Whether you've found a great deal on an imported car or you’re moving to Ireland and can’t bear to be parted from your vehicle, you will need to be aware of some additional considerations before arranging imported car insurance.
Read on to find out all you need to know to get your imported vehicle up and running in Ireland.
All imported cars are subject to a levy, Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), which is payable to the Revenues Commissioner. If you’re buying your car through a dealer then this may already be included within the sale price, but if it isn’t, then you will need to arrange the VRT yourself.
There are exemptions to the VRT, but irrespective of whether there is a fee to pay, you will still need to register the vehicle at an NCTS centre. Full details of exemptions and rates of VRT can be found online via www.citizensinformation.ie.
You should be aware that if the car is over four years old, you will need to put it through a National Motor Test upon its arrival in Ireland. You will need to take the car to a National Car Testing Service (NCTS) centre to be assessed. This needs to be done within seven days of the car’s arrival in Ireland. It’s easy to make an appointment using the NCTS website (www.ncts.ie). A full list of what to take with you is available on the NCTS website.
When your car arrives, you’ll need to fill out a VRT Vehicle Purchase Details (VRTVPD) Form and, depending upon whether your car is new or used, a relevant Declaration of Registration. Once you’ve registered and paid for the VRT (or have been issued with an exemption certificate), your vehicle will be assigned a registration number. You can use this to order your vehicle’s registration plates, which must be displayed on the car within three days of the issue date.
Now that your Vehicle is registered, you can arrange your imported car insurance. Here at Chill, not only do we know the importance of getting the best kind of cover to suit your needs, we also know how important it is to provide insurers with the right information. For example, it's extremely important to notify your insurer that the car is a foreign import. Failure to advise your insurers of this can invalidate your cover, making you liable for any claims
With almost 10% of Ireland’s used car market made up of imports, it’s not an uncommon policy to arrange and, at Chill, we are experienced in getting the best deals for imported car insurance. To help you get the right cover in place without any hassle, call us and speak directly with a member of our friendly team.
