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Essential information for owning a car in #Ireland

Car ownership in Ireland is expensive. There are numerous taxes that must be paid and the cost of petrol is very high. In addition, if you live in a busy city area like Dublin, then parking is limited and expensive. Before purchasing a car, consider whether you really need one. You may be financially better off using public transport, taxi’s, city bikes, and the occasional car hire for those times when you want to leave the city (however, there are also very good intercity public transport options).

Value Added Tax (VAT)

You are liable to pay the standard Value Added Tax (VAT) when you purchase a vehicle in Ireland.

You may also be liable to pay VAT for new vehicles that you import into Ireland, even if you paid VAT in the country that you purchased it from. However, if you can provide evidence that the car has been used for at least six months and the vehicle has travelled over 6,000 kilometres when you register it, then you may be able to avoid paying VAT.

Learn more about Irelands VAT rates.

Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT)

Vehicle Registration (VRT) must be paid on all new vehicles purchased in Ireland as well as on vehicles that you import into Ireland.

If you purchase the vehicle from a motor dealer in Ireland, then the dealer is obliged to pay the VRT and register the vehicle before handing it over to you.

If you import a vehicle into Ireland, you will be responsible for registering the vehicle and having it assessed for VRT within seven days of it arriving in Ireland. To do this you will need to take the vehicle to a National Car Testing Service (NCTS) centre. At the NCTS they will establish how much VRT you will be required to pay. You can get an estimate of this amount payable from the Revenue Vehicle Registration Online Enquiry System.

The registration process must be completed within 30 days of the vehicle arriving in Ireland. Once it has been registered and the VRT paid, you will receive the vehicle registration certificate. This also provides evidence that you have paid the VRT.

Learn more about the VRT on the Revenue Irish Tax and Customs website.

Motor Tax

The Irish Government imposes motor tax on all vehicles. Once your car has been registered, you will receive the Form RF100 Motor Tax Application which you will need to complete in order to pay the required motor tax. The motor tax on vehicles registered before July 2008 is determined by the CO2 emissions. For vehicles registered after July 2008 the amount of motor tax that you will need to pay is dependent on the size of your vehicles engine.

You can pay your motor tax three, six, or 12 monthly, either online or at a Motor Tax Office. You will receive a motor tax disk to display on the windscreen of your vehicle. Renewal reminders will be sent to you.

Learn more about the motor tax on the Motor Tax Online website.

National Car Test (NCT)

The National Car Test (NCT) is required for all vehicles 4 years or older, regardless if the vehicle has undergone similar testing in other countries. The NCT assesses your vehicle for road worthiness e.g. brakes, rust, steering, emissions etc… The NCT needs to be carried out every two years, but for vehicles older than 10 years it will need to be carried out annually. If you do not get your vehicle tested as scheduled, you will face fines and penalty points.

Learn more about the NCT and to find your local testing centre.

Motor Vehicle Insurance

You are legally required to have motor vehicle insurance when driving in Ireland. If you fail to do so, you may incur fines and penalty points and could be disqualified from driving.

Essential information for owning a car in #Ireland

Car Insurance Premiums

Car insurance premiums are determined by your:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Licence type – fully licensed drivers will get a better rate than provisional licence holders
  • Car type – older vehicles, expensive vehicles and high powered vehicles will be more expensive to insure
  • How frequently the vehicle is used – the more you use it, the higher the premium
  • Where the vehicle is kept – keeping your car in a secure garage will reduce your premium

Insurance Types

Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Insurance

This is the highest level of cover, but consequently the most expensive. It typically covers you for all eventualities.

Third Party, Fire and Theft Motor Vehicle Insurance

This is mid-range insurance. It typically covers you for loss of your vehicle through fire or theft and damage to property. In addtion there are optional extras that you can take out such as windscreen breakage.

Third Party Motor Vehicle Insurance

This is the most basic form of insurance and is the minimum cover that you must have by law. If you are at fault then only your passengers and the driver and passengers of the other vehicle/s are compensated. This type of insurance does not provide cover for your vehicle damage or if it is stolen or goes on fire.

