Home Guides Importing a car from the UK to Ireland: the honest picture
Car ownership · IrelandImporting a car from the UK to Ireland: the honest picture
Post-Brexit, a GB import typically means customs, VAT exposure, VRT and the NOx levy before Irish plates — costs that ended most of the old bargains. The process is entirely doable; the arithmetic just has to be done BEFORE you buy, on revenue.ie’s current rules.
What changed and what it costs
Since Brexit, cars from Great Britain are imports from outside the EU: a customs declaration, potential customs duty depending on the car’s origin, VAT exposure in many cases, VRT calculated on the Irish market value, and the NOx emissions levy. Northern Ireland cases can differ depending on the car’s history. None of these are guesses you should source from forums — Revenue publishes the current rules and a VRT calculator, and running the full arithmetic on the exact car before committing is the entire game. Many imports that look cheap in sterling stop being cheap at the final line.
The process, in order
Buy with the same diligence as at home — UK history check, seller and paperwork (the V5C logbook), inspection — then: customs declaration around arrival, a VRT inspection appointment at an NCTS centre within the strict time limits that run from the car’s arrival in the State, payment of what is due, Irish registration and plates, then motor tax and insurance on the new Irish reg. The time limits are enforced and short — check the current windows on revenue.ie and book the VRT appointment immediately, not eventually.
When importing still makes sense
It survives for specific cars: models, specs or colours scarce in Ireland, cars where the UK market is simply deeper, and cases where the all-in arithmetic still lands under Irish retail. It fails as a general bargain hunt. Do the full calculation — purchase, transport, customs/VAT where applicable, VRT, NOx, plus the ordinary risks of buying remotely — and compare against simply buying well at home with a history check and inspection. The spreadsheet, not the sterling price tag, makes the decision.
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Frequently asked questions
Is importing from the UK still worth it?
Sometimes, for specific scarce cars — rarely as a general money-saver since Brexit added customs and VAT exposure on GB cars. Run the complete arithmetic on revenue.ie’s current rules and calculator before buying, not after the ferry.
What is VRT and how much will it be?
Vehicle Registration Tax, assessed on the car’s Irish open-market value and emissions when you register it here. The only trustworthy figure is Revenue’s calculator run on the exact car — treat any other estimate as a guess.
Are Northern Ireland cars treated the same as GB cars?
Not necessarily — treatment can differ with the car’s history under the post-Brexit arrangements. Check the current Revenue guidance for the exact scenario before assuming either way.
Written and reviewed by the Escargo team · Updated 9 August 2026 · Escargo shows real local businesses only — where none is listed yet, the page says so honestly.