Any hope of bringing this 2022 EV in VAT-free from the North?
I've bought a used (2022) EV from Charles Hurst Belfast. I didn't realise they had brought it in from England. I subsequently asked them for proof that they brought it in under the Windsor Framework.
They sent me the invoice for when they bought it. So they bought it on January 15. I bought the car from them on March 31. I've asked them for a copy of the customs declaration lodged in NI but they aren't forthcoming with this.
Will I have any hope of bringing this in VAT free?
Dermot (Laois)Apr 2026 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Dermot,
Because the car originally came from Great Britain, Revenue will want proof that it was properly imported into Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. An invoice isn't enough on its own.
If the dealer can provide the relevant customs or TSS documentation, you should be able to bring it in without VAT. If they can't, Revenue may treat it as a GB import, which could mean 23 per cent VAT and customs duty on top.
In short, you really need that paperwork from the dealer.
When does the VW Golf GTI Edition 50 arrive?
Do you know when the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 will be delivered in Ireland?
Patrick O Sullivan (Kerry )Apr 2026 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Patrick,
We can't comment on individual order deliveries, of course, but we have been told by Volkswagen Ireland that it will be here either this month or next.
VRT on a Skoda Octavia RS from the North?
Hi.
I was looking to know how much it would cost to VRT a 2016 Skoda Octavia vRS - the car is in Northern Ireland. I am from Northern Ireland but have moved to the Republic of Ireland in recent years. Is there anyway this helps to get it cheaper?
Stephen Morris (Omagh)Apr 2026 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
First up, I'm afraid your previous residence in the North can't help you if you've moved south years ago. There is a "Transfer of Residence" scheme in place that allows you bring your car with you when you move, but it can't be done years after the move.
We need the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) and the VRT band to do the calculation - and this is just an estimate. The OMSP is the value Revenue believes the car to be worth in Ireland after registration, so that's not a fixed thing. Let's round it up to €20,000 for the sake of our calculations.
You didn't state whether it's petrol or diesel. In both cases the CO2 rating from 2016 will have to be 'uplifted' to align with the newer WLTP scheme. We believe the petrol model would be in Band 18 (156-170g/km after uplifting) at 30 per cent of OMSP and the diesel would be in Band 16 at 25 per cent.
The former then would be €6,000 VRT and the latter €5,000 - if the OMSP is €20,000.
Do not forget that you will also have to pay the NOx levy on top of all this, which will be way more expensive on the diesel model.
How much to tax my Australian Mitsubishi ASX?
How much tax will I pay for a Mitsubishi ASX 2.0-litre petrol automatic which I brought back with me from Australia where I lived for 13 years? The car is 2017 and I owned it since 2019. Has passed the NCT.
Ciara (Cork)Apr 2026 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Ciara,
We need the CO2 rating to determine the motor tax.
According to our data, that car's original CO2 rating would have been 176g/km, but that was on the old "NEDC" system and when a car is imported into Ireland now its CO2 figure is 'uplifted' by Revenue to align it with the newer WLTP scheme. Doing that would raise your ASX's rating to 197g/km, which would mean motor tax of €790 each year.
The importation paperwork should have shown which CO2 rating the car now has according to Revenue so you can check it. If it's not the above figure, look up the motor tax on our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature or come back to us if you have other questions.
Can I bring this Kia EV in from the North?
Hello,
I have a VRT and VAT question for you. I'm looking at a Kia EV, a two-year-old car. Straight forward as it's been in use all its life in NI and it seems would be an easy import with all the savings.
However, the vehicle was registered to the motor dealer and was used as a demo car. It's technically a VAT-qualifying vehicle and there are companies that will act as third parties, buy the car and sell it to you without the VAT for a small fee.
My question is, if I do that, can I then bring it into Ireland? The form you fill out for the VRT does ask about VAT and if VAT was paid.
Adam (KERRY )Apr 2026 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Adam,
Based on the information you've provided, I think you'll cause complications by trying to get rid of the VAT portion through an intermediary in the North, and that may raise suspicions with Revenue on importation.
There's no way to avoid VAT on a car - you either pay it in the North or when you import it here.
As the car was used in the North for those two years, there should be no additional VAT (or import duty) payable on importing it south, even though it was used by a dealer. Just pay the dealer in full, get an invoice from them showing the transaction and then you should only be dealing with VRT (which is presumably zero in the case of a used EV such as this in any case).
If in any doubt, send a query to Revenue.
Do I need my UK logbook to get an Irish NCT?
Hi,
I'm relocating from UK to Ireland and have brought my car with me. I thought I had the v5c logbook in the car but upon arrival it is missing. I know I have to book the NCT within seven days but how can I do this whilst I don't have the v5c? Is it possible to give them it later when a replacement can come through or will they pass it through without it?
Shae (Galway)Apr 2026 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Shae,
You won't be able to complete the registration process in Ireland without that document so order the replacement immediately.
However, while you do have to book an inspection for the car within seven days, you have up to 30 days to complete the whole process, so book it in advance to give you time to get a replacement V5c.
You should have plenty of time.
Why do you classify hybrids as electric cars?
Why do you classify hybrids as electric cars? I'm not talking plug-ins, in which a case can be made. I mean non-plug-ins, which take all their power from fossil fuels - no part of their power comes from clean sources.
So the latest stats say 54-per-cent increase in sales for electric cars, but a high proportion of that is for hybrids that take all power from fossil fuels.
I have no doubt the government wants to label them as electric as it helps them in their delusional expectations that we will get to 100 -per-cent electric by 2030. But surely it is the job of journalists to state, and push for, the truth rather than push a narrative?
I'm not saying you should call them petrol/diesel but they are definitely not electric cars.
I'm not anti-electric, I'm much more for the right technology for each individual. Electric doesn't suit my use until megawatt charging (or hydrogen refuelling) is the norm, but I have suggested to others to go electric as suits their use. But I find the pro-electric push annoying and frustrating, particularly from journalists.
A 600km range is great, but a 30 to 40min recharge time (in ideal circumstances) is ridiculously slow. I can add 1,000km range to my diesel in four minutes. And no, like alot of people in cities I can't charge cheaply overnight as I don't have a garden.
Diana (Cork)Apr 2026 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Diana and thanks for this message.
I'm a little perplexed by it though as we quite strongly believe that hybrids are not electric cars and should not be classified as such. The latest SIMI figures on this page state a 52 per cent increase in the number of EV registrations, and that is indeed fully electric cars. That figure does not include hybrids of any sort.
Where can I see the Cadillac Lyriq in Ireland?
Where can I see the Cadillac Lyriq in Ireland?
Micheal Tynan (Dunlaoghaire)Apr 2026 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
The new Cadillac showroom is not yet ready, but the cars are on display next door to the Audi showroom in Sandyford in Dublin.
Have you read our detailed review of the car?
How would I get insurance on a car bought in the North?
Hi,
I was wondering about how I'd insure and be covered to drive a car back from the North to Ireland?
Nadine (Limerick)Apr 2026 Filed under: insurance
Expert answer
Hi Nadine,
Generally you can arrange temporary cover with your existing insurer for the purposes of this. Failing that, look into getting a short temporary policy specifically to cover the journey.
How to prove when I drove a car into Ireland?
You mentioned when taking the car for NCT, you're supposed to gather evidence of the vehicle arriving in Ireland. What if I drive it down to ROI?
Sharath (Blackrock)Mar 2026 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
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.