Tips
  • Always read the fine print and don’t assume that all insurance policies will be the same.
  • Shop around to find a good rate.
  • Make use of comparison sites such as:
  • Insuring a left-hand drive car can be difficult and expensive. If you are planning on bringing a left-hand drive vehicle into Ireland, then do the sums first to see if it is cost effective.

Moving to Ireland: A Practical Guide

What to Do in an Accident

If you are involved in an accident, you must stop at the scene, no matter how extensive the damage is. Take the details of the other driver:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Vehicle owner details (it may not be the owner of the vehicle that is driving at the time of the accident)
  • Insurance details

If anyone is injured in the accident and/or there is property damage, you should report it to the Garda (police).

If you can, you should also take photographs of the scene of the accident and all damaged property (try to include the entire vehicle in case damage occurs after the accident and they attempt to attribute it to the accident). This can be submitted to the insurance company and Garda if necessary.

Tips
  • The emergency number for the Garda and ambulance services is 112 or 999.

Vehicle Breakdown Services

Don’t risk being stuck with a broken down vehicle in the middle of the Irish countryside. Get peace of mind by signing up for breakdown cover. If you are hiring a car, this service should be provided by the car hire company.

If you have comprehensive insurance, then breakdown service may be provided as part of your cover. However, the service that they provide may be limited, so check before joining any breakdown service.

The main Irish providers of breakdown services are:

Importing a Car Into Ireland

Importing a car into Ireland can be very costly. Before doing so, make sure that you consider the costs.

If you are importing a car into Ireland, you must:

  • Register the car
  • Pay VRT (If you can prove that you have owned the vehicle for 6 months or more, you won’t be required to pay the VAT.)
  • Pay motor tax
  • Pay for vehicle insurances

65 Responses

  1. Nikki

    Hi,

    I am from the UK and looking to buy a car in ireland. Can I buy one there with my UK license? I am living with my boyfriend and do not have residency yet. Given I am still a UK citizen without Irish citizenship I wondered if this was allowed? I am currently insured on his car and I know I can drive with my UK license if I am just visiting, but buying my own I will use our irish address and wondered if I needed to change my licence to an Irish one? I am not sure if I can purchase Irish insurance without an Irish licence either?

  2. Donald Mackenzie

    I want to give my car to my daughter who lives in Ireland. I live in Scotland. I want to cover all the costs of the transfer. How do I go about it?

  3. Avril Leary

    Hi there,

    I am buying a new car in the UK and am looking to leave my current car in ireland once I return there in the summer. I would only utilise it when on holidays back in Ireland a couple of times a year over a 2 week period. Any tips? Thanks

  4. Noeleen

    Hi ,
    I am Irish living in Texas, but have a cottage in the west of Ireland, where we spend a couple of months every year. With the increasing cost of car rental, we have decided to buy a vehicle but are having problems finding a company to insure us.
    I have a PPS #, an Irish driver’s licence, own a house and pay insurance and utilities on it.
    Can anyone suggest an insurance company that may insure me?

    • PatS

      Hi Noeleen, I am in the same position and spoke to AXA who said they would offer insurance for someone relocating to Ireland who has no driving record in the country (FYI they would require me to swap my foreign EU license for an Irish license within a year, but you seem ok there.). However I failed to get a quote (I picked a random car) on their website, so will have to go back to their customer support. Brokers were no help at all, they just told me to ring around the insurance companies. Having said that there might be a specialist broker out there somewhere. BTW an Irish PPSN (SSN) is needed to buy a car but you seem ok on that front too.

      • Maurice

        Hi guys, have you tried agent instead of dealing directly with insurance co, it is a better avenue for you for sure! I would recommend coverinaclick.ie for instance, talk to the guys there and they will help you to broker a best deal possible! Plenty of examples where people with “special circumstances” have got a deal from same underwriter that otherwise refused to talk to client and even at better terms! Also, ANPost offers car insurance and at pretty favorable terms so is AA, I would suggest to check out them before those arrogant mainstream companies tbh.
        Greetings from West of Ireland!

