Check which records to keep for second-hand vehicles you move to Northern Ireland for resale
Find out what records and invoices you need to keep as part of the second-hand motor vehicle payment scheme.
The second-hand motor vehicle payment scheme allows you to claim a VAT-related payment if you:
- buy an eligible second-hand motor vehicle in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
- move that vehicle to Northern Ireland with the intention to resell it in Northern Ireland or to the EU
To claim a payment under the scheme you must keep specific information as part of your record keeping.
If you buy second-hand motor vehicles in Great Britain and move them to the EU for resale, find out more about your record keeping requirements.
What must be included in your stock book
To use the payment scheme, you must keep a stock book. The stock book must be kept separate from any records you maintain for a second-hand margin scheme.
The stock book must record the following details for each motor vehicle on which a claim is made:
- stock book reference number for each vehicle in numerical sequence
- date of purchase
- purchase invoice number
- purchase price
- name of seller
- description of the vehicle (including make, model, engine size and colour)
- DVLA or Isle of Man Vehicle Licensing logbook reference number
- vehicle identification number or chassis number
- vehicle registration number
- date of first registration
- date the vehicle is moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
- value on which claim is based (if different from the purchase price)
- date that the vehicle is sold
- sales invoice number
- name and address of buyer
- selling price
- details of how the vehicle was disposed of (if not sold)
What must be included on purchase invoices
When you buy a vehicle that you intend to claim a payment on, you must get an invoice from the seller that includes:
- date of purchase
- seller’s name and address
- your name and address, or that of your business
- the vehicle’s unique stock book number (if you bought the item from another VAT-registered business)
- invoice number (unless you made out the purchase invoice yourself)
- vehicle description
- total price — you must not add any other costs to this price
- if you bought the vehicle from another VAT-registered business under the margin scheme for second-hand goods.
If you are buying from a private individual or an unregistered business, you must make out the purchase invoice yourself.
Documents that show you have moved the vehicle from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
You must keep documents for each vehicle on which you make a claim which shows it has been moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
The documents must show the:
- mode of transport involved
- route of the movement (for example, the port of exit)
- date of departure of the vehicle
- delivery address for the vehicle
Examples of documents you should keep include, but are not limited to:
- travel tickets
- details of any haulier or other courier who makes the movement on your behalf — including any invoices they have issued and information they have provided to you
You should also keep any documents showing the:
- name of any ferry or shipping company
- date of sailing
- airway number and airport
- road consignment note
- courier dispatch paperwork
- bill of lading
- airwaybill
Keeping records you use for the scheme
As well as the records in this guidance, you must keep the usual VAT records when you use this scheme
All records must be kept for 6 years. If this causes you serious storage problems or undue expense, you should contact VAT general enquiries.
HMRC may allow some records to be kept for a shorter period.
How to calculate the value of eligible motor vehicles
Find out how to calculate the final purchase price on eligible motor vehicles using the scheme.
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 May 2023 + show all updates
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Information about what should be included in your stock book has been updated.
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First published.