Buying a car from Northern Ireland?

[V6Alfisti]

I am currently looking at a car currently based in NI. It will have a fresh MOT but no Tax.

Does anyone know the best way of getting it back? Will I need to tax it in NI, then register it onto mainland UK plates? does the tax then get re-issued as UK mainland? PS: I realise NI is part of the UK but they appear to have two different registration systems.

Also what happens with the MOT? It would appear to have a NI specific MOT, would it need to be re MOT'd when back home? and how do I go about getting UK mainland plates for the car? Are NI mot's as comprehensive as UK ones?

Anyone have any favourite ferry routes/providers?, I live in Bristol but currently working in Wilmslow during the week and could probably get to Liverpool relatively easily.

Edited by V6Alfisti on Saturday 7th August 19:52

[will2020]

V6Alfisti said:

I am currently looking at a car currently based in NI. It will have a fresh MOT but no Tax.

Does anyone know the best way of getting it back? Will I need to tax it in NI, then register it onto mainland UK plates? does the tax then get re-issued as UK mainland? PS: I realise NI is part of the UK but they appear to have two different registration systems.

Also what happens with the MOT? It would appear to have a NI specific MOT, would it need to be re MOT'd when back home? and how do I go about getting UK mainland plates for the car? Are NI mot's as comprehensive as UK ones?

Anyone have any favourite ferry routes/providers?, I live in Bristol but currently working in Wilmslow during the week and could probably get to Liverpool relatively easily.

Edited by V6Alfisti on Saturday 7th August 19:52

Does anyone know the best way of getting it back?

Belfast-Liverpool http://www.norfolkline.com/ferry/ or Dublin- Holyhead http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/routes/


Will I need to tax it in NI?
No as you are moving the vehicle to the Mainland.


Then register it onto mainland UK plates?
Yes just send the V5 to DVLA as normal to notify change of owner etc

does the tax then get re-issued as UK mainland?
don't tax it as you will have to reclaim the NI Tax

PS: I realise NI is part of the UK but they appear to have two different registration systems.
You have DVLA we have DVLNI all the same V5's etc not an issue

Also what happens with the MOT? It would appear to have a NI specific MOT, would it need to be re MOT'd when back home?
No valid on Mainland


and how do I go about getting UK mainland plates for the car?
When you are submitting the V5 they will ask if you want to keep or change the NI number, if you change it you will get a new registration document to take with you to a motor factors to make your new plates

Are NI mot's as comprehensive as UK ones?
More as it is carried out at Government approved testing station only


cheers

Will

[V6Alfisti]

will2020 said:

V6Alfisti said:

I am currently looking at a car currently based in NI. It will have a fresh MOT but no Tax.

Does anyone know the best way of getting it back? Will I need to tax it in NI, then register it onto mainland UK plates? does the tax then get re-issued as UK mainland? PS: I realise NI is part of the UK but they appear to have two different registration systems.

Also what happens with the MOT? It would appear to have a NI specific MOT, would it need to be re MOT'd when back home? and how do I go about getting UK mainland plates for the car? Are NI mot's as comprehensive as UK ones?

Anyone have any favourite ferry routes/providers?, I live in Bristol but currently working in Wilmslow during the week and could probably get to Liverpool relatively easily.

Edited by V6Alfisti on Saturday 7th August 19:52

Does anyone know the best way of getting it back?

Belfast-Liverpool http://www.norfolkline.com/ferry/ or Dublin- Holyhead http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/routes/


Will I need to tax it in NI?
No as you are moving the vehicle to the Mainland.


Then register it onto mainland UK plates?
Yes just send the V5 to DVLA as normal to notify change of owner etc

does the tax then get re-issued as UK mainland?
don't tax it as you will have to reclaim the NI Tax

PS: I realise NI is part of the UK but they appear to have two different registration systems.
You have DVLA we have DVLNI all the same V5's etc not an issue

Also what happens with the MOT? It would appear to have a NI specific MOT, would it need to be re MOT'd when back home?
No valid on Mainland


and how do I go about getting UK mainland plates for the car?
When you are submitting the V5 they will ask if you want to keep or change the NI number, if you change it you will get a new registration document to take with you to a motor factors to make your new plates

Are NI mot's as comprehensive as UK ones?
More as it is carried out at Government approved testing station only


cheers

Will

Will, thanks for the amazingly detailed reply.

Just wanted to check the tax situation, as I will be effectively exporting it from NI into the mainland, they will accept no tax in NI as a result?

Surely when I get to the UK and hit any roads, they will expect to see a tax disc?

As in an ideal world, I would drive the car from the seller onto a ferry, arrive in the UK, drop it off at a garage for a full checkover. In the meantime send off the UK reg paperwork and associated tax, hoping the DVLA turn everything round in a week (hopeful I know!)

[uuf361]

I brought a car back from NI to the mainland in Feb this year - as the tax was up the day I was bringing it back I taxed it in NI - same as over here as long as you have all the relevant documents can be done at the post office, but there are only certain ones that do it. It must have valid road tax from the time it arrives back onto the mainland (or for you to have applied for it) as the same rules for driving it on the public highway apply - it would be easiest if the current owner taxes for you and you pay them for it.

The road tax system in NI is identical, the discs the same etc.......you would not have to claim for a refund and re-tax. There is no difference.

MoT - not a problem - my car still has an NI MoT, which incidentally are much cheaper (321) but can only be done at government owned testing stations.

I'm not sure but don't think you can simply send off the V5 (NI) - you have to write a covering letter to your local DVLA office enclosing all relevant docs and let them know whether you would like to keep the NI reg or get a new English one - they will then send you out a new tax disc and stamp you MoT (if applicable) with the new reg (if you don't change it) and send you a V5 (UK).....

All a very simple process in my experience, only complicated slightly by me also putting a plate I had on retention on to my new car at the same time......

Edited by uuf361 on Sunday 8th August 20:51

[will2020]

V6Alfisti said:

Will, thanks for the amazingly detailed reply.

Just wanted to check the tax situation, as I will be effectively exporting it from NI into the mainland, they will accept no tax in NI as a result?

Surely when I get to the UK and hit any roads, they will expect to see a tax disc?

As in an ideal world, I would drive the car from the seller onto a ferry, arrive in the UK, drop it off at a garage for a full checkover. In the meantime send off the UK reg paperwork and associated tax, hoping the DVLA turn everything round in a week (hopeful I know!)

If you want keep the NI reg then get the guy who owns it already to TAX it and pay him the cost, but if you want it back on a English reg you will have to submit the TAX disc anyway even if you get it TAX'd in NI you wont have a disc on display so officially you would be committing an offence by driving the car. In my experience as long as the car has MOT and insurance the police are ok about the TAX when you explain to them the difference between DVLA ans DVLNI. I've been stopped a few times bringing cars home when the ANPR system in the cop car alerted them, but carry your documents and a receipt saying you bought the car that day and are getting it registered they will be fine.