Skip to main content

Last reviewed: 3 July 2026 · Read the full Ireland deep-dive guide

Import a Car from Ireland to the UK

The fastest import route to GB: RHD, drive-home ferry, NI vs ROI rules

On top of purchase price
0 - 25%
Returned Goods Relief can cut it to near zero
The fastest import route to GB
1-3 Weeks
Right-hand drive + drive-home ferry
RHD

Ireland is the easiest country to import a car from — right-hand drive, a drive-home ferry, and a short timeline. EU-origin cars qualify for 0% duty under TCA, and Returned Goods Relief can cut the cost to near zero for cars previously registered in the UK.

Estimate your import costs from Ireland

Pre-set to the movement from Ireland. Confirm customs origin, evidence, relief and the legal tariff rate before relying on a reduced result, then adjust the value and transport figures to match your import.

UK passenger-car import duty and VAT calculator

Built around separate customs and VAT values, route-specific UK rules, and the official 2026-27 V149 rates. Reliefs and preferential rates are applied only after you confirm the required eligibility and evidence.

1. Import route

“Arriving from” controls Great Britain/Northern Ireland customs rules. “Origin” controls tariff preference: an EU-purchased Japanese-built car is not automatically EU-origin. Some territories have a different customs status from their state, so select the route separately rather than relying on the country name.

2. HMRC value in pounds
Use the invoice/bill of sale and add accessories purchased with the car. If any amount is in foreign currency, convert it using the HMRC customs exchange rate. Do not enter the same freight or handling charge twice.
3. Customs treatment

The country of purchase or export does not prove origin. The car must satisfy the agreement’s product-specific origin rule. Proof-of-origin rules.

4. DVLA registration and vehicle tax

Import tax breakdown

More information required

  • • Enter the HMRC customs value or current vehicle valuation.

DVLA payment

More information required

  • • Enter the date of original registration (box 24) — it decides which tax scheme applies.

HMRC / NOVA

Enter the arrival date

Tell HMRC within 14 days of a permanent arrival. Your agent may make the notification for a shipped car. Check the correct route.

Next step

  • Keep the invoice/valuation, freight invoices, origin evidence and customs declaration.
  • Wait for HMRC confirmation that NOVA is processed and tax is settled.
  • Keep the foreign registration document and obtain approval, MOT or exemption evidence.
  • Use the exact DVLA tax class, list price and approved CO2 figure on the V55 form.
Apply this to my vehicle

This is a planning estimate, not a customs declaration or HMRC decision. Exact liability depends on the accepted customs value, commodity code, non-preferential and preferential origin, evidence and relief approval. A result is intentionally withheld when those facts are unresolved.Rules and linked guidance last reviewed 19 July 2026.

Need the rules behind the estimate? Read the UK car import duty and VAT guide or build a complete logistics budget with the car import cost checklist.

What catches people out importing from Ireland

  • Many cars sold in Ireland were built outside the EU (Japanese/Korean) — those still attract 10% duty.
  • NI vs ROI rules differ; cars moving within the CTA may follow different notification rules.
  • Returned Goods Relief applies only to vehicles previously registered in the UK.
  • Irish deregistration cert (RF105) must be sent with the V55/5.

Popular imports from Ireland

ToyotaHyundaiVolkswagenFordAudi

Read the complete Ireland import guide

A 15 min read deep dive covering shipping, customs, NOVA, approval, and the V55/5 form step by step — with real cost examples.

Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay customs duty importing a car from Ireland to the UK?
Cars manufactured in the EU qualify for 0% customs duty under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). However, many cars sold in Ireland were built outside the EU — a Japanese-built Toyota or Korean-built Hyundai generally attracts 10% duty. 20% VAT applies on the landed cost either way, unless the vehicle qualifies for Returned Goods Relief.
Is bringing a Northern Ireland car to England, Scotland or Wales an import?
No. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, so an NI-registered vehicle is already a UK vehicle. Moving it to Great Britain is a re-registration, not an import — no customs declaration, normally no NOVA, and no V55/5. You update the registration with DVLA using the vehicle's existing V5C logbook.
What is Returned Goods Relief for cars from Ireland?
Many cars in Ireland started life as UK cars. If a vehicle was previously registered in the UK and is re-imported within 3 years of export, it may qualify for Returned Goods Relief — relief from both customs duty and import VAT. Eligibility conditions apply, so check with HMRC and keep evidence of the vehicle's UK history.
Do I need NOVA for a car from Ireland?
For a Republic of Ireland vehicle entering Great Britain permanently, HMRC must normally be told within 14 days. GOV.UK says a late notification may be fined. Northern Ireland-to-GB movements have a different route, so check HMRC's current vehicle-import guidance for the exact movement.
Is an Irish NCT valid in the UK?
No. The Irish National Car Test (NCT) is not accepted as a substitute for a UK MOT. Any imported car over 3 years old needs a UK MOT (maximum fee £54.85) before DVLA will register and tax it, regardless of its NCT status.
How much does it cost to import a car from Ireland to the UK?
For a typical €15,000 EU-origin ROI car, expect roughly £2,900-3,300 on top of the purchase price: 20% VAT (~£2,600), ferry (£150-300), MOT (£54.85), DVLA registration (£55), plus paperwork costs. If the car qualifies for Returned Goods Relief, added costs can fall to a few hundred pounds. NI-registered cars cost almost nothing to move — just the ferry and a free V5C update.

Apply this to your vehicle

We'll start with a car imported from Ireland, then ask only for the facts needed to confirm your NOVA, approval, MOT, document and V55/5 route.

Apply this to my vehicle →

Primary sources

This guide maps to official GOV.UK guidance. Always check the current source for the latest rules before you submit your V55/5.

v55-5.com is an independent service and is not affiliated with the DVLA, HMRC, or any government body.