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Purchasing a car and getting an Irish driver's license under a short-term visa

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KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/20/2016 17:01 EST

Looking at the cost of car rentals in Ireland, including full insurance, it appears to be more economical (and convenient) to purchase car to keep at my house even if I am only using it for three months at a time.

Can a Visa holder with no permission to remain in Ireland beyond 3 months be able to purchase a car and get an Irish driver's license? Even if permitted, is it practical or even possible to get a license under these circumstances? Would an insurance company give you a policy?

dave8408e
  10/20/2016 18:53 EST

Car dealers don't care who they sell cars to, so long as you can prove you're insured, and the insurance agencies are happy to take your money even if you're not a citizen. If you're only here for three months at a stretch, you're still just a visitor in the eyes of the government, so no driver's license other than one from your home country will be necessary.

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KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/20/2016 20:32 EST

Thanks Dave. I do not wish to avoid getting an Irish license. In fact, I prefer it as it will lower my insurance premiums. Just wondering what is practical given that Ireland may not allow me to reside year-round. Also want to know if I can even get insurance without an Irish licence. I keep hearing that one year is all the insurance company will allow before they cancel if you don't have an Irish license. Is this correct? And are these hard and fast rules?

dave8408e
  10/21/2016 04:32 EST

I've been here 29 months. Purchased a car straight away after arrival, purchased insurance and after a year there was no problem with renewing the policy without an Irish license. Oddly enough, most locals saw their insurance premiums rise sharply this year, but ours went down a couple of Euro. We're paying around €800 a year for a 2012 Peugeot SUV.

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 04:48 EST

Thanks again, Dave. Your experience seems pretty hassle-free. May I ask who is your insurance with? Maybe some are more restrictive than others? Mostly just worried that it may take me some time to get an irish license given my residency restrictions so it would be nice to know there is no gun to my head to get it..

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 04:49 EST

Thanks again, Dave. Your experience seems pretty hassle-free. May I ask who is your insurance with? Maybe some are more restrictive than others? Mostly just worried that it may take me some time to get an irish license given my residency restrictions so it would be nice to know there is no gun to my head, figuratively speaking.

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mover01
  10/21/2016 10:58 EST

Are you from USA? I would take it that you are using your American driving license? You say you are here on short-term visa 1.5 years. You can drive in Ireland under your American license for a year. If you live here then you have to get an Irish license. What insurance company are you using. I am here living for over four years. I had to get a provisional license, take 12 EDT lessons and will have to take road test. Insurance under a provisional license is well over 1000 euros and that is if you are fitted with a telemetric box. Without it is cost prohibitive. There is not a great deal of less involved with a new license you are considered like if you were right out of highschool. I decided after 9 EDT lessons and trying to adjust to a manual car lesson that it is not worth it. I am not sure how you managed to get insurance other than something to do with your Visa status.

dave8408e
  10/21/2016 15:03 EST

We're through Alianz, but the best, least hassle way to get car insurance, at least for the first go-around, is to go to an insurance broker who will do all the leg work for you in return for a small commission. When I first arrived, I'd gladly trade a few € for convenience and expediency.

DebAckley
  10/21/2016 17:16 EST

We got our insurance thru a office in Killarney...it was 750 euros for the 2 of us to drive...I can look it up for you if you are interested. We had a little Alfa Romeo (sp)...

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 17:20 EST

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KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 17:20 EST

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KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 17:20 EST

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KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  10/21/2016 17:28 EST

Thanks Deb. I think I have that information from one of your previous posts. Seems like the right way to go based on your and Dave's comments. I will let everyone know how it goes in a few months. I expect to purchase a car when the 2017 models come out, either a 2017 model or a discounted 2016.

Now I hear that my road test must be taken on a car with manual transmission otherwise I will have a limited license. I want to buy an automatic so I can let friends/family from the State use it when they visit.
Can anyone corroborate?

As an aside, does anyone know how to delete these blank posts? ExpatExchange never answered my inquiries.

DebAckley
  10/21/2016 20:50 EST

Hi! Re: car insurance. When we got ours we were told that only Pete and I could drive it under the insurance....so you may want to check to see if it covers friends and family. I think the insurance co. got it thru Allianz....
deb

villarosa
  10/24/2016 07:17 EST

Could you share the name of the insurance company you used? I've contacted several who would not insure with an Irish DL...

DebAckley
  10/24/2016 14:29 EST

We worked with Frank O'Donoghue at Gallivan, Murphy, Hooper Dolan Insurances, in Killarney.
353-64-663-4632
www.gmhd.ie
They worked with Allianz.

