Importing

If importing a car into Ireland you will have to pay VRT (Vehicle Registration Tax).  You can find out more about this at http://www.revenue.ie, and contact details on our useful addresses page.

Insurance

Ireland operates an obligatory driver vehicle insurance, always insure that you are adequately insured to drive in Ireland.
Insurance Companies ask for:

• Driver's License
• A record of previous insurance, up to five years, translated if necessary.
• No Claims” record, if available, translated to English including the following information
  • Inception date
  • Finish date
  • Years claims free
  • Details of any claims
    • Dates
    • Amounts paid out
    • Date settled

• Make, year, c.c., value of car, petrol / diesel, etc.

• Drivers’ names, dates of birth, occupations, dates licenses acquired, whether drinkers or smokers.

Tax

Just as insurance is obligatory, your vehicle must also be taxed.  Both tax and insurance discs must be displayed on the windscreen of your car.  Please enquire at your local Motor Tax Office; te telephone numbers of Motor Taxation Offices are located under the "Local Authorities" heading in the telephone directory.  For more online information, please contact The Revenue Commissioners.

Licences

As outlined in Article 29 of the Road Traffic Act 1989, EU/EEA citizens in Ireland may continue to use the license of their own country as long as it is valid, after which they may exchange their license for an Irish one, without having to sit a test.   

Visitors from outside the EU must sit a driving test and apply for an Irish driving license, after one year or on taking up employment (at which stage their visitor status ceases).

Road Worthiness

Your car may have to take the NCTS test, which is a National Road Safety test to ensure the roadworthiness of your car, testing has been introduced on a phased basis as follows:

• Year 2000: Cars first registered before 1 January 1992
• Year 2001: Cars first registered between 1992-1996
• Year 2002 onwards: All four year old cars and eligible older cars i.e pre 92 registered cars tested in the year 2000 will be eligible for testing again in year 2002 because testing is every two years