    • Bart

      I had have / had very good experiences with Kennco Insurance
      They insured me with a foreign drivers license and never told me I had to get an Irish drivers license in a certain amount of time. Once I got my Irish DL, the premium went down though

  5. Foxy

    We are Dutch and have house in Ireland. As we spent more and more time in Ireland we want to buy a car in Ireland.
    We will drive not an awful lot, just short days out, shopping etc.
    We have PPS numbers and an insurance company is willing to insure it.
    Are there any other things that could prohibit us buying a car?

    • JB

      Hi Foxy ,

      Did you manage to get any clarity on this ?
      I am also from the Netherlands, my girlfriend is Irish. As we travel a lot to Ireland to visit friends and family we spend a lot on renting cars. We are looking into buying a car in Ireland now.

    • PatS

      AXA told me I would have to exchange my foreign EU license for an Irish license within a year of taking out insurance with them, so that’s a serious complication if one wants to own a car in two EU countries at the same time.

  6. Rachel

    Hello. Not sure if anyone’s still checking this thread, but I’m looking at relocating to Ireland from the UK and ideally want to get a camper van and travel around first so I get a good idea of the different counties before settling on one to call home. Would a lack of home address be an issue or are there ways around this? Thank you for any advice you can offer.

  7. Teresa

    Hi,

    Is it possible to buy a van (commercial) and convert it over a few months into a camper. I am an Irish national with an Irish driver’s licence.

    Can I buy a commercial van as a private buyer?
    What is the process of reregistering the van as a camper like?

    Many thanks,

    Teresa

  8. Ettienne van der Walt (IRE)

    Where can I find out more information on importing a left hand drive vehicle into Ireland from another EU country?

  9. Patrick F

    Hi Coleen
    When re-registering a 2003 car from Spain to Ireland what would the criteria be ?
    I am assuming as it’s not a new private car it would be “ Private car registered before 1st July 2008” and therefore it’s new motor tax in Ireland would be based on its engine capacity.

  10. Beth

    Hi,
    I was hoping someone could check if this seems right as I weigh up my options.
    I have a 2008 used car in Northern Ireland and VRT looks like it could be €1200.
    But if I buy a car in ROI at same age it will cost about the same.
    Are there any other hidden costs with buying a car. I know I need to tax it but any other thing?

  11. Sheila Anne Mughal

    My daughter has 7 children and is a housewife. She owns a Ford Transit minibus which she only uses to take her children to school. However she is looking to move to Ireland soon. At present she lives in the IK.
    Do you offer social,domestic and pleasure insurance that also covers Ireland? She does not want commercial insurance.

  12. Chris

    Can you insure a car with an American license and not be a resident of Ireland? I have a vacation home in Kerry that I would spend about 3 months a year at. Any info on companies that would insure me would be great. Thank You

    • Colleen

      I’m not sure how you would be able to register a vehicle without being a resident and therefore get insurance? But you could always try ringing the insurance companies to see if anyone would allow you to take out non-standard insurance.

    • Mark

      If you are still looking to do this, I managed to do so with Easytrip, who specialize in ex-pat/ immigrant stuff

  13. James

    Hi
    I would like to buy an Irish reg car and keep it at a holiday home on the west coast permanently. The idea is to live six moths in the uk and six months in Ireland.As a uk citizen is this possible?

    • Colleen

      The issue will be about your residency status and taxes that you may incur – something you will need to establish. You can discuss this with the Revenue department or your accountant. You will also need evidence of address for registration – but I assume you would use your holiday home.

  14. Duncan

    Please help, moving to Ireland with my family from the UK. I have a van and a car to take over. Do I have to pay tax? I have owned the van for 6 months and car for a year. What do I need to declare to customs?, keep seeing references to an MRN number on sites I have looked at do I need this? I am not trading just moving over with my family as my wife is Irish and we have lived in UK together for 10 years. I have been UK resident since birth. Due to Covid, nobody seems to be answering emails I have sent. Leave at weekend and worried I need to do something more than the VRT form.

  15. Fernando

    Hi, thanks for your great article! It did clear many of my questions 🙂

    I’ve recently moved to Ireland from outside UK/EU, and in my home country, I have a harley motorcycle I have for years. I’m very sentimental about my motorcycle and would be painful to just sell it and buy another one in Ireland.
    I’d really like to import it to Ireland, but all those taxes, forms, car tests, and so on… they sound very complicated. Do you happen to know which professional helps with personal imports?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    • Colleen

      Hi Fernando,
      I am not aware of anyone offering these services – but that doesn’t mean to say that there isn’t. I suggest you ask on one of the Irish motorcycle forums or Facebook groups about it. Or someone reading this might know.

