Euro on a modern petrol car such as that.

Adjust what you think Revenue will value the car at (the OMSP) to see what effect it has on the VRT calculation, but I agree with you that €3,500-4,500 seems low and you should be prepared for more.

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Hi Christopher,

We asked Opel Ireland about this and it says there was no reimbursement scheme, but it may be part of an outstanding recall notice. To check this, bring the VIN into your local Opel dealer to have it checked.

Best of luck

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Hi Colin,

In fact, you can choose to have the old "ZV" style plate if you wish. If you stick with the county one instead, it starts at a higher number for imports - and that starting number varies by county. Revenue has not published the starting number for Donegal that we know of.

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Hi Stephen,

This car will be in the top band for VRT due to its high CO₂ emissions, so 41 per cent of the OMSP.

Now, as you probably know, this Open Market Selling Price is what Revenue believes the car to be worth after registration in Ireland, and it's very difficult to predict that value for a niche model such as the Honda.

If you take the top level of the price band as €18,000, then VRT would be €7,380.

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Hi Terence,

I'm assuming you and the car are not in Ireland. If so, then I'm afraid VRT is still payable on importation into Ireland regardless of the fact that the car is a gift.

It is paid on what Revenue calls the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), which is the value Revenue believes the car to be worth following registration.

Expert answer

Hi Terence,

The reg itself isn't what Revenue looks at, but it certainly looks at the customs status of the car. If it was brought into Northern Ireland from GB (England, Scotland or Wales) just to be sold on and not actually used in the North by an owner, then VAT and customs duty will be due on importation south of the border.

If it was imported into the North and used there “for a reasonable amount of time” (Revenue's words), and you need to be able to prove that with a paper trail, then no VAT or duty should be required.

So don't just go by the reg on the car.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Given what you said, we'd assume that there is no import duty or VAT in that price, just VRT and the NOx levy.

VRT is based on the CO₂ emissions band and the so-called Open Market Selling Price (OMSP). The latter is not the price paid for the car, but the value Revenue believes it to be worth after importation in Ireland.

And while the CO₂ emissions rating might be 187g/km, that is likely to be the old NEDC rating. Revenue 'uplifts' that to be comparable to the newer WLTP standard, which would put this Cayenne into the top band for VRT, at 41 per cent of the OMSP.

It's not easy to estimate what Revenue might say the OMSP is, as that's a rare car in that specification, but for example, if it said it's worth €30,000 in Ireland, then the VRT alone would be €12,300.

On top of that is the NOx levy, which can be really expensive for big old diesels. We'd estimate that could be just under €3,000 for the Cayenne S Diesel.

Unfortunately, therefore, the price you've been quoted to bring this car into Ireland isn't at all surprising.