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Hi Roger,

Yes, in theory, you can register any commercial vehicle for private use, once you let the local motor tax office know. There can be issues with getting private insurance on some models, so check that with your insurer or broker first, and with a Hilux you’ll probably end up paying quite a chunk in tax, as it’ll switch to the by-engine-capacity system. 

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Hi Ann,

For all counties, motor tax is processed centrally, and if you head over to https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/ you’ll find everything you need there. 

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Hi Barry,

No, there’s no particular restriction, once the vehicle is approved for use on the public roads, and as long as there are no weapons fitted (obviously). For the most part, military vehicles will just be imported as a commercial vehicle, and you might have some difficulty getting a valuation for Revenue to calculate VRT on. Most likely you’ll be charged the basic Category C rate of €200. 

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Hi Eoin,

The only cost will be in the change of tax. There’s no cost to have a commercial vehicle re-registered as a private car (although you will have to satisfy the NCT that the conversion has been carried out to an adequate standard), but your tax costs will go up, as you’ll be put onto the by-engine-capacity tax system, which, depending on the engine in the Transporter (I’m presuming it’s a 2.0-litre), will be much more costly than the existing commercial tax of €333 per year. 

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Hi Peter,

Campers are now charged at the standard 13.3 per cent of the Irish market value, as defined by Revenue. They’re not subject to the NOx tax, though — that’s only for passenger cars. 

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Hi Derek,

It depends on which petrol-engined version of the Audi A1 that you mean. The basic 1.2 TFSI, with 86hp, has CO₂ emissions of 118g/km, so will cost €200 a year to tax. The 122hp 1.4-litre TFSI has CO₂ emissions of 126g/km, so will cost €270 a year. Oddly, the more powerful 140hp engine is rated at between 109g/km and 113g/km, so will cost between €190 and €200 a year. 

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Hi Timmy,

With a 2.0-litre engine, on the old by-engine-capacity tax system, you’re looking at €710 a year for tax.

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Hi James,

You mean get it re-registered? Yes, you have to — it’s the law. Thankfully, as it’s a change of address, as long as you can demonstrate six months' previous tax and insurance in the UK, it will only cost you the price of the new numberplates. 

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Hi Marietta,

I think a Skoda Karoq might be a good bet for you. It’s a roomy car, and a safe one too, for the grandkids. Get it with the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine and it’ll be economical on those short runs to town and back, and good enough on those four regular long journeys. It's cheap to tax, and Skoda makes reliable cars, so it should cover all bases. 

Read our Skoda Karoq reviews here

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Hi Christopher,

Technically, no, I’m afraid not. For any car (any vehicle, for that matter) to be legally driven on the road, it has to be both taxed and insured. Your best bet is to get it trailered to the garage, really.