Number Plates for Imported Cars
Once your imported car has been registered in Ireland and you have received its Irish registration mark, you can order the matching printed plates. Whether the car came from Japan, the UK or Northern Ireland, use the new Irish registration rather than the number on the plates it arrived with.
Start with your assigned Irish registration
Ordering number plates after import comes after the registration step. We print the registration you enter; we do not register the car or issue a new registration mark. Keep your assigned Irish details to hand and copy the year prefix, county code and numerals into the designer. Check each group before continuing so the plates match the registration your car has received.
Cars arriving from the UK or NI
A car imported from the UK or Northern Ireland may arrive with its previous registration plates still fitted. Once registered here, it must display the Irish registration assigned to it on Irish-specification plates front and rear. Our NCT Approved Number Plate has black characters on white reflective sheet, the county name in Irish and the standard blue EU band. Use that option for road use, not a show style.
Check the plate space on a Japanese import
If you are looking for plates for a Japanese import, check the mounting space as well as the registration. We currently offer the standard oblong plate, measuring 520mm × 110mm. Measure the space on your own car before ordering and contact us if you are unsure whether that size will fit. The Irish registration is what goes on the plate, not the original Japanese registration format.
Preview and order your Irish plates
With the registration and size confirmed, open the designer and inspect the preview. Check the front-and-rear quantity and keep the road-legal style selected for everyday driving. Irish plates for an imported car are ordered through the same existing basket as our other printed plates. Current prices and choices appear in the designer. Every order is checked by hand in Dublin and sent by tracked delivery, so there is no separate import-plate ordering process.
Frequently asked
Can I order before I receive my Irish registration?
You need the assigned Irish registration to enter the correct year prefix, county code and numerals.
Can I use my old UK or NI number?
Once the car is registered in Ireland, it must display its assigned Irish registration on Irish-specification plates.
What size should I choose for a Japanese import?
We currently offer 520mm × 110mm oblong plates. Measure your mounting space and contact us if you are unsure about the fit.
Do you register imported cars?
No. We print plates using the Irish registration you provide after the vehicle has been registered.