  16. JP

    Hi,

    We will be moving back home to Ireland in the New Year after living in Scotland for 5 years. Both our cars are registered in my name. Is their a limit to how many cars can be import to Ireland under my name in one year?

    Thanks

  17. Noel Burn

    Hi Colleen,

    So we are planning to move to Ireland permanently this month. I have commuted from NI for the past few months but will now be moving my car down and going through the TOR process. My wife has a NI registered car, will be moving to the south but working in the north. Her car is on HP agreement in UK – can you advise the best steps to take here? Many Thanks,

    Noel

    • Colleen

      Sorry I haven’t had an HP agreement before, but I think that you would need to check your contract as to what your options are.

  18. Matt

    A great thread, thank you. We are moving to Ireland from the UK in Dec 2020. The car registration process has got us a little confused.

    Background
    – 1x Irish citizen, but resident in the UK for 6 years
    – 1x UK citizen, resident in the UK for 35 years

    The guidance on europa.eu says
    “If you change your country of residence to Ireland, you have 30 days to re-register a vehicle previously registered in another EU country – measured from the date the vehicle entered Ireland”

    The key element here is “change your country of residence to Ireland”. We understand that the residence status of us both will switch from being UK to being Ireland until we have spent at least 183 of the tax year in Ireland. We will most certainly spending that amount of time in Ireland.

    The car is registered in the UK, to a UK citizen who is also a UK resident (i.e. me). Our insurance, even after Brexit, will give us fully-comp cover us for at least 90 days, with an option to extend this to 180 days. This assumes we also have a UK address at which the car is registered.

    The confusing bit is “measured from the date the vehicle entered Ireland”. This implies that although our residence status may not change for 180 days, we need to register the vehicle in Ireland within 30 days of it entering Ireland. These seems odd as if, for example, we were just “touring around” Ireland for 60 days as part of a holiday, would we therefore also need to register the vehicle in Ireland?

    Any advice, links, or help here would be much appreciated. Thank you.

    • Chris

      I have had a terrible experience of this recently. I was involved in an accident (luckily nobody was injured) in my U.K. registered, insured and taxed vehicle and I still have residency and citizenship of the U.K. However me and my partner have immigrated to Ireland only 1 month ago. We followed what we thought was the correct procedure and notified the DVLA in the U.K. of the exact date we entered as that was what is implied. As a result of this, the DVLA cancelled (and still haven’t refunded) our tax from the date we entered. We were only made aware of this following the accident when the road side assistance and recovery company used the fact that my vehicle wasn’t taxed to refuse to collect me or my car. I had to sort all of this out myself and am still arguing with the DVLA and insurance about this situation. Do not declare your vehicle as imported until you’ve had your VRT Inspection and fully registered in Ireland!

      • Chris

        By the way, I forgot to mention that unless you have a PPSN then you can’t get your vehicles VRT done. I have been told that there is an 8 to 12 week delay on processing PPSN applications and although I applied well before moving here, I’m still waiting for my PPSN. The only caveat appears to be that with this in mind, as long as you apply for a VRT inspection within 30 days of arriving (even if you don’t get to do it until much later due to reasons out of your control), it seems you should be ok. Perhaps Colleen can confirm this.

  19. Ben

    Hi,

    I am relocating to Ireland for work in early November but due to current circumstances am unable to find permanent residence until I am in the country. I have booked a hotel for the first 4 weeks with a view to finding a more permanent base once in country.

    I am taking my own car with me and appreciate I need to register for VRT – however, my understanding is that I need an address to do so meaning I would be unable to register for VRT within the 7 days and until I find a permanent residence. Please can you confirm?

    Thanks

    • Colleen

      Hi Ben,
      You usually need evidence of your address in the form of a utility bill, bank statement or rental agreement. I am aware that people often use their temporary address and have a formal document sent to the address to use as proof, but I would suggest contacting the VRF office to check what your options are in case they don’t accept this.

