Buying a car from Northern Ireland
Discussion
I’m purchasing a car privately from a guy in Northern Ireland. His car was registered there and although I know I can bring it back to the mainland UK easy enough, his car has a private plate on it.
I’m hoping to only do one trip and don’t want to fly over there twice, but what would be the best process.
If he sells it to me and retains his plate, It will go onto an NI number and I don’t want that either. I want it to go onto a UK number and then I can transfer my own private plate onto the car once I’ve got the paperwork.
Does anyone know the best way of doing it and the quickest way, and also how can I make it legal for me to drive it home?
I’m hoping to only do one trip and don’t want to fly over there twice, but what would be the best process.
If he sells it to me and retains his plate, It will go onto an NI number and I don’t want that either. I want it to go onto a UK number and then I can transfer my own private plate onto the car once I’ve got the paperwork.
Does anyone know the best way of doing it and the quickest way, and also how can I make it legal for me to drive it home?
interstellar said:
If he sells it to me and retains his plate, It will go onto an NI number and I don’t want that either. I want it to go onto a UK number and then I can transfer my own private plate onto the car once I’ve got the paperwork.
Why don't you want to drive on a Northern Irish plate?interstellar said:
Just be good to get the age related plate on it for resale.
Believe it or not some people still get put off by NI plates as they don’t understand it’s the United Kingdom and it’s not an import.
Just buy a cheap private plate of the corresponding age from the dvla if it bothers you.Believe it or not some people still get put off by NI plates as they don’t understand it’s the United Kingdom and it’s not an import.
If the car has a private plate on and the seller removes it, it will be reassigned another NI plate (because that's where the car is currently registered). He will need to pay £80 and do this before he sells it to you (and you'll need to wait for the replacement V5 with the correct, replacement plate).
Once you have it registered in your name, taxed, and with the V5 in your possession you can remove the NI plate by 'transferring it to a retention certificate' and the car will be issued a replacement GB plate allocated from the spares for your geographic location, eg if it was Chester or surrounding areas it would start with D, eg DA70ABC or whatever.
I believe (not done it myself though) the £80 fees can be clawed back if you never do reassign the plate to another car and give it up.
ETA But then, if you have a private plate already, why are you worried? The car will have a NI plate on it only for a short few days after the seller has taken his private plate off and before yours is transferred onto it. If you want it to have a GB plate back on it if/when you come to sell it, you'd need to go through the above process either now or at that time just before you sell it (so, 2 sets of reissuing the V5, and the 3-5 days it takes, etc).
Don't forget, the car needs to be taxed and MoT'd and registered in your name to be able to transfer the plate on or off.
Once you have it registered in your name, taxed, and with the V5 in your possession you can remove the NI plate by 'transferring it to a retention certificate' and the car will be issued a replacement GB plate allocated from the spares for your geographic location, eg if it was Chester or surrounding areas it would start with D, eg DA70ABC or whatever.
I believe (not done it myself though) the £80 fees can be clawed back if you never do reassign the plate to another car and give it up.
ETA But then, if you have a private plate already, why are you worried? The car will have a NI plate on it only for a short few days after the seller has taken his private plate off and before yours is transferred onto it. If you want it to have a GB plate back on it if/when you come to sell it, you'd need to go through the above process either now or at that time just before you sell it (so, 2 sets of reissuing the V5, and the 3-5 days it takes, etc).
Don't forget, the car needs to be taxed and MoT'd and registered in your name to be able to transfer the plate on or off.
Edited by paul_c123 on Sunday 11th May 21:36
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