VerifiedGet matched with vetted international mover We match you with only accredited partner for your route: fewer calls, less stress, and a clearer quote.
In short: Car and vehicle moves to Ireland are matched to one vetted partner, free. Vehicles travel by ferry, either driven on or moved alongside a household load.
You will need your V5C and proof of ownership. Imported vehicles may need NCT and VRT steps in Ireland.
A car moving from the UK to Ireland travels by ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) ferry from Wales. The vehicle is driven onto the ferry at the Welsh port and driven off at Dublin Port or Rosslare. The main crossing is Holyhead to Dublin Port, run by Irish Ferries and Stena Line, at about 3 hours 15 minutes. For the south-east, Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare takes 3.5 to 4 hours.
The car can travel in the same removal van as your household goods, as a separate vehicle on the ferry, or on an enclosed vehicle transporter for high-value cars. The mover advises which option suits the vehicle and the route.
Two charges specific to vehicle imports apply in Ireland that do not apply to household goods: VRT (Vehicle Registration Tax) on first registration, and a NOx levy on most petrol and diesel cars. Both are separate from the shipping cost and are paid directly to Revenue when you register the vehicle.
International Removals Companies is not a removal company. We connect your enquiry with one FIDI-certified partner mover for the UK to Ireland vehicle route. The service is free and there is no obligation to book.
VRT is the most important charge to understand before shipping a car to Ireland. It is a one-off tax charged by Revenue the first time a foreign vehicle is registered in the Republic. It is not part of the shipping cost — it is a separate payment made to Revenue at the time of registration.
Revenue does not use the price you paid for the car. They use the OMSP, their own Open Market Selling Price: what they believe that exact vehicle would sell for in the Irish market. The OMSP can be significantly higher than the UK purchase price, especially for popular UK imports. Use the Revenue VRT calculator at revenue.ie before deciding to ship.
The VRT rate is based on CO2 emissions. Rates range from 7% for near-zero emission vehicles (up to 50g/km) to 41% for high-emission cars (191g/km and above). A NOx levy is added on top for most petrol and diesel cars, calculated on the vehicle's nitrogen oxide emissions. Electric vehicles pay the minimum NOx levy. Budget 2026 extended EV VRT relief up to 5,000 euros for vehicles first registered by 31 December 2026.
You must register the vehicle within 30 days of it arriving in Ireland. Registration is done at an NCT centre or a Revenue-approved VRT inspection centre. The car is inspected, the OMSP is confirmed and VRT is calculated and paid before Irish registration plates are issued.
The more detail you give, the more accurate the shipping quote will be. VRT and registration are separate from the shipping cost, but the mover can advise on the route and timing that fits the registration deadline.
The Republic of Ireland uses the euro (EUR). If you are moving from the UK, you are moving from sterling into a euro economy. That affects deposits, any charges you pay at the Irish end, and your day-to-day spending after you arrive.
International Removals Companies works with currency exchange partners. We do not provide currency exchange ourselves, but if you need to convert sterling to euro for your move, we can connect you with a partner who can help. This is entirely separate from the removals service and carries no obligation.
Northern Ireland uses the pound, not the euro. If you are moving to Northern Ireland rather than the Republic, currency exchange is not relevant to your move.
The main ferry from the UK to Ireland is Holyhead to Dublin Port, run by Irish Ferries and Stena Line. The crossing takes about 3 hours 15 minutes. For customs, Transfer of Residence relief on Form C&E 1076 removes import duty and the 23% Irish VAT on used belongings if you qualify. The Common Travel Area covers people, not goods. Your belongings still go through the customs process even though you can travel freely between the UK and Ireland.
After arriving in Ireland, you will need a PPS number. PPS stands for Personal Public Service number. You use it for Revenue, banking, employment and most official matters. Apply at your local Intreo centre when you arrive.
Have the Eircode for your Irish address ready too. An Eircode is the Irish postcode. It is a seven-character code, unique to each address. Rural townland addresses have no street number. The Eircode is how the mover finds your door. Georgian flats in central Dublin have narrow stairs and no lifts. Medieval town-centre streets in Galway and Kilkenny can be too tight for a large van. Give access notes when you enquire.
