Purchasing Trailer Sailer from Ireland & Bringing Back to UK

S

Sidestep

New Member
Joined
28 Aug 2007
Messages
11
Visit site
I’m looking to purchase a trailer sailer obviously on a trailer. There is an ideal boat in Ireland.
I assume I will have to pay UK VAT on importing into this country. Is that right? If so is it 20% on the purchase price? How do I prove what I paid? Is a manual receipt enough to prove?
How would I pay? I would be getting the ferry back. Possibly would tow the boat to Belfast and get the ferry from there. Do you declare it on entry to theUK or is it worked out once here?
I’ve read up on it but appears to only be relevant for sailing a boat back not driving one onto and off a ferry.
Thanks.
 
Its worth checking to see if the Trailer is a UK made trailer which may mean that if you have to pay Vat you may only be charged Vat on the boat and not on the Boat & Trailer.

I brought a French Boat back from France, I was given the original invoice showing that Vat had been paid on it when sold new in France, And when passing through UK customs I just drove through.
 
Jim@sea said:
Its worth checking to see if the Trailer is a UK made trailer which may mean that if you have to pay Vat you may only be charged Vat on the boat and not on the Boat & Trailer.

I brought a French Boat back from France, I was given the original invoice showing that Vat had been paid on it when sold new in France, And when passing through UK customs I just drove through.
Click to expand...
The fact that a previous owner paid VAT in France is of no consequence. If you bought the boat in France post Brexit, and brought back to the UK as a UK citizen you would now need to pay UK VAT (and perhaps get UKCA Certified) or are choosing to break the law by driving past UK Customs without declaring.
If imported pre Brexit of course it was simples.
 
Sidestep said:
I’m looking to purchase a trailer sailer obviously on a trailer. There is an ideal boat in Ireland.
I assume I will have to pay UK VAT on importing into this country. Is that right? If so is it 20% on the purchase price? How do I prove what I paid? Is a manual receipt enough to prove?
How would I pay? I would be getting the ferry back. Possibly would tow the boat to Belfast and get the ferry from there. Do you declare it on entry to theUK or is it worked out once here?
I’ve read up on it but appears to only be relevant for sailing a boat back not driving one onto and off a ferry.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Do you have a friend in NI? Get them to buy and import to NI. Then buy from them in NI.

I doubt if even UK HMRC know how the rules apply in terms of the Ireland, NI, GB route - though you could try asking.
 
As long as the trailer outfit is, and looks, legal & roadworthy who will care. If you bought a second hand telly in Cork, and brought it back from holiday, who checks that? I do remember the days of border checks in roadside lay-bys.
 
If you tow the boat to Belfast you've already entered the UK somewhere en route... Where was the boat built? If it was UK-built then I would be inclined to bring it back via Belfast and do nothing about the VAT, allowing its sojourn in Ireland to pass gently into obscurity. But I'm a bad person and not a good role model in many ways.
 
dunedin said:
Do you have a friend in NI? Get them to buy and import to NI. Then buy from them in NI.

I doubt if even UK HMRC know how the rules apply in terms of the Ireland, NI, GB route - though you could try asking.
Click to expand...
Very complex and no I'd suggest HMRC don't understand the solution - its been a real pain getting factual advise post Brexit! NI is technically still residing in both EU and the UK. I've brought dinghies the other way into NI numerous times both new and second hand without any issues or questions - despite having been told to jump through flaming hoops and fill in a shed load of export paperwork.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top