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Hi Frank,

The process of taxing it is relatively straightforward — just ring up your local motor tax office (list here: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/1fc151-find-your-local-motor-tax-office/) and ask them to switch you over. The problem is twofold — with a 3.0-litre Range Rover Sport, you’re going to be paying the second-highest rate of motor tax (€1,494 per year) because a commercial re-registered for private use is taxed on the old engine capacity-based tax system. Insurance can also be a major issue — it shouldn’t be, but it is, so get hold of a good local broker to help you navigate those waters before you take the leap. 

Read Buying a commercial vehicle for private use for more information.

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Hi John,

Citroen is currently reviewing options on potentially introducing the Ami to Ireland in the future. Initially the car was only to be produced in left-hand drive, but this is now being reconsidered due to high levels of interest in the car from the UK market. If the car was to be officially sold here it would be liable for the applicable VAT and VRT rates and would require motor tax and insurance, in the same way that the Renault Twizy does. These would also apply if you were to privately import one. 

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Hi John,

Yes, we’ve been hearing from more than a few readers that while taxing a commercial as a private vehicle is simple enough, getting insurance is another matter entirely. As ever, our first advice for any insurance query is to find a good broker who can help you out. In this specific case, as the car is coming from a family member, might it be worth asking them to tax it as a private car? They could simply then inform their existing insurer who may not even bother to raise their premium if the transaction is to take place soon. You could then approach other insurers with a pickup that’s already registered as a private car.

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Hi Dermott,

Indeed, we’ve heard from more than a few readers about difficulties getting private insurance on a commercial. The first thing you need to do is to change the tax status of your pickup by phoning your nearest motor tax office, and ask them to transfer you to the private car taxation setting. That should help. The next thing to do is to get hold of a good insurance broker who can help you navigate through the sticky quicksand of Irish car insurance. There are no insurers who specialise, as far as we know, in commercial-to-private insurance

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Hi Conor,

You say you’ve already taxed the Yeti privately, is that right? Once you’ve informed your local motor tax office of the change of status, that should be sufficient for any insurer. That said, Irish insurers will find any excuse in the book to either not quote you, or to give you some astronomical quote just to make you go away. Our advice is to find a good insurance broker who can help you navigate the ins and outs. 

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Hi Brian,

You will have to pay the VAT I’m afraid. In fact, you’d have to pay it as a commercial buyer as well, but you could of course reclaim it then subsequently. As a private buyer, you just have to pay it, unfortunately. For using a commercial as a private car, you have to let your local motor tax office know that you’re doing so, and you’ll then pay tax based on the size of the engine, not the CO₂ emissions figure. Getting private insurance for a commercial vehicle can be tricky, so shop around carefully or get in touch with a good broker before you commit.

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Hi Joseph,

If you want to tax a commercial vehicle at commercial vehicle rates, then it has to be strictly used for work purposes, so yes you would need a commercial business to do that. It has to then be used strictly for work purposes — no dropping the kids to school or heading off for the weekend — and there are substantial fines for any breach of that rule. If you want to use it as personal or family transport, then it’ll have to be taxed as a private car. 

Read our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature for more detail.

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Hi Danielle,

Yes, you can fill out a TR1 or TR2 form with Revenue to apply for VAT (depending on whether you’re applying as an individual, a sole trader, or a limited company) and you can find full details on that here. If you’re using the van privately (ie for anything other than journeys solely connected to business), then you’ll have to tax it as a private car, which puts you onto the old by-engine-capacity tax system. You’ll need to notify your local motor tax office that you’re doing this, and your insurer too.

We’ve heard tales from some readers that getting private insurance for a van can be tricky, so shop around, and maybe get in touch with a good broker, first.

In the meantime, have a read of our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature.

Expert answer

Hi Bevan,

Sadly, insurance is the critical thing here, and it’s the bit we can help you with least as Irish insurers — as ever — ladle on the risk when it comes to young drivers. Any ballpark figure we give you could be €1,000 — or more — out.

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Hi PJ,

It should be possible, yes, but it's not as straightforward as you'd hope. Best bet is to use an independent insurance broker to find a suitable policy.