How to Import a Car into Ireland from The UK.

Importing a Car into Ireland is easy, at UnbeatableCar we have been importing and exporting vehicles to and from Ireland for best part of 20 years and have a dedicated team on hand to guide you through every step of the way.

Before you leave the UK

You will need to make sure you have all the documents you need to import you car with ease, the staff here at UnbeatableCar will make sure you have the following documents all correctly filled out. The first thing when you bring a vehicle into Ireland from abroad is you must show proof of ownership, we will provide you with an Invoice transferring ownership to yourselves. Secondly we will make sure you have all relevant parts of the new style vehicle registration document (V5C) correctly filled out. Thirdly we will fill out the Certificate of Permanent Export for you and check that all other paperwork is on order before you leave us.

Once in Ireland

The Law says, you must register your car and pay VRT by the end of the next working day following its arrival into Ireland. You must bring it to a Revenue Vehicle Registration Office (VRO) for inspection. In reality that’s not always possible but remember an unforgiving Garda might not believe you only got off the boat this morning if you’re driving in Kerry. You can register your car at any VRO in the country. The county registration you get will be based on the registered address you provide on the “Declaration for Registration (Form VRT 4)”. Before you leave UnbeatableCar will provide you with the telephone numbers and address details of all the VRO offices in Ireland, we will also help you to fill out the VRT4 form to make sure everything runs smoothly.

How can I Pay my VRT tax?

You can pay by bankdraft, money order, or laser debit card. Please note that laser debit card payments are subject to a limit of €1500. Unguaranteed cheques may also be accepted in payment subject to the following conditions: The payer's name, the name on the cheque and the name of the owner of the vehicle being registered must be the same. The payers PPS No. must be written on the back of the cheque.Photographic proof of the payer's identity must be provided, (e.g. passport, driver's licence). In the interest of your own safety and that of Revenue staff in the VRO we no longer accept cash in payment of any tax or duty.

Once Registered

When you leave the VRO you’ll have a receipt that includes the new registration number of the car. The next step is to get plates made up. Motor factors and most independent garages will be able to make plates or at least know who could do it for you. There are two common types of plates, pressed aluminum and plastic. We have found the plastic plates are better. The lettering on the pressed aluminum plates tends to deteriorate with time. A set of plates should cost between 30 and 50 euros including fitting. There is an online site to order number plates, http://www.fancyplates.com. If you intend to use the car on the highway You must display the registration within 3 days of registration.

Motor Tax

Before you use your car on the highway you will need to pay your Motor Tax You can either pay your tax in person or online at motortax.ie. If you choose to pay online your PIN for the site is the last four digits of the VIN of the car. You can find the VIN on the form RF100A you’ll be given when paying the VRT. If you pay in person at a council office you must bring the form RF100A.

NCT

If your imported car is over 4 years old you need to through the NCT (National Car Testing) process. The NCT on an imported vehicle is due on the anniversary date of first registration in the country of origin. For more information or to book your test please view the National Car Test Website www.ncts.ie