Importing a Vehicle from the UK to Ireland
Bringing a car home from the UK is one of the most common questions we get — and rightly so. The Irish market for UK-imported cars is huge: better choice, often lower prices, and right-hand drive vehicles ready to drive. But since Brexit, the customs side has changed completely. Here's the complete order of events.
Total Cost Components
When you import a UK car into Ireland, expect to pay:
- Customs duty — 10% of the customs value (unless the car qualifies as UK origin under TCA, in which case 0%). For most second-hand cars that originated in the EU and were used in the UK, the duty is 0%.
- Import VAT — 23% on the customs value plus any duty
- VRT (Vehicle Registration Tax) — based on Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) and emissions, typically 7%–41%
- NOx surcharge — a separate VRT component based on emissions
- NCTS inspection fee — €55 (€100 for commercial)
The customs duty and VAT are paid at import; VRT and NOx are paid when you register the vehicle. We help you estimate all of these before you commit to the purchase.
Step 1 — Before You Buy
Get the V5C registration document number from the seller and check on the UK DVLA service that the car is correctly listed. We can run a customs valuation estimate at this point so you know your total landed cost.
If the car is Northern Ireland-registered and was registered before 1 January 2021, you may be eligible for a simplified procedure — no customs declaration required, just VRT and NCTS. Cars registered in NI after 1 January 2021 generally need full customs treatment unless they qualify under the Windsor Framework.
Step 2 — Customs Declaration (Within 7 Days of Arrival)
You have 7 days from when the vehicle enters Ireland to file the AIS customs declaration and pay any duty and VAT. We need:
- V5C UK logbook
- Purchase invoice or receipt
- Ferry/shipping booking confirmation
- Your Irish EORI number (we can register one for you)
We lodge the AIS declaration, calculate duty and VAT, and issue you a customs clearance slip — the document you need to book NCTS.
Step 3 — Book NCTS (Within 30 Days)
With your customs slip in hand, book a National Car Testing Service inspection through ncts.ie. The inspector verifies the vehicle matches your paperwork and assesses it for VRT. There are NCTS centres throughout Ireland — Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and many more.
Step 4 — Pay VRT (At NCTS)
The inspector will calculate the VRT and NOx surcharge. You pay on the day, either by card or bank transfer. Once paid, you receive an Irish registration number and the inspector issues a registration certificate. You can have plates made up and fitted before driving home.
Step 5 — Insurance and Motor Tax
Insure the vehicle on the new Irish reg, then pay motor tax through motortax.ie. Your VRT certificate is the document the insurance company needs.
Common Gotchas
- Buying without an EORI — you cannot lodge the customs declaration. We register EORI same-day.
- Missing the 30-day NCTS deadline — €10 per day penalty added to VRT.
- Late VRT — additional 0.1% per day after deadline.
- Cars from Japan via the UK — full third-country duty applies (10%); the UK is just a transit point and TCA preference doesn't apply.
We Clear Vehicles Every Week
Cars, vans, motorhomes, classic cars, agricultural machinery — we handle them all. We can do everything from EORI registration to customs slip in 24 hours. Get in touch before you book your ferry and we'll have the paperwork ready.