Lancia Motor Club

can anyone clarify import VAT rules?.i have checked with omicron who told me no costs are applicable to my flaminia from dublin[which was a uk car at initial registration]but having read p87 bottom right of classic cars mag november issue there is mention of VAT liability.if you are reading Alan how have you got on?best regards richard

if it has been a uk registered car already then there are no charges other than the obligatory mot test, insurance and excise tax.you should be offered it's original registration plate as well as long as no one else has aquired it,other than that it will get an age related plate.

ie: imported car into the uk say in 1999, then exported out to  dublin say in 2005,the reimported back again into the uk 2011 = no charges.

regards nick

do you mean how have I got on with receipt and logbook or with VAT? Haven't been to the PO yet but expect to do this week. To maintain the revenue stream from the beleaguered motoring community following the harmonisation of EU intra-community taxation regimes, Ireland transferred the gratuitous import charge (i.e. Customs and Excise Duties as opposed to VAT which remains) onto the act of first registration - thus we have vehicle registration tax or VRT due and payable on import before the car can be registered and used. VRT is age related on a sliding scale for second hand imports but we have a flat rate of about €50 for imported vehicles over 30 years. So that is what was paid by the previous owner of the Flaminia as you will see from the papers ... and I have done the same for my older old cars though not yet in respect of those not intended for immediate use as they now require the car to be roadworthy so you can't register a shed. To avoid the sliding scale, I simply clone the newer old cars I import. OK well I haven't yet but I might do.

As a 'VAT Man' in a former life I can confirm there is no VAT due on a former UK registered car.

hi Alan i meant how were you getting on with any import snags but things are clearer in my mind with uk VAT etc now thanks

No VAT due on the UK import of any car first registered in what is now an EU country, because sales tax will have been paid within the EU when the car was new. Classic Cars got it wrong. I know this because I've done it twice, once from Belgium (1972 Fulvia HF) and once from Sweden (1961 Saab 96).

Hope that helps.

John

thanks John, top answer