DebAckley
  10/24/2016 14:29 EST

We worked with Frank O'Donoghue at Gallivan, Murphy, Hooper Dolan Insurances, in Killarney.
353-64-663-4632
www.gmhd.ie
They worked with Allianz.

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:19 EST

As a follow-up to this topic, I understand the requirement to have an Irish license in order to legally drive in Ireland and to obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Does anyone know if any valid license from another EU country offers the same benefits or do, for example, insurance companies specifically require a driver' license issued in Ireland?

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:19 EST

As a follow-up to this topic, I understand the requirement to have an Irish license in order to legally drive in Ireland and to obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Does anyone know if any valid license from another EU country offers the same benefits or do, for example, insurance companies specifically require a driver' license issued in Ireland?

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:19 EST

As a follow-up to this topic, I understand the requirement to have an Irish license in order to legally drive in Ireland and to obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Does anyone know if any valid license from another EU country offers the same benefits or do, for example, insurance companies specifically require a driver' license issued in Ireland?

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:19 EST

As a follow-up to this topic, I understand the requirement to have an Irish license in order to legally drive in Ireland and to obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Does anyone know if any valid license from another EU country offers the same benefits or do, for example, insurance companies specifically require a driver' license issued in Ireland?

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:19 EST

As a follow-up to this topic, I understand the requirement to have an Irish license in order to legally drive in Ireland and to obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Does anyone know if any valid license from another EU country offers the same benefits or do, for example, insurance companies specifically require a driver' license issued in Ireland?

dave8408e
  3/21/2017 16:32 EST

Kevin, you do not need a Irish drivers license to purchase Irish car insurance. There are many people in Ireland from both EU and non-EU countries who own and operate vehicles that are tagged and insured as Irish, while their owners hang on to the driver licenses issued by their country of origin. The State might not like it, but the reality is somewhat different.

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:36 EST

Yes, Dave but its been reported a number of times in this forum that getting an "Irish" license is important in order to get lower cost car insurance. If true, I wonder if another EU license will provide the same cost benefit.

Meachair54
  3/21/2017 16:44 EST

Kev from kinsale via NYC
You have a year to obtain a drivers license in Ireland and you can get reasonably priced insurance if you have a letter from your U.S. Insurance stating your good driving record.
The othe question on other EU licenses go to NDLS.ie and there's a list of countries that Ireland will transfer one license for a drivers license, there's about 18 countries who they have exchange agreements for drivers license .

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 16:52 EST

Yes Meachair I have seen this list. My inquiry is specific to whether Irish insurance companies require an Irish license in order to get the benefit of the lowest premiums? That was what has been posted previously.

DebAckley
  3/21/2017 17:01 EST

We were told by the insurance co. (out of Killalrlney) in order to keep the car insured, we had 1 year to get an Irish license.

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 17:07 EST

hanks deb. Do you know if another EU license say from Germany would suffice?

Meachair54
  3/21/2017 17:08 EST

Kev
Dave, answered that question you don't need a Irish license to get a reasonably priced policy. I don get what you're asking about other EE countries license and insurance , if a person has another EU license that Ireland has an agreement just exchange it for the Irish license, then you will feel better thinking you're getting to best policy for the money. In reality those rules on driving with other licenses and getting a Irish license aren't written in stone. There are othe countries where it is easier to get a license, then exchange it for a Irish license. Getting a Irish license from the start especially if from non exchange country it is going to cost you a bundle even if you pass the road test on the first shot, even then you are a newbie and the insurance cost will be thru the roof!

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/21/2017 17:36 EST

Thanks for the information Meachair. Yes I am just trying to get the lowest possible cost. Also want to make sure I do not loose my insurance if I do not have an official Irish license to show after one year.

Also do not want to start from scratch with the licensing process - learners permit, classes, road tests etc. - if I can help it. Might be easier to simply get a reciprocal license from say Germany and be done with it as long as I do not pay higher insurance premiums.

Can you really exchange another EU license for an Irish license? Its all EU.

Meachair54
  3/21/2017 18:25 EST

Kev,
If you are moving from a accepted exchange country of drivers licenses with Ireland and you are going to live in Ireland for more than a year ,yes you can go to NDLS.ie for the list and recently made an agreement with Ontario , Canada, it will be explained at that site

Meachair54
  3/21/2017 18:31 EST

Kev,
Each EU country has its own countries drivers license. It is like the U.S. Every state has its own drivers license, and when moving to another state you have a year to exchange your drivers license, all you do is take an eye test and cough up the almighty dollar !

