# A UK taxing problem



## lufc (Jun 24, 2007)

I bought my MH in Scotland last year, I live in Northern Ireland and could not register it to my own address. I had to register it to my son's address in England, so now that the road tax needs renewed I have to import it from the UK to the UK. All you people in GB can travel from Wales, Scotland, England to each other's part of the UK and purchase with no problems about road tax, yet we have this limitation.

I phoned DVLA today to enquire which law I would be breaking if I re-registered it at my son's address in England and apparently I could be prosecuted for driving a vehicle in Northern Ireland which is registered in the UK and not Northern Ireland but is permanently kept in Northern Ireland!


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Of course you can register it to your N I address but you have to re register it in NI first and get a new vehicle index number, then you will pay NI road tax etc.

Just one of the joys of devolved government


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## lufc (Jun 24, 2007)

I realise all that, but why are we treated differently to other UK citizens of Scotland / England / Wales and would I really be breaking any law if I just re-registered at my son's address?


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> I live in Northern Ireland and could not register it to my own address.


Why could you not register it to you NI address in the first place?


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## gilly54 (Aug 12, 2008)

Don't know legally exactly where you stand, but the V5 states that the registered keeper is not necessarily the owner of the vehicle, so I don't know if this is a way around the situation.

Can you tax it online over there the same way we can in the uk?

Unfortunately I have just read my V5 and it does state on there that if the vehicle is exported permanently (for more than 12 months) that transfers between GB and NI must be notified to the appropriate licensing authority.

Don't know why there is a difference between Wales/Scotland and England unless it is something to do with land borders as opposed to "overseas"


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

This is the big problem with devolved government. Some things are still with the UK others are with the devolved bit.

There are literally hundreds of examples where devolved government benifits the locals and this I think is one of those areas where perhaps it is not so good.

If you don't like the fact you have independence on VED it may be worth speaking to your MP?

I am a little drunk (yet again) and my view on this is pretty straight...
Your either want to be part of the UK or you don't and it can't work both ways. Scotland is the worst for this and I have a lot of sympathy for their position. But as an Englishman I do get a little frustrated at times and look forward to the day that they get their wish.

It's very confusing these days as we not only have to obey our own laws, we have to worry about Uk laws, EU laws and international laws. I wish the powers that be would just say.. This is good... This is bad. Do bad and we punish you. But no....

Anyway in my simplistic view of things, we have Ireland split into two one who was happy to get away from the UK but wants to be part of Europe but doesn't want the constitution. The other half still remembers englands bad behaviour 200 years ago (was it 200?) and potatoe famines and can't decide if it wants the UK or not. We have Scotland who has oil and resents the UK getting the taxes off it. We have the English who wished they never won that many wars and never had an empire.

The only people who I speak to who are pretty much in agreement are the english (non politico's) who want to let go of the Scottish, the Irish and the Euro mob.

I love Scotland having lived most of my formative years up there and I am sure they would do very well without westminster but to be honest the English would do pretty well without them as well 

Anyway I am waffling now. Basically you registered your vehicle in England for some small advantage or ease, the rules are the rules. You can either obey them or suffer the consequences. Or if you are a like minded citizen you can speak to TBTB and try to get them to change the rules so that they actually work logically and in the interest of those who actually pay these thieves (taxes).

I am sure there are some apologies coming tomorow for this rant  

Karl


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

The legal situation is simple

For vehicle registration and driving licences Northern ireland is a separate administration, almost as if we were a federal state in the UK.

The reasons are historic a revolve around Irish independence, partition etc and go back to 1921

The IOM and each of the Channel Islands are in the same position for different historical reasons

If you move from one part of the British Isles to another you have to swap ypur licence and re register your car (BY British Isles I mean GB (ie Eng, Scot and Wal), NI, GBM, GBG, GBJ) unless you are only on a temporary visit. It is a staright swap, no real problem. Why do you not want to do it?

if you arrive from one part to another you must do it within 6 months

If you live in one part and buy in an other part and "import" to that other part you must re register immediately

You can of course register your GB van at your GB sons address but you cannot as owner drive it in NI where you are resident. If you do you are committing an offence, you would also have to bring it back to GB for annual MOT.

The devolved powers of the North and South of Ireland from 1921 were greater than those of Wales and Scotland recently and included full power over road tax (fewer roads so less initially) and driving licence regulations


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## lufc (Jun 24, 2007)

I bought my van last ****** in Scotland and it has been in NI ever since (apart from trips to Sctoland, England, Wales, Ireland, France) whilst registered at an address in GB, so I have broke the law and how would those who would prosecute me know how long it has been in NI.

But I have a tax disc?

Another strange thing is that during a recent MOT backlog 
(we have to go to dedicated Government MOT centres here in NI and not local garages) I believe that drivers were taking their vehicles to garages in Scotland to get MOT and it was legal.

Very gray area but hopefully I can get it registered tomorrow over here with no problems.


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## lufc (Jun 24, 2007)

thieawin said:


> The legal situation is simple
> 
> For vehicle registration and driving licences Northern ireland is a separate administration, almost as if we were a federal state in the UK.
> 
> ...


It's not that I do not want to do it, I just think it is a nonsense piece of "red tape" in this day and age when it is pretty simple to connect databases together. Importing a vehicle from the UK to the UK, now that's Irish


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## Carper (Aug 15, 2007)

Hi

i know of a few people that have had this problem in the past in NI

I used to do some work at a family run factory. The family, mainly the numerous sons, would travel to the mainland to buy their "serious" cars. They would never buy an NI reg car, due to in their opinion, that NI reg cars would have been "shook to bits" on the rough roads.

They owned an address in Scotland and would register the cars there, and sell them before the 12 months were up. They were also of the opinion that the re-sale is a lot higher for mainland registered vehicles.

All of this family were extremely successful business men...so they must have known what they were doing...it all seems a bit too much hassle to me.

Doug


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

The problem is simply that the province of Northern Ireland is not in Great Britain :roll: :roll: (some people rather wish Scotland wasn't either) :lol:


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> The problem is simply that the province of Northern Ireland is not in Great Britain Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes (some people rather wish Scotland wasn't either) Laughing


Given that we live in - The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (check your passport) - it is strange that there are any difficulties in vehicle registration. 
To call Northern Ireland a 'Province' demonstrates an unfortunate Anglocentric view of the alliance. ( A bit like the so called UK traffic reports on this forum which only report on English problems).

Whilst such a view is of little relevance in the greater scheme of things it does provide ammunition to those who seek the total break up of the UK.

I do wish Scotland was separate from England in that I would no longer have to insist that I am NOT English when in Europe to obtain a much better welcome and better service in many cases.
This is not nationalism but a defence. So what is so wrong with the English that I have to distance myself from them in Europe????


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Sorry old chap but Northern Ireland's formal status within the United Kingdom is that of a province, Wales is a principality, Scotland & England are Countries - Wales has been irrevocably wedded to England since Edward the first conquered it in around 1282 with a formal union taking place in 1536 after which Welsh law was fully replaced by English law.

"So what is so wrong with the English that I have to distance myself from them in Europe" - There is something in that statement which makes me feel very sad.


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## vmeldrew (May 3, 2007)

My daughter had to 'import' her car from London a couple of years ago and was told that the requirement would be done away with 'soon'. Still not, but the sooner the better as 1. there is no need for duplication of the departments as a central one makes more sense, and 2. DVLNI is totally incompetent.


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