  20. M Joyce

    Hi , Colleen, I’m currently living in London have been for forty years , Next year I hope to live in Ireland next year for 3 to 6 months to renovate a house to retire there my question is can I use my big Transit van for the time I’m there without changing the plates as I intend to bring it back to London again thank you

  21. Kenn

    Hi Colleen,

    I’ve recently moved to Ireland, I’ve also started work, and awaiting my PPSN number, Its been over 30 days as I still waiting for my PPSN number before I register the car in Ireland. Can I register the car without the PPSN number? Also do I still pay VRT as I’ve owned the vehicle for over a year and is fully paid up ( i have proof as well).

    Thanks
    Kenn

    • Colleen

      I’m not sure if there is an alternative sorry. You will need to check with the Revenue department, here are their contact details. You usually need a PPSN to pay the vehicle registration tax. It would be helpful for others in the same situation if you post your outcome on here.
      Please see details regarding VRT under the heading in this post. You will need to a testing station or use their online enquiry for an estimate.

    • April

      Hi Kenn,

      I’m also quite confused about this.
      I move to Ireland next month, with our family car we have had for over a year.
      It states I cannot apply for a PPSN number until we arrive in the country, however it says we need to book in to a car testing centres within 7 days of arriving…
      We don’t have the funds to pay for the VRT etc on the car, we should be able to get an exemption. But how can I apply for an exemption without a PPSN number which looks like it’s taking months to obtain….

      Its very confusing. If anyone could help me with this it would be much appreciated. I even emailed the revenue people that deal with VRT but their response was poor – offering no guidance.

      April.

      • Damian

        Hi April and Kenn, did you have any luck with this? We’ve just arrived so are going through the same process, it does feel a little catch 22 at times if you don’t have a PPSN, eg I’m applying for a PPSN and one of the reasons it gives is for a licence swap (which we also need to do!) and to attach the application, but when you start the application for the swap the first thing it asks for is a PPSN!

        The VRT call centre also seems to be closed currently so I’m guessing we have zero chance of booking it in within 7 days. Any advice from your experiences much appreciated
        Thanks, Damian

  22. Esther Martín Cerón

    Hola!
    Me he mudado a Irlanda y me quiero comprar un coche de segunda mano. El problema es que aún no tengo el número PPS y creo que es necesario para comprarlo, ¿me lo puedes confirmar? ¿hay alguna manera de comprarlo sin el PPSnumber hasta que me llegue? Es que lo necesito urgentemente para trabajar porque el trayecto que en coche hago en 20 min me cuesta 2 horas en autobús. Muchas gracias!

    • Colleen

      Translation: Hi! I have moved to Ireland and I want to buy a second hand car. The problem is that I still do not have the PPS number and I think it is necessary to buy it, can you confirm it? Is there a way to buy it without the PPSnumber until it reaches me? It is that I need it urgently to work because the journey that I take by car in 20 minutes costs me 2 hours by bus. Thank you very much!
      I’m not sure if there is an alternative sorry. You will need to check with the Revenue department, here are their contact details. You usually need a PPSN to pay the vehicle registration tax. It would be helpful for others in the same situation if you post your outcome on here.

  23. Christine

    Hallo Colleen,
    I´m moving to the westcoast and will arrive in Dublin first to buy a car there and drive with it to my cottage what is my stay for two month, and from there I`ll look for a permanent stay.
    Is it possible to register a car and insurance before I have a permanent adress? Could my short term landlords may write a proof of adress if its necessary? I also can´t proof it with a work contract because I work online.
    What would be the best way? thank you so much in advance
    Christine

    • Colleen

      Hi Christine,
      You should be able to just use your temporary address then can change it once you have moved. However, check whether the insurance provider will charge you a fee for a change of address or not. Usually they do have to review your policy when you move anyway because insurance is calculated/based on the area you live and where its parked (i.e. garage vs. on street). Providers will usually just add or deduct based on your new calculated policy price (so you may get a small refund or have to pay a bit more), but some providers also charge you a fee to make a change. So just check this with the provider so you can make an informed decision on who you decide to go with. i.e. the fee may not matter to you if the policy is going to be much cheaper. Hope this make sense! I’ve been caught out by fees before.