We do not send your enquiry to a list of firms. We connect you with one suitable FIDI-certified partner mover for your specific route. They check your move and confirm the price. You are not committed to anything.
FIDI FAIM is the main quality standard for international removal companies. Partner movers are audited by Ernst and Young every three years. The audit covers more than 200 quality checks. For a move with customs paperwork, that standard matters.
Most cars travel by ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) ferry from Wales to Ireland. The car is driven onto the ferry at the Welsh port and driven off at Dublin Port or Rosslare. The main crossing is Holyhead to Dublin Port, run by Irish Ferries and Stena Line, at about 3 hours 15 minutes. Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare suit the south-east. The car can travel with your household goods in the removal van or on a separate vehicle transporter.
VRT stands for Vehicle Registration Tax. It is a one-off tax charged by Revenue, the Irish tax authority, the first time a foreign vehicle is registered in Ireland. The rate is based on the vehicle's CO2 emissions and Revenue's Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), which is Revenue's own valuation of the vehicle in the Irish market, not what you paid for it. Rates range from 7% to 41% of the OMSP. Check the Revenue VRT calculator at revenue.ie before shipping.
Yes. You must register the vehicle with Revenue within 30 days of it arriving in Ireland. Registration is done through a National Car Testing (NCT) centre or a Revenue-approved VRT inspection centre. The car is inspected, the OMSP is assessed and VRT is calculated and paid before Irish registration plates are issued.
Transfer of Residence relief under Form C&E 1076 can cover a vehicle as part of a personal move, but VRT is a separate charge and is not removed by the Transfer of Residence customs relief. You may avoid customs import duty and VAT on the vehicle under Transfer of Residence, but VRT is still due on first Irish registration. Confirm your specific position with Revenue before shipping.
You have 30 days from arrival in Ireland to register and pay VRT. During that period, you can drive the car on the original UK plates. After 30 days, an unregistered foreign vehicle on Irish roads is subject to VRT enforcement. Revenue carries out roadside checks. Do not delay registration.
Vans, motorcycles, motorhomes and campervans can all be shipped to Ireland by ferry. Different VRT categories and rates apply depending on the vehicle type. Category B covers commercial vehicles. Motorcycles are Category M. Motorhomes are Category B or C depending on weight. Confirm the applicable category and rate with Revenue before shipping.
A NOx (nitrogen oxide) levy applies to most petrol and diesel cars registered in Ireland in addition to the CO2-based VRT. The levy is based on the vehicle's NOx emissions in mg/km and is added to the VRT bill. Electric vehicles pay the minimum NOx levy. Older diesel engines typically attract higher NOx charges than modern petrols at the same CO2 output.
Yes. A car coming from Northern Ireland to the Republic is moving between two jurisdictions on the same island but under different customs arrangements. VRT applies in both cases, but the customs duty and VAT position differs. Confirm the specific route with the mover and with Revenue before shipping from Northern Ireland.
International Removals Companies is not a removal company. We are a free matching service operated by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD (company 07425576). You send your vehicle details and we connect you with one FIDI-certified partner mover for the UK to Ireland vehicle route. The mover contacts you with the shipping price and guidance on VRT and registration. Free, no obligation.
This guide is written and maintained by Darren Benjamin, founder of International Removals Companies (DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, Companies House 07425576). Darren has worked in international removals and logistics for over 20 years and has been a director of a UK removals company since 2013.
Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM Certified, BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC accreditations. Only FIDI FAIM is an audited certification, checked by Ernst and Young.
Read genuine customer reviews on Google.
Send the vehicle make, model, year, registration, fuel type and CO2 figure, the UK collection address and the Irish delivery address with Eircode. One FIDI-certified partner mover confirms the shipping price and VRT guidance.
Get a Free Car Shipping QuoteFree. One FIDI-certified partner mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, operating since 2010.
International Removals Companies connects removals to Ireland enquiries with one suitable vetted partner mover. Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM, BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC accreditations where confirmed. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Prices, transit times, insurance cover and customs paperwork must be confirmed by the partner mover before booking.