Getting Car Transport to Ireland Quotes is Easy on Shiply
Save up to 75% off standard ratesI need to move
Why over 685,170 people use Shiply:
- Free Quotes with no obligation
- Save Money - up to 75% off standard rates!
- No Hassle - quotes come to you by email, no need to phone around!
- Read previous feedback reviews before accepting any quotes
Recently Completed Move on Shiply:
Vauxhall/Opel Omega
Orig: Blackpool
Dest: Limerick
Competitor Price Quote: £486.00
Price on Shiply: £375.00
Estimated Saving: £111.00
If you need to get a car across to Ireland then all it requires is a little forethought and planning and a ferry. When it comes to transporting the car, you can either do it yourself or hire a car transporter.
Before Shipping your Car
Whether it’s going to Dublin, Belfast or anywhere else in Ireland you should run some checks before your car is shipped.
Basic documents: Ensure that the car travels with all the correct paperwork including registration and MoT documents.
Running/faults: If you are shipping a running car, then make sure it works OK, especially if it hasn’t run in a while. Make note of the running condition of your vehicle so you can compare it when it reaches Ireland.
Cleaning and checking: Clean up your car inside and out, this will help you spot any damage as well as reduce wear from dirt and wind on the paint finish.
Taxation: Unless your car is going to Ireland temporarily (<12 months) then it will be subject to Vehicle Registration Tax, which comes to around 25% of the value of the vehicle. Taxation is also affected by the CO2 emissions if registered after 2008.
If you’ve owned your car for more than 6 months you’re exempt, unless you decide to sell it within a year of your Irish residency.
Foreign students may extend the 12 month exemption from VRT to the duration of their studies if importing cars to Ireland.
VAT: If you’re importing a new vehicle, it will be subject to VAT and customs duty. New is defined as less than 6 months old, or having travelled less than 6,000km.
Insurance: You will need to insure your car with an Irish insurer too, make sure to coincide the cancellation of any existing policies with your new one.
However you choose to move your vehicle it will need to travel by ferry at some point in its journey. If being imported from mainland UK then the closest port is Liverpool, meaning it’s likely it will have to get there first.
Ro-Ro ferry: A roll on roll off service is going to be the cheapest way to import a car to Ireland, driving it yourself can help further reduce costs. Alternatively you can hire someone to get the car to the ferry for you and either hand over to you or load it on, meaning you pick it up in Ireland.
If you can find a driver who already needs to come over to Ireland then you could save a great deal on importing it.
Trailer transport: If you’re shipping a classic car or an un-roadworthy car you may want to employ the services of car towing or trailer service. Having your car loaded onto an individual transport can be expensive, but will likely ensure its safety.
Alternatively multiple car transports do sometimes load onto ships, so finding one with spare capacity could save you money (this one’s not an option for nonstarters however).
Container shipping: Perhaps the most secure method of car shipping to Ireland would be to have your auto shipped inside a container, these can either be individual or shared, with sharing being the cheaper option.
Car Transporter Credentials
Before you hand over the keys, you want to make sure that you’re hiring a reputable service, ask the driver some questions to make sure you’re getting a trustworthy transporter.
Insured: Any professional car delivery service will have vehicle transporter cover, you can ask to see their details if you’re unsure.
Membership: It’s not essential, but hiring a service that is part of a recognised association of car transporters can give you some peace of mind. Such associations make sure its members conform to high standards of service.
The most important thing to remember when hiring a car transporter is ask questions if you’re unsure.
If you’re in need of an Irish importer or can’t be there to oversee your car’s transportation personally then Shiply can help you find a suitable car transporter.
Listing your car on Shiply will allow you to receive car delivery quotes to Ireland from registered transporters. Available companies will bid competitively to complete your delivery.
Then you can compare drivers based on the service they’re offering, their price and feedback they have received from other Shiply users.
Collecting Your Car in Ireland
When you go to the port to get your motor you should check a few things.
- Mileage: Check that the mile changes correspond to the trips to and from ports.
- Condition: Look for any damage that might have happened during its shipping.
- Running: Make sure that your automobile is still in the same working order as when it boarded the ship.
Registering Your Car in Ireland
If your car is joining you as a resident in Ireland then you need to do a few things once it arrives.
- Get your car inspected at the Vehicle Registration Office
- Get new number plates
- Get an Irish driving license
Once your car has made it to Ireland and is safe and sound, please leave a review or some feedback for the transporter if you found them on Shiply. The feedback helps to assist other users who need transport to Ireland.
Item |
Collection | Delivery |
Mileage |
| Mini Cooper | Edinburgh, EH6 6QB | Solihull, West Midlands, B91 3TH | 309 |
| Peugeot 106 | Manchester, Greater Manchester, M34 2FD | Perth, Perthshire, PH1 5RY | 272 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero | Belfast, County Antrim, BT4 2QQ | London, Greater London, E10 6QP | 448 |
| Lotus Excel | Southampton, SO18 2JU | Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 9RU | 109 |
| Audi A4 | London, Greater London, N14 5HU | Enfield, EN3 4QJ | 6 |
| Audi A4 | London, Greater London, N14 5HU | Enfield, EN3 4QJ | 6 |
| Nissan Micra | Deeside, Clwyd, CH5 2QZ | London, Greater London, SE15 2JR | 218 |
| Ford Mondeo | West Bromwich, B71 | Coventry, CV4 | 27 |
| Citroen C4 | Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 2JJ | Sunderland, SR2 8RS | 146 |
| Kia Rio | Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, GL17 9NA | Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 5SL | 202 |
Item |
Left By | Comments |
| Mercedes 220ce | haggis (4) | exellent!! |
| Ford Escort | jmckittrick (1) | great price a+++++++++++++ all round! |
| Bmw 2002tii | Gavinmrsh (0) | Very good service, very nice bloke, very highly recommended ! |
| Rover 75 | Count (2) | Excellent, fast, friendly and efficient service. All Good A+++ |
| Nissan Almera tino | ezekiel123 (0) | Job well done |
| Landrover Pickup | rob11 (3) | Hi Jim,Thanks again top job and spot on with timings. |
| BMW 635csi | 1machiavelli (2) | Thanks. A++++++++++++ |
| Ford Focus | xdr536n (2) | Excellent service, highly recommended - Cedric is the man ! |
| Toyota Liteace | GONEGREY (1) | Excellent service, good communications, I would use again ++++++ |
| Bmw M3 | snowced03 (2) | Great communication, Fast Delivery, Will definitely recommend Sam. :) |
Shiply matches users moving cars to Ireland with vehicle delivery companies making similar journeys. By utilising spare capacity of vehicles running on the road, Shiply helps reduce the number of otherwise wasteful journeys needed to transport the item. This leads to less CO2 emissions being emitted from delivery trucks, lorries and vans.
- Since June 2008 we estimate that Shiply has helped save 37,769,890 miles - that's about 1,510 times around the world!
- Over 13,409,971 kg of CO2 - about the same as you flying from London to New York 22,055 times!

