Can I sell a pickup to an Irish buyer with no VAT?

Hi,

I’m selling my Toyota pickup and I live in England. The vehicle was bought brand new by me including VAT . It for sale now and someone in southern Ireland wants to buy it. He’s saying I don’t have to charge him VAT if he gives me his VAT number and zero rate the VAT. Is this the case? The pickup is £42,499 plus VAT. He want to come over to England to pick it up and take it back to Ireland.

John Halpin (Grimsby )

Jan 2025 Filed under: importing

---

Expert answer

Hi John,

That is all correct so long as certain conditions are met. You can check the validity of the Irish VAT number at the European Commission’s VIES VAT number validation page for a start.

You will also need proof from the buyer that the vehicle has been exported. Without that you may be liable to pay VAT on the sale to the UK government, even if you never actually charged the seller VAT.

And overriding all of this of course is the assumption that you are selling the vehicle as a VAT-registered entity with a VAT invoice. It would not apply to a private sale.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor
@Shane_O_D