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Import car from UK to Gibraltar

Last activity 07 January 2019 by benpike

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Luckynumber9

Hi all Gibraltar lovers,

who has experience in field of importing a used car (5-7 years old) from UK to Gibraltar?
I'd like to know all about costs involved in this process and can I do this as a part time car dealer job? (import car and resale it in Gibraltar)
Thank you

gbrads1980

I imported my car to Gibraltar, it was an 02 registered citroen picasso.

Cost me about £500 all in all.

Give me a shout if you need a hand.

Wouldnt do it as a job though, Right Hand Drive cards arent exactly in demand here, and LHD cars in spain are more expensive than cars in Gibraltar.

AlfredK

Did you ship your car or was it driven south.

I have to deal with this question now as well.

kfbphoto

You cant import a car into Gibraltar unless you have a residents permit. You could if you heve a very good friend who is resident ' sell ' the vehicle to them and then the vehicle will need a Gib MOT and G reg plates. Import is 12% ish of the value, plus Mot.
You would of course no longer be the owner and arrangements would be needed for insurance. Photowriter

queshulo

kfbphoto - not too sure where you got your information from.  Having recently imported a car in Gib I can confirm that firstly, you do not need a residents permit ot ID card.  Also importation is not 12% but is 30% and customs determine the value of the vehicle.

roughseasinthemed

I don't know where kfbphoto got their info from but they are not wrong, however the rate of duty varies. [I should have said I can't comment on the practice of selling to a good friend of course]

(One of) my blog (s) comes up top of a google search for importing a vehicle into gib, and I did an update on the excise duty here.   Unless things have changed, I give the varying rates of duty which are dependent on new or second hand vehicle, and engine size. 

We imported our vehicle four years ago and DID need to produce a resident's card.  However if that has changed it would be helpful to know, or how you managed without the card?

As for working as a part-time second-hand car dealer in Gibraltar - that's not exactly easy unless you live in Gib.  It isn't that easy if you do.  Either way you would need to register your business in Gibraltar.

I've answered these in reverse order, sorry about that, but there is no multi-quote (unless I have missed it). 

As for shipping or driving down, we drove down. It's pretty easy, people do it all the time just for holidays.

dbasrus

Hi roughseas, I was interested to read you post here, particularly about registering a car to a Gib reg'd company. This is something I would like to do, but I don't ever envisage bringing the car physically to Gib. Can it be done remotely, would you say? I've also read that there is no import duty to pay for a company car, if you can confirm?
thx

kenjee

Hello dbasrus

please note that this thread has been inactive since 2012 and you may not get any response.

Kenjee
Expat.com Team

dbasrus

Thanks kenjee. Yes a long shot ;) but I thought maybe someone is still listening...

GrumpyOldBloke

dbasrus wrote:

about registering a car to a Gib reg'd company. This is something I would like to do, but I don't ever envisage bringing the car physically to Gib. Can it be done remotely, would you say?
thx


Last person I know who tried that went to jail

Grumpy

dbasrus

Reason being? I'm just talking about a Gib company owning a car although the car is driven elsewhere..

GrumpyOldBloke

Who is to say if the car is as you describe it or stolen etc.

It will have to be examined along with all documents to prove it is genuine and you are the owner.

I believe this would apply in any country

It will also need an MOT

Regards

Grumpy

TLafferty

Have you looked into whether you are able to get insurance and accident cover under this arrangement?  This is what put me off bringing my own British car to Gib under UK registration.  I would also look into the finer point of this deal: Did what you read mean importing the car and not paying duty, or keeping the car registered in UK?; and check that this is ok for used cars and not just new.

If you don't get a more helpful response, the Gibraltar HMRC website should have the info you need.

dbasrus

I've imported a car from France to UK. They don't come out to the car park to inspect it, they just check the papers.

But you're right, the mot could likely be a problem.

dbasrus

TL, what was the problem with your ins? I drove a uk-reg car abroad for some years with Uk ins. I paid for an 'annual green card' and didn't have a problem.
I read a comment that private individuals importing a vehicle to Gib pay duty, but companies don't. Not sure where now, though..
Theoretically shouldn't matter if new or used. It's just a change of ownership.

TLafferty

I'll look into that, thanks.  I could only find a 90 day overseas insurance, which was expensive.  I raised the point because you may not get UK insurance on a Gib registered vehicle.  But if this green card thing is workable, I will look into that for myself.  Used cars seem to be quite dear on the peninsula.

GrumpyOldBloke

To the best of my knowledge all vehicles being imported into Gib have to pay duty ( there are certain exceptions for the military )
If it is a private importation you will have to report to customs at the frontier who will assess it's value by looking at it's condition etc. and charge duty payable on the spot. You then have to purchase and fit number plates, make an MOT appointment when it will be thoroughly examined for authenticity etc as well as tested.
If it fails there are no refunds.

Companies who hold vehicle import licenses can import at reduced rates.

Even new cars are required to be examined at the vehicle testing station ( MOT ) but this is generally more of a paper exercise to validity and that the number plates are correct etc.

GrumpyOldBloke

TLafferty wrote:

I'll look into that, thanks.  I could only find a 90 day overseas insurance, which was expensive.  I raised the point because you may not get UK insurance on a Gib registered vehicle.  But if this green card thing is workable, I will look into that for myself.  Used cars seem to be quite dear on the peninsula.


Gibraltar insurance companies issue 12 month green cards automatically

Insure with

http://www.ibexinsure.com/car-insurance … e-benefits


Grumpy

GrumpyOldBloke

My apologies the above post should read

I insure with

http://www.ibexinsure.com/car-insurance … e-benefits


Grumpy

benpike

Do you know much about registering a Gib car back in the UK? It was first registered in Uk, taken to Gib and now its back.

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