Joshuak
  3/21/2017 22:21 EST

When I lived for over a year in Wexford county I found a direct agent for Zurich (Swiss Company) in Dublin with help from a relative. I don't remember the agents details and I don't know where it might be here in my Florida documents. He asked me for a letter or invoice from my American company that showed a no claim period of 5 years and to also e-mail a picture of my Florida license, and my wife's also. I purchased a one year policy via e-mail from here in Florida prior to moving in to my rental house. It was set up to take effect the moment I e-mailed the agent a description of the car, the plate number, the vin number, the inspection date, etc. I bought 2 cars from private parties while I lived there and he just changed it from one to the other with no change in premium. Both were 10 year old cars, but in good shape. I had full coverage and the cost at that time was 480 Euro for the whole year. The important thing, according to the agent, was the no-claim report. I never spent any money on repairs with either car. And I sold both cars for more than I paid for them. The first one was automatic which is very unusual as they are scarce, and the second one was standard 5 speed. I was used to the 5 speed as I had rented standard shift cars on prior visits. Look, I have been in and out of Ireland for years. I am on my third Irish passport and in years past one could not even find an automatic car to rent or buy. Your American state drivers license is good for one year. You DO NOT need a international drivers permit. Waste of money, unless you plan to drive in a country that does not use the "roman alphabet". Even then, I was in Bulgaria and they did not require it there where I did business. (they have Cyrillic)
After one year you are supposed to start with a "learners license" which I believe you must drive on for one year before you can get "full License". As some others mentioned, it might be possible to get a license in another EU Country and then exchange it for an Irish one. Otherwise the insurance with a "junior License" is very high. For someone just staying 3 months on and off without citizenship, you only need US license. You do not need a PPS number and for 3 month stays and no passport I doubt you could get one. But in order to get a bank account, you will need a "permanent" address as with getting the car registration back also. I hope you are getting a place to rent before you move there as it will make things a lot easier. Otherwise you will get into the "Irish Snail race".

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/24/2017 13:14 EST

I stopped by two insurance brokers today in Kinsale. Both told me basically the same story. They knew of no Irish insurer currently offering car insurance policies to non-EU drivers. Apparently, the market has gotten much tighter in the last year with higher premiums and more strict requirements. One broker also told me that there is a typical requirement that the insured must live in Ireland at least 6 months out of the year.

Unfortunately, in order to live in Ireland six months out of every year, a non-EEA citizen must apply for a Stamp 0. So how can INIS think that anyone would buy a holiday home in Ireland and use it for the maximum 3 months without being able to insure a car?

Waiting on one more broker to call me back with feedback. I never heard of this six month residency requirement until now.

dave8408e
  3/24/2017 13:20 EST

You're absolutely right; this makes no sense. Please keep us informed on what you find out.

villarosa
  3/24/2017 13:56 EST

Well that takes buying that vacation home off the table for us! Wow - why would a country NOT want people who come over to do nothing but spend money, patronize restaurants, buy groceries, gifts, pay to enter museums and sights - NOT use your medical, or other services. Tourism is one of the CLEANEST industries on earth, and it's a win/win for the host country. What doesn't Ireland get about that?

villarosa
  3/24/2017 13:59 EST

Well that takes purchasing that vacation home in Ireland off the table for us! What country would NOT want people who come over only to spend money, patronize restaurants, hotels, buy groceries, etc - and NOT use your medical system and other benefits. Tourism is the cleanest industry on earth and it's a win/win for the host country. What doesn't Ireland get about that?

Joshuak
  3/24/2017 23:08 EST

Yes, All the brokers I contacted in Wexford county told me the same thing back in 2013. I think the key word is "Irish" insurance company. Perhaps you need to find a EU company outside Ireland ? Another company I contacted before I got my insurance with Zurich was a American company called "liberty Mutual" which does business in Ireland, at least they did in 2013 - 2014. They were slightly higher than Zurich. They all seem to have the most interest in the 5 year claim free history and proof of that from your stateside company. The first question every Broker I contacted asked was if I had a "Full Irish license". The second question was if I had a license from another EU country. When I told them I had "full" Florida license they said none of the Irish companies they deal with would take American drivers. I guess we have a bad reputation ? If one is going to buy a Holiday home, just tell the insurance people you are insuring for a full year. The other thing is to speak with whoever is going to insure your home. Maybe that would give them incentive to insure your car too. You need to talk with a direct representative from those insurance companies. Forget the Agents. The Zurich guy I got mine through worked directly for Zurich. He was located in their office in Dublin.