  24. Hannah Wright

    Hello!

    We have moved to Ireland permanently. We are importing our van but due to Covid it was left in the UK for a few months due to the faff. The insurance has run out and were wondering if you can get Irish insurance for British plates just while we sort out the tax and changing of plates?

    • Colleen

      Hi Hannah, you will need to contact the Irish insurance companies to ask them about whether they can provide cover.

  25. Michael Barrett

    On moving to Ireland do I need an Irish/European driving licence?

  26. Niall Cahill

    I plan to live six months in the USA, six months in Ireland.

    Is there a car insurance company that will cancel for six months while in the the USA and creidit for the following period (6 months the next year)?

    • Colleen

      When you cancel, they often refund unused months, but can then charge expensive cancellation fees. I suggest going onto the insurance websites to check their cancellation policies.

    • Declan

      Hi Niall,

      I lived in the US for 25 years. Most insurance companies will give you a price for the year and you can decided how to pay monthly or every 6 months etc. I found Geico to be very fair in their pricing. Allstate or Liberty are also good companies to get quotes from.

      Good luck!

  27. Bill

    Hi, my family and I are Irish and are in the process of moving back to Ireland having worked/lived in London for 11 years. My job is moving to Dublin and all of this has been agreed very recently. The move will likely happen in September. I bought a car in the UK on 7 March (originally registered December 2019) just before lockdown and also prior to knowing I was moving back to Ireland. Given COVID and the lockdown restrictions, the car has mostly been sitting outside my house and has so far done 2,000km. I doubt I’ll be able to hit 6,000km by September which is ordinarily required for the car to be classed as second hand. Do you know if I will be required to pay VRT and VAT in this scenario? I have been out of the country for 11 years, didn’t know I was going to be moved when I bought the car and it is for my own personal use. Many thanks.

    • Colleen

      Hi Bill,
      I don’t work for Revenue or NCTs so I can’t advise you. You will need to contact them to ask them, but the information on the Revenue website does not appear to have changed.

  28. Ceri

    Hi. We’re from the UK to Ireland and wondered if it was forth selling my car here then buying new in Ireland? I know the market is more expensive but does that outweigh the hassle???? Thanks

    • Colleen

      Hi Ceri,
      That’s really a personal decision for you to make. I suggest you draw up a list of pros/cons including costs for each option to help you decide what is best for you.

  29. John Belknap

    Colleen;
    I plan to visit Ireland as a tourist for three months, Aug-Oct, 2020, including one visit to either UK or France. I plan to buy a used motorcycle in Ireland, perhaps from a dealer on a buy-back plan. What difficulties will I face? I previously bought a used Yamaha in Ipswich, England, and had no problem with rego, insurance and travel to Fr and Sp. Likewise, I often visit Australia where I buy a used motorcycle for three months then return it to the seller for half the purchase price. No rego problems using my hotel address and receipt, instant plates, and good AA insurance. all with my USA license. No EU tax ID, no permanent RoI address, no RoI bank. In reply, just a yes it is possible or no, no way; if yes, send the link for a web info site. In advance, thank you for your attention, John

  30. Simone A

    We are planning to move from the UK back to Ireland.
    We want to bring our own older car with us.
    It is registered in the UK.
    How do we make sure we are insured in transit and legally with our car in Ireland?
    It is tricky to plan because we with the house sale we haven’t exchanged contracts yet and can’t really make any big decisions before that.
    After that there is not very much time.
    Any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

    • Colleen

      Does your current car insurance cover you for driving in Ireland? If not, then there are companies that cover this. With Brexit you may need to check what kind of documentation you need for evidence when entering Ireland.

  31. Paul

    Do you have a link, or know if it is possible, to buy an Irish-registered car and get it insured in Ireland whilst ‘in transit’?

    ie.I am moving from France to Ireland early 2020 and would like to buy a vehicle in advance and use it (a van) to transport my belongings.

  32. Tonnie Gorter

    Hi could someone give me a phone number to ring about importing a car into Ireland please
    Thank you Tonnie Gorter

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