# VRT and GB vat refund



## gilh (30 Apr 2008)

It has been suggested that when importing  a car from Britain you may reclaim the vat paid in GB on the vehicle when new provided you have the original invoice. Can anybody advise.


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## JoeB (30 Apr 2008)

I wouldn't expect so, ring the Crown Revenue service to confirm...

As a business I can't claim VAT back on purchases in the UK unless I also supply goods or services into the UK market... I can however purchase goods VAT free if exported from the UK to Ireland.


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## soy (1 May 2008)

gilh said:


> It has been suggested that when importing  a car from Britain you may reclaim the vat paid in GB on the vehicle when new provided you have the original invoice. Can anybody advise.



If it is a brand new car, then you do not have to pay UK VAT, but you would still be caught for Irish VAT which is higher. You also pay VRT in either case.


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## ccraig (1 May 2008)

You dont pay vat on a car import from the uk, once the car is not brand new


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## Leo (2 May 2008)

ccraig said:


> You dont pay vat on a car import from the uk, once the car is not brand new


 
If the car isn't brand new, then VAT has already been paid on it.


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## galwaytt (15 May 2008)

ccraig said:


> You dont pay vat on a car import from the uk, once the car is not brand new


 
Yes you do - the price you pay INCLUDES VAT, so should be reclaimable.

However, to do that, you have to pay IRISH VAT first, and show evidence of that to UK Revenue.   

I'd be shocked if the Irish VAT came in less than the UK one.......


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## Cameo (16 May 2008)

VAT 

You are required to pay VAT if the car is less than 6 months old or has less than 6000KMs on the clock even if VAT has been paid when the car was first registered in the UK


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## Bannockburn (17 May 2008)

When I lived in the UK in the late 90’s I purchased new RHD cars from Belgium, Spain, Holland, & Germany. 

There were normally two options in relation to paying VAT:

1\ If the retailer agree's, the vehicle is supplied ex-VAT with the VAT being paid in the country of export. You normally have to provide a copy of your passport and provide proof that you have paid the VAT – the garage requires this for customs & excise. 

The main stumbling block to this is that the garages in the UK are not familar in exporting NEW cars. This is a recent phenomiman as the pound has got weaker. They may not think it worth the hassle.

If you are importing a car from the Benelux countries or Spain, the vehicle is typically exported ex-VAT as above.

2\ Pay the net price of the vehicle PLUS VAT. Once the vehicle is registered in the country of export and VAT has been paid, supply proof that VAT has been paid in the country of export and you can reclaim the VAT from the country the vehicle was purchased.

Again lack of familarity with NEW cars being exported from the UK, may delay the claim with UK customs & excise

If you import a car from Germany they normally use the above model re-imbursing the German VAT only when proof has been given that VAT has been paid in the country of export.

New cars that were being exported to the UK from Ireland in the late 90’s and early 00’s would have been exported ex-VAT. If you know somebody that works in the motor trade they might be able to give you some further advice.

Hope this helps.


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## pol (15 Jun 2009)

IF anyone has claimed GB vat refund on vehicle would appreciate contact details and any info, forms , addresses etc.


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## z101 (17 Jun 2009)

Never heard of anyone relcaiming UK VAT. I think you can be VAT exempt if you the car is not registered in UK first and taken straight out of the UK on a truck or something.


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## sse (19 Jun 2009)

All you need to know is here:

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/leaflets/vat-and-vrt-on-motor-vehicles.html#section3.2

Basically, if the car qualifies as a "new means of transport" you can claim back the UK VAT (as you will have paid Irish VAT and VRT). It is also possible for you to buy the vehicle net of UK VAT from a UK dealer, but I believe you have to have the vehicle delivered to you in this case.

You may also be wise to check the following from the site above:

For example, Revenue has been advised that the current position in the U.K. is that a dealer will not refund VAT on a vehicle purchased there and subsequently registered in Ireland -  

If, at the time of purchase in the UK, the dealer was not notified that the vehicle was going to be brought out of the country;
If the vehicle was not brought out of the UK within two months of purchase;
If the original invoice shows a UK address for the purchaser.
Similar positions may be held in other EU countries, and details should be obtained from the relevant tax authorities in those countries.

SSE


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## nevertoolate (21 Jun 2009)

Anybody know what the position is if I buy a second-hand car from Germany while resident in Ireland? I'm registered for VAT here but apparently in Ireland I'm not entitled to run a commercial vehicle.
Running a car in Germany is much cheaper when you're self-employed. You get all the VAT back on the purchase first day and you get VAT back from petrol, servicing, etc. too. This country is such a bad deal....


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