Importing a car from the UK to Ireland after Brexit.
As of January 1st 2021 the UK has left the EU. This has resulted in changes to the process of importing a car from the UK to Ireland. There are also changes to the costs of importing a car from the UK to Ireland.
New process of importing a car from UK to Ireland
The importation of a vehicle from the UK is now treated as an import from a non-European Union (EU) country.
When importing a vehicle you will now be required to:
- Complete a customs declaration.
- Pay or account for customs duty, if applicable.
- Pay VAT at 23%.
If a customer declaration is not completed or the vehicle is not registered within 30 days of its arrival in the State, then it is liable to be seized by the authorities.
Vehicles Imported from the UK
VAT
If you import a vehicle from UK to Ireland you are required to pay VAT which is currently 23%.
Customs Duty
If you import a vehicle from Great Britain into Ireland you must complete a customs declaration.
If you import a vehicle from UK to Ireland, Customs Duty is 0% if the vehicle originated in the UK.
If you import a vehicle from UK to Ireland, Customs Duty is 10% if the vehicle originated outside the UK, e.g. a EU country or a third country like USA, Japan.
Vehicle Origin
Vehicle origin typically means where the vehicle was manufactured, therefore only vehicles that have been manufactured in the UK are subject to 0% customs duty.
Difference between importing from the UK and importing from Northern Ireland
- A vehicle that has been in private use in Northern Ireland for a reasonable period of time doesn’t need to clear customs, however the onus is on you to prove this
- A vehicle that has already cleared customs in the North doesn’t need to clear customs in the Republic of Ireland, again the onus is on you to prove this
The official documentation accepted as proof by revenue is as follows:
- V5C logbook showing NI private ownership for a reasonable period of time
- MOT history showing the vehicle has been MOT’d in the North
- Northern Ireland Customs Declaration
If you don’t proof then you will need to clear customs. If you aren’t sure then our report will check if your vehicle needs to clear customs or not.
Click here to Check if a Northern Ireland Vehicle needs to clear customs
Click here to Request a Customs Declaration
