Re-importation help?

[Paraicj]

I've googled and searched the site and not been able to find anything that fits my exact circumstances, so looking for help from PHers at large...

I've just moved to Birmingham from Ireland. I have a 03 Audi A3 that was originally a UK car but was imported to Ireland in 06. I want to re-import it. What I have:

An Irish registration cert, including original UK reg no. and VIN
Passed the NOVA, no VAT needed to be paid, all fine
Got the V55.5 sent to me

Why is this not straightforward?
The DVLA website does not show the car as exported, it shows it as untaxed for 8 yrs.

Clearly the exporter got the Irish documents put through, but it never made it as far as exported on the DVLA.

Does this mean I'm going to be hit with a big pile of back tax if I try to re-import it? Is it worth my while? Should I drive it back to Ireland, sell it and buy something else?

Also, it needs a cert of conformity, which apparently costs £125, a fee of £55 to register and the first tax payment.

[TooMany2cvs]

Paraicj said:

The DVLA website does not show the car as exported

So it doesn't need "re-importing", since DVLA don't think it ever left the UK. Just apply for a V5C as a new keeper.

[Paraicj]

On Irish plates with no MOT and 8 years taxes owed? I honestly don't know if any of that matters.

[Paraicj]

Scratch that, the DVLA helpfully have a little tag called an "Export marker" that I'd missed. So, just have to do it the old fashioned way.

Since the car was originally registered in the UK it shouldn't need a certificate of conformity right? As in, that would be taken care of from new? DVLA doesn't give info on it.

[TooMany2cvs]

Paraicj said:

On Irish plates with no MOT and 8 years taxes owed? I honestly don't know if any of that matters.

No, get a set of plates made up with the original UK number. MOT it. Then apply for a V5C as new keeper.

Back tax shouldn't land on you.