The purchase price is only the first line on the bill. Here’s every cost of importing a car to Ireland in 2026 — duty, VAT, VRT and the NOx levy — laid out in order, with worked totals for a car from Japan and one from the UK so there are no surprises at the port.
The short version
- Total landed cost = price + shipping + duty + VAT + VRT + NOx levy.
- A typical €11,000 Japanese hybrid lands ~€17,775 all-in — versus €22,000–€26,000 on an Irish forecourt.
- The charges are stacked: VAT is charged on the duty, so saving duty saves twice.
- VRT (7–41% of OMSP) is the swing factor — the same price can land very differently depending on the car.
The short answer
For a mainstream, low-emission car the all-in cost is usually 40–60% above the foreign purchase price once shipping and Irish taxes are added — but still below the Irish retail price for the same car, which is the whole point. The exact figure depends on three things: where the car was built (duty), its CO₂ (VRT band), and its fuel type (NOx levy).
The cost, line by line
- Purchase price — what you pay at auction or to the seller abroad.
- Shipping & insurance — ~€1,000–2,000 RoRo from Japan (6–10 weeks); ~€250–700 by ferry from the UK (days).
- Customs duty — 0% for Japanese- or UK-built cars with proof of origin; 10% otherwise. Charged on the CIF value (cost + insurance + freight).
- VAT at 23% — on the landed value plus any duty. Applies to all non-EU imports (Japan, GB). A genuinely used EU/NI car can be VAT-free.
- VRT — 7–41% of the car’s Irish OMSP, set by CO₂. See how VRT is calculated.
- NOx levy — added to VRT on petrol/diesel: €5–€25 per mg/km, capped at €600 (petrol) or €4,850 (diesel). EVs pay zero.
- Registration & NCT — VRT is paid at the NCTS; budget for an NCT test on cars 4+ years old.
Why the order matters
The charges aren’t independent — they’re applied in sequence, each on the running total of the last. Duty is added to the CIF value, then VAT is charged on value + duty, then VRT is charged separately on the OMSP. That’s why securing 0% duty matters twice: you avoid the 10% itself and the 23% VAT that would have sat on top of it.
Worked examples: Japan vs UK
Two cars at a similar purchase price, landed in Ireland. Note how the Japan hybrid and the UK-built hatch end up close — while an EU-built premium car bought in Britain is dragged up by 10% duty and a higher VRT band.
Japan-built hybrid
From Japan · low CO₂
UK-built hatchback
From GB · UK origin
The cautionary one
An EU-built premium car from Britain at ~€15,000: €1,545 duty (10%) + ~€3,909 VAT + ~€5,200 VRT (higher CO₂) ≈ €26,104 landed. Same idea, very different total — because of where it was built and what it emits.
Estimate your own car
These figures are illustrative — your exact cost depends on the specific car’s OMSP and emissions. The fastest way to a real number is our free Ireland Car Import Cost Calculator, which works out duty, VAT, VRT and the NOx levy on 2026 Revenue rates with live exchange rates. Then see the cheapest cars to import and the cheapest way to import to bring the total down.
Figures are indicative and for guidance only. Actual VRT is charged on Revenue’s OMSP and varies by model, year and mileage. Always confirm current rates and your specific case with Revenue.ie before committing to a purchase.