Should an older camper mean vintage VRT?
I imported a 1972 Volkswagen T2 van from Europe. It is quite basic and not fully done up yet or restored. Revenue want to charge €800 VRT despite me paying only €800 for it when I bought it. I am being charged as a camper van, but I expected to be charged the flat vintage rate of €200 as it is over 40 years old. Should I not have been taxed the vintage rate? They say that is only for cars, but the website does not state that. It says all vintage vehicles and the VW T2 is a vehicle is it not?
Great if you could advise.
Ellen Armie (Dublin)Jun 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Ellen,
Yes, theoretically I’d say you’re absolutely right. A classic VW T2 should be considered a classic, and not as a camper or anything else. To be honest, Revenue can be pretty useless when it comes to assessing VRT on classics and vintage cars, because the market in Ireland is so small for cars like that. What you’ll probably have to do is (unfortunately) pay the VRT up front, and then challenge it.
Get on to your local classic car club, or better yet a VW owners club for some expert opinion (in writing, of course) and maybe get your solicitor to draw you up a letter outlining why it’s a classic and not a camper. You should get a rebate, but it may take some time and effort.
How much VRT to impotr a 1995 Porsche 911?
How much VRT would I pay on a 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera Auto from Northern Ireland? I am paying £38,500 for the car, 87,000 miles, in very good condition.
Gerry Monaghan (Dublin)Jun 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Gerry,
A tricky one, that. Porsche 911 values seem to fluctuate wildly in the Irish market, which means Revenue will be sticking a finger in the air to work out a value for the car. You could be looking at paying anything up to €10-12,000 in VRT.
Can a company import a car VRT-free?
Hey,
We are an Irish registered company with an office and employees in the UK. We have a UK-purchased car (purchased new in 2015 and in the company name since) that is used by a UK employee as a company car. One of our employees here in Ireland is due a car and is happy to drive the UK car. Thus we wish to import and register the car here in Ireland at the head office. Can we import and register here without incurring VRT?
Thanks
Harry Lawlor (Co Limerick)May 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Harry,
Probably not, but I think the best person to ask is your accountant. Theoretically, the exemption from VRT for a change of address is a personal exemption, not a business exemption. It’s there so that someone genuinely moving to Ireland from another country can bring their car with them without incurring extra expense. You’re talking about the transfer of a company asset from one market to another, so it’s more than likely not going to be exempt, but as I say, your accountant should be able to give you a more precise answer.
VRT estimate for a 2017 Honda Civic?
I’m planning to import a 2017 Honda Civic Smart Plus 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo. No databases have this car and I can’t seem to get a VRT estimate anywhere.
Kamil Jastrzebski (Longford )May 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Kamil,
Depending on the final spec and mileage, I’d say you should be looking at a VRT bill of around the €3,000 mark for that car.
My car was never imported correctly...
Hi,
I bought a Japanese car, but the person who brought it to Ireland didn't register it when he imported it here. Now I discover that over 6k is owed in penalties... What can I do?
Darren Curneen (Dublin)May 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Darren,
I think the first thing to do is to ‘lawyer-up’. You’re going to need some professional legal advice on this one. Basically, the law is pretty simple - once a car is in the country, you have a week to notify Revenue and make the booking at the NCT centre to have the car inspected, and 30 days to complete the process and get the new plates. Failure to do so means that Revenue can seize the car and they will only release it at their discretion, and on payment of a hefty fine. Plus there’s the issue of any unpaid motor tax.
As a purchaser, you should never buy a car that’s in Ireland, but still on its foreign plates. The law says it must be re-registered before being sold on. However, if you can show that you bought the car in good faith, and intended to follow the normal VRT procedure, then there might be a way through this for you. Clearly, the bulk of the onus is on the previous owner, but you definitely need to have a good solicitor on your side for this one.
Is customs duty included in VRT for import?
Is "Customs Duty" on a non-EU import (e.g. a car from Japan) included in the figure got from the VRT calculator, or is it an additional charge?
Enoch Soames (Bray)May 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Enoch,
No, customs duty, along with VAT, is another charge on top of VRT. Well, actually, VRT is a charge on top of customs duty and VAT. You have to pay the customs and VAT when the car enters the country, and then go and get it assessed for VRT. You can find more details on this from the Revenue website or by reading our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? guide.
How much to import a 2010 Mazda CX-7?
How much to import a 2010 Mazda CX-7?
Eamon Rice (Monaghan)May 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Eamon,
Lovely car, the CX-7. Never got the love it deserved. Assuming that it’s the 2.2 diesel model you’re looking at, it should work out at around €3,000 in VRT to bring one in, but that will depend hugely on condition and spec.
How much is the VRT on an 2014 Audi A4?
How much is the VRT on an 2014 Audi A4 saloon please?
Gemma Wall (Waterford City)Apr 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Gemma,
It’s going to vary hugely depending on which A4 model you mean, which engine it has, what kind of spec it comes with etc etc, but as a ballpark you’d probably pay around €4,200 in VRT for a fairly basic 2.0-litre TDI S line with the 140hp engine.
Thinking of buying a car in the UK...
I am thinking of buying a UK car, but driving it in the UK for six months. Am I right to think VRT is only payable on entry to Ireland and what are the main documents you require for importation? Also I presume the VRT is calculated on the vehicle age and mileage entering Ireland?
William Neale (Malahide)Apr 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi William,
Not quite. Actually VRT is calculated on the OMSP, or Open Market Selling Price, which is that which the Revenue Commissioners calculate the car would be worth if it were an original Irish registered model. So, yes, age and mileage do come into it, but it’s not quite as simple as that.
As for the UK residency thing, again it’s not quite that simple — yes, you can avoid VRT if you bring a car into the country that you can show has been taxed and insured for at least six months, by you, at an address in the UK, BUT you will be asked to provide proof that you’re moving from the UK to Ireland, and proof that you were living and working in the UK for at least 185 days prior to the transfer of residence.
How much VRT on a Kia Niro hybrid?
I am due to pay VRT on a Kia Niro plug in hybrid (Sept 2017). The OMSP is not available on the VRT calculator, but the recommended retail price is available from the Kia Ireland website. Is it possible to estimate the OMSP based on the RRP and should I bring in the Kia price list when getting the car valued by NCT valuers?
Tom, Dublin
Tom Burke (Dublin)Mar 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
It is going to be very, very hard to estimate an OMSP for the car, certainly a fair one. The problem is that the Niro Plugin Hybrid has only just been launched in Ireland, so there’s not much in the way of data for second hand prices. Obviously, it’s going to be worth more than an equivalent non-plugin Niro of the same age, but I would think that a rough second hand value would be in the €30,000-ish range, which would give it a VRT cost of around €4,000 or so.