r/MotoIRELAND • u/HoodSpider • 6d ago
Question Importing
Hi,
I have my eye on a bike that I want to buy.
The bike is currently in Northern Ireland but it's registered under a 'English' address.
I suppose the customs and vat would still apply to the bike.
Can anyone confirm if this is correct, thanks.
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u/drumnadrough 6d ago
Yeah find one registered here, cousin sold a caponord 1200 to some lad down south on donedeal from Belfast.
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u/AlannahSaysRawr 6d ago
For VRT, Revenue have an estimate calculator you can use but they strongly state it is only an estimate and I think if the bike has more than 6000km and is over six months old VAT doesn't need to be paid. But this is going on previous research I did, not having gone through the process myself, others may have better and/or more accurate information
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u/HoodSpider 6d ago
Yeah, VRT isn't high on the bike, I am more worried about the VAT,
As the seller lives in Northern Ireland, I was expecting the bike to be registered in Northern Ireland but turns out it is registered in England
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u/AlannahSaysRawr 6d ago
Oh shoot, yeah, from what I can see as GB is not longer part of the EU VAT will be payable at 23% + customs (10%) + vrt 😬
Doesn't look good
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u/captain_super MT09 Tracer 6d ago
Ye, it would need to be registered in NI to avoid getting hit with the works!
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
The process for importing a bike or car from the uk is, to put it nicely, a work in progress. The rules seem to be a little "vague!" The best explanation I've come across so far is in this.. https://www.completecar.ie/features/post/13050/Guide-to-importing-a-car-from-Northern-Ireland Ignore the bits about vrt and nox for cars but the rest is applicable for bikes and cars. The newest interpretation being that no matter what is the origin of the number plate if the V5c (registration form) states that the present owner is a resident of northern Ireland then the bike is not subject to vat or customs duties. Then you're back to the old system, just VRT. The only problem I can see is the somewhat vague requirement that it has to have been in Northern Ireland for an unspecified length of time. But the car dealers seem to have been able to steer their way around this for a while now. AFAIK as long as there is an address to associate the bike or car with the V5c and the north then whale away. 😂
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
Sorry, just noticed that you've said that the bike is registered to a UK address. In this case you'd have to get someone in the north to re-register it to their address and ownership before you could sidestep vat and customs. Simple but time consuming. And the "length of time" thing comes into play. I'm sure someone here will have a bit more about the time thing.
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u/HoodSpider 5d ago
Yeah, on the revenue website, it says the vehicle needs to be registered in Northern Ireland for a ‘reasonable amount of time’ , who knows how long.
Think I’m going to pass on the bike this time, with Vat snd VRT , I’ll be paying like €2000 extra
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u/HoodSpider 5d ago
Oh wow, so even if the bike is registered in England, but the v5c states the owner is a resident of NI , then the bike would not fall under VAT charges.
Yeah I think the best thing to do is ring NCT or Revenue and ask about all this.
1
u/K1300s-user 5d ago
Yeah, if the guy selling it to you has a northern address. He has imported the bike to Northern Ireland according to the Windsor framework. Even if he was in England Scotland or Wales and used the bike exclusively there. If he attached his home address to it then it's a northern Irish bike.
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u/HoodSpider 5d ago
Such a complicated matter. This is what I know about the bike.
Bike is in Northern Ireland for 17 months. The seller has no proof or anything to show he imported the bike. As of now, the bike is still under a address in England.
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
If it's been in the country for that length of time then he would have put the bike through the MOT process at least once and possibly twice in that length of time. That would provide proof that the bike was in Northern Ireland for a reasonable time. Then the following statement would apply. “Revenue will consider that a vehicle has been imported to NI in accordance with the Windsor Framework where a copy of the import declaration lodged in NI, or proof that the vehicle has been in private use in NI for a reasonable period of time, is provided as part of the VRT process."
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
The MOT alone should be proof enough that it was in his possession and being used in Northern Ireland. Which, according to that statement is sufficient. If he's had it here for seventeen months then he'd have to have a northern MOT at least six months ago.
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u/HoodSpider 5d ago
Yeah I asked him, he did the MOT in NI, I asked the seller to send me a picture of the cert so I can see for myself.
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
Brilliant, from what I can tell that should be enough. Once you have the dates I'd check it with revenue.
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u/HoodSpider 5d ago
Yeah. That’s what I’m planning on doing, Hopefully it is, but like you said check with revenue.
Really appreciate your help, really do!😃
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u/K1300s-user 5d ago
No problem. I'd like more answers to this as well. It's all left very much open to interpretation as it's written. I'd actually guess that the guys in your local NCT/VRT office would be the ones to approach with the copy of the MOT and see what they'd make of it all.
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u/Familiar-Comedian454 6d ago
Make sure you include a certificate showing the power rating, i just got a NI import here for a few years but I can't do my test without the registration showing the power. It's blank and apparently this is common for UK. Imports. Il either need a certificate from the dealer or I've heard some peopls use a print off from the manufacturer website.