Home Guides Importing a car from the EU to Ireland
Car ownership · IrelandImporting a car from the EU to Ireland
Post-Brexit, the EU lane became the interesting one: no customs frontier, VRT and NOx still due, and Dutch and German forecourts full of the EVs and specs Ireland never got. The arithmetic is simpler than the UK route — it still has to be done first.
Why the EU route rose
When Brexit added customs and VAT exposure to Great Britain imports, buyer attention moved to the EU — especially the Netherlands and Germany, whose used markets are deep in exactly what Irish buyers now want: EVs, plug-in hybrids and higher specs. Within the EU there is no customs declaration or duty on a used car moving to Ireland; the Irish charges are VRT on the open-market value and the NOx levy, with VAT arising only in defined cases such as new means of transport — Revenue’s current rules and calculator are the authority.
Buying at distance, honestly
The diligence is the used-car checklist with kilometres added: a history check appropriate to the country (the Dutch and German markets have established providers and, in places, official mileage registries), the registration paperwork matching the seller, and an inspection — European inspection services exist precisely for remote buyers, and many Irish buyers fly out to view and drive home via the ferry. Left-hand drive is the obvious catch the excitement forgets: an LHD car is legal here and discounted forever at resale. EVs flip the inspection priorities: battery health evidence outranks engine-bay poetry.
The process landing in Ireland
Book the VRT appointment at an NCTS centre within the required window of the car’s arrival, bring the foreign registration documents and purchase evidence, pay the VRT and NOx assessed, and the car takes Irish plates; motor tax and insurance follow on the new registration. Transport-wise, the France ferry plus a drive is a genuine option that doubles as the test drive of a lifetime — budget it against trailer or transporter delivery. Then the boring crown: the car’s first Irish NCT when due, and its history starting clean in your name.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there customs duty on an EU import?
No customs frontier applies to a used car moving from another EU state to Ireland — the Irish charges are VRT and the NOx levy, with VAT only in defined cases like new vehicles. Run Revenue’s calculator on the exact car before committing.
Why do people import EVs from the Netherlands and Germany?
Depth of supply: those markets adopted EVs early and carry stock and specs Ireland never had. No customs on the EU route keeps the arithmetic clean — VRT, NOx, transport and the buying diligence are the whole sum.
Is a left-hand-drive import a mistake?
It is legal and it is discounted twice — when you buy and when you sell. For rare or performance cars the trade can be worth it; for a daily driver, most buyers regret the wrong-side wheel within a month of Irish overtaking.
Written and reviewed by the Escargo team · Updated 9 August 2026 · Escargo shows real local businesses only — where none is listed yet, the page says so honestly.