# Registration of vehicle as Campervan



## Printer (11 Apr 2011)

Hi all

I have spent quite a lot of time looking for answers on this on VRT site, ROS site etc and I have not found what I am looking for.

I am in the process of buying a Mazda Bongo or Volkswagon Transporter with full campervan conversion and pop top roof in the UK.

I have been told that if the vehicle gets registered in Ireland as a campervan then the tax and insurance is really cheap. Where can I find info on this?

If anyone has any information on how much it is to tax and insure a campervan conversion then please let me know. And any further information about importing a car from the UK which is registered as a campervan again would be great.

Also - is it allowed to leave the car registered in the UK as we will only be in Ireland for 7 weeks before we go travelling in Europe for 3 months. Can we do this and just register it when we come back?

Thanks
Liam


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## turtle77 (12 Apr 2011)

Hi Liam,
could you ring Revenue & ask them?

As for the 7 week question.. i can answer that from a car point of view.
When you import a car into this country, you need to register it with the NCT within 3 days for a booking.
Then you must change the plates within 30 days of bringing it in at the NCT centre. www.ncts.ie
You will need invoices etc.

I should assume its the same for a caravan


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## Slim (12 Apr 2011)

Liam, I brought in a 3.5 tonne motorhome and the annual tax was €70. If you are not on the road with it much, you may well get away with it for 7 weeks but turtle77 is correct. Good luck with it. Slim


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## Slim (12 Apr 2011)

More info here: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/revised-vehicle-classification.html

and 

http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/MotorTax/FirstTaxing/


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## Printer (12 Apr 2011)

Hi guys

Thanks for the answers. What about people from England who just come over to Ireland for 2 months to travel around? Surely they can just leave the car/van registered in the UK and taxed in the UK and make sure their insurance covers their Ireland road trip?

This would probably make the most sense and then we can actually properly register it in Ireland when we move to Ireland properly in September.

IS this a viable option?


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## Printer (12 Apr 2011)

Slim said:


> Liam, I brought in a 3.5 tonne motorhome and the annual tax was €70. If you are not on the road with it much, you may well get away with it for 7 weeks but turtle77 is correct. Good luck with it. Slim



Hey Slim,

On that note - does the amount of VRT and Road Tax you pay go on the weight of the van if it is registered as a camper?


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## bluemac (12 Apr 2011)

UK vehicle needs an MOT and TAX and UK insurance to drive in the UK.

lets say you buy it go off for 3 months if you come back via the UK and your van is not insured by a UK company it will flag up as having no insurance and youll be pulled over...  They will take it from you and send you on your way until you have uk insurance and pay all the fines..

just miss the UK on the way back.


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## turtle77 (12 Apr 2011)

turtle77 said:


> When you import a car into this country, you need to register it with the NCT within 3 days for a booking.
> Then you must change the plates within 30 days of bringing it in at the NCT centre. www.ncts.ie
> You will need *invoices* etc.


 
When you show the invoices it will need to be proven that it was within 30 days.
You have to re-register I'm sure with Irish plates...or do you not plan on doing this?

You are free to not bother registering it till Septmeber. But your Irish insurance company is legally obliged to report you to revenue for having plates from another country if you haven't an Irish reg after 30 days.
You will then get a fine & have to pay a punitive VRT. Your vehicle may also be seized by customs.

Unless you intend not insuring it?


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## Printer (12 Apr 2011)

This seems to get more and more complicated by the day!

Ok so here is the story...

My girlfriend is English and has her present car insured in UK etc. We plan on buying a campervan in the UK together and then bringing it to Ireland for 2 months before we travel Europe in it for 2 months.

So...

I am trying to find out what our best plan is:

Most cars/vans you buy in the UK come with 6 months tax and 12 months MOT so I think our best bet is probably to insure it in the UK and then drive it to Ireland and use it in Ireland (taxed, registered, insured in the UK) for 2 months and then take it round Europe.

I am guessing this is the best plan and that we should just make sure the UK insurance company knows we are taking it round Europe (including Ireland) for 4-5 months.

In September when we move to Ireland permanently we can register it in Ireland and insure it in Ireland. 

Is this our best option?


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## PetrolHead (13 Apr 2011)

Hey Printer - Here's what I'd do (probably not strictly legal so what you do yourself is up to you).

Buy the camper in th UK and register it with the DVLA in your girlfriend's name. Tax it, insure it and make sure MOT has long enough to run so that it stays legal. Notify your insurance company that you intend to tour Europe (don't worry about the ins and outs of Ireland for two months etc). You may even find specialist companies that can quote you a lot cheaper than 'high st' insurers. Go away and have a great summer. Then when you return you either have the option of selling it again in the UK (a bigger market and therefore an easier process) or if you want to register it in Ireland (and your girlfriend is moving over here permanently) make sure it has been in her name for over six months and you can then 'import' the vehicle and avoid the VRT.


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## Slim (21 Apr 2011)

Printer said:


> Hey Slim,
> 
> On that note - does the amount of VRT and Road Tax you pay go on the weight of the van if it is registered as a camper?


 
Sorry just getting back to this thread. Yes, the weight had to exceed 3 tonne (and be at least 6 months old with at least 5,000km up)to be exempt from all but the nominal €50 VRT. However, apparently now VRT is charged at 13.33% on campers even at this weight.

Slim


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## Slim (21 Apr 2011)

Printer said:


> This seems to get more and more complicated by the day!
> 
> Ok so here is the story...
> 
> ...


 
If you are driving a UK reg. campervan with an Irish licence then you might have trouble here if you are stopped. If you have a UK licence and insuracne , MOT etc then you can drive here for a long time without bother. Slim


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