MARGO625
  3/25/2017 04:32 EST

Kevin, This being Ireland it often helps to know someone. My experience dates from several years ago but I too called insurance companies and was told no. A friend of a friend was a car dealer and he was sourcing a car for me. I told him I didn't think I was going to be able to get insurance and he said 'leave it with me.' So when I arrived he met me at the airport with the car, drove me to his home where his wife gave me breakfast, then we went to the town to see an agency that he apparently knew. I signed some papers, showed my American license and a letter stating I had no claims and I was on my way. They were all under the impression that I was going to be living permanently in Ireland. Remember there is no coordination between insurance companies and the INIS. Most Irish people do not know anything about the INIS rules and stamps. Too much information is not necessary. It might be helpful to first establish some connections even if it means renting a car for a while. Also the Irish are often put off by the directness of Americans. I am learning to approach whatever it is I want in a round about manner and find I have much more success that way. Hope this helps.

KevinfromKinsaleviaNYC
  3/25/2017 09:04 EST

Thanks Joshua and Margo. Good advice. Not sure I want to deal with all this hoop-jumping but let's see what happens.

villarosa
  3/25/2017 09:12 EST

One thing I would worry about - if they provided the insurance based on you being a full-time resident - if you ever have a claim and they discover you aren't, they may decline coverage - and if it's a major claim, that may leave you in a tough situation... Insurance companies do do their homework when it's a major claim.

Joshuak
  3/26/2017 23:15 EST

Ireland is a free country. People come and go without insurance companies being notified. No one can forecast if one may have to travel back to their home country for a while. As long as you intend to keep insurance on the car for the whole year, even if you re not there for a "short time", no insurance company is going to check to see if you are there all the time. Hey, Irish citizens sometimes leave for 3 - 4 months. "Big Brother" is not there to check on your travels. You don't need to show a passport or PPS card to buy and insure a car. The Zurich representative I worked with was more interested in claim free proof, and also that I would stay with them for at least one year or more. Yes, I have Irish passport, but he never asked for that. So if they don't ask, don't volunteer any thing not asked for. If they do ask then tell them you expect to keep the car at your Holiday home for years to come even though you may not be there all the time. And don't forget, if you are buying a place, and you need insurance for the property, tell them you want to have both with the same company. If you are not buying, you will need an address so you can receive postal mail. If you are renting, maybe you want to buy renters insurance ? In other words, give the insurance people more business and you might find they can give you car insurance as well. Once you get insurance with a company, it would be best to stay with them and not worry about needing any Irish license at all. Once you get insurance, I doubt the second year they would ask any questions about citizenship or license information. And if all else fails, buy a car from a dealer and have him find insurance for you. He will !! Margo625 has it correct.

MARGO625
  3/27/2017 10:44 EST

I have been driving on an American license for 7 years, my friends here have been doing so for more years than that. The insurance agencies know it, they have never said we have to get Irish licenses. And although I have not had any claims, my friends have and the insurance paid up, no questions asked about licenses.

villarosa
  3/27/2017 10:59 EST

Did you have any difficulty regarding insurance when you purchased your car?

proactiv
  9/30/2019 13:26 EST

Do you mind sharing which insurance agency/agencies you have used for your insurance? We are U.S. citizens who are purchasing a property in Donegal and will also purchase a car.

Thanks much!

FlowerFairy
  9/30/2019 20:14 EST

We used AVIVA and had a letter from our insurance company in Australia confirming we had no claims in the past five years.

Tmlough
  9/29/2020 19:22 EST

Is this still the case? If so, which insurance company do you use! I have been hearing €2,000/year from other new residents. Do you have an EU license? I imagine that makes it cheaper.

Tmlough
  9/29/2020 19:22 EST

Is this still the case? If so, which insurance company do you use! I have been hearing €2,000/year from other new residents. Do you have an EU license? I imagine that makes it cheaper.

Tmlough
  9/29/2020 19:27 EST

Hi Deb,

Do you still have this insurance? It would be great to get something this cheap.

Muddled
  10/1/2020 14:05 EST

Depending on which EU country you are referring to you may be able to exchange it for an Irish license.
https://www.ndls.ie/holders-of-foreign-licences.html

dbarnwell
  10/6/2020 17:20 EST

Kevin
You say you have a house in Ireland? But only a tourist visa?
Odd.

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