How much to import a 2015 Defender - not a commercial?
Hi,
I am looking to import a Defender 110 from Northern Ireland, cost is £32,000. It's a 2015 and has 38,000 miles on the clock. And it's not a commercial vehicle. What charges would I expect to pay VRT etc. and what would I pay in tax, as it's a 2.2L diesel.
Many thanks
Paul Moore (Kildare)Mar 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
As a passenger vehicle, the VRT cost will depend on the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) and the VRT band. The latter is determined by the CO2 rating, which for that model means the highest with emissions of well over 191g/km. VRT is therefore 41 per cent of the OMSP.
Unfortunately, the OMSP is nothing to do with the price you pay for the car. It's the figure Revenue believes the car to be worth in Ireland. That's not very easy to guess at for a rare model such as the Defender. For the purposes of our calculations let's assume it's €40,000, but you may know Irish values of these cars better so adjust the figures accordingly.
At an OMSP of €40,000, the VRT alone would be €16,400.
You will also have to pay the NOx levy on top of that. This can be up to €4,850 for diesel models and unfortunately the Defender is likely to attract the top value.
Assuming the Defender was imported into Northern Ireland and used there by someone (i.e. not just a car dealer), then you should not be liable for VAT or customs duty, but you will need to be able to prove its status to Revenue when importing it.
Motor tax in Ireland will be at the top rate of €2,400 per year.
A few useful guides for you:
Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained
Guide to Importing a Car from Northern Ireland
How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland?