7,843 used (imported) cars were licensed for the first time in Ireland in October 2026, according to the Central Statistics Office table TEM27, published on 10 November 2026. That is 945 more than the 6,898 licensed in October 2025, a rise of 14%. Across January to October 2026 the CSO counts 78,050 such cars, up 31% on the 59,683 for the same ten months of 2025, and already 6,446 more than the 71,604 for the whole of 2025.
In CSO terms, a car is counted in the month it is first licensed. That can fall after the month it was registered. If you're weighing a direct import, this is the official count of used (imported) cars licensed in Ireland in October 2026.
Quick Answer
- 7,843 used (imported) cars were licensed in Ireland in October 2026, up 14% on October 2025 (CSO TEM27).
- Jan–Oct 2026 (78,050) has already passed the whole of 2025 (71,604) by 6,446.
- The CSO counts first licensing in Ireland. It doesn't record where a car came from.
What does the CSO figure count?
The number comes from CSO table TEM27, the row for "Secondhand Private Cars" across all licensing authorities and all fuel types. The CSO publishes it each month in its release Vehicles Licensed for the First Time. The October 2026 edition went out on 10 November 2026.
The CSO calls these cars "used (imported)". It counts the month a car was licensed, not the month it landed at Dublin or Cork. The CSO also warns that vehicles registered in the latter part of a month may not be licensed until a later month, because of the time lapse between registration and first licensing.
So the figure is a count of licensings, not arrivals. A car that cleared customs in late September and was licensed in early October sits in the October total.
How has the figure moved over 14 months?
Every month from January to October 2026 came in above 7,000 cars, with January's 7,028 the lowest. October's 14% gain is the smallest year-on-year rise since August 2025's 12%, so the growth rate has eased even though the count stays high. The table below runs from September 2025 to October 2026.
Source: CSO TEM27, checked against the CSO PxStat API on 13 November 2026
| Month | Cars | Same month a year earlier | Change |
|---|
| Sep 2025 | 6,770 | 5,393 | +26% |
| Oct 2025 | 6,898 | 5,454 | +26% |
| Nov 2025 | 6,413 | 5,124 | +25% |
| Dec 2025 | 5,508 | 3,706 | +49% |
| Jan 2026 | 7,028 | 4,827 | +46% |
| Feb 2026 | 7,654 | 5,454 | +40% |
| Mar 2026 | 7,955 | 5,917 | +34% |
| Apr 2026 | 7,732 | 5,537 | +40% |
| May 2026 | 7,519 | 6,144 | +22% |
| Jun 2026 | 7,714 | 5,448 | +42% |
| Jul 2026 | 8,508 | 6,640 | +28% |
| Aug 2026 | 8,084 | 6,048 | +34% |
| Sep 2026 | 8,013 | 6,770 | +18% |
| Oct 2026 | 7,843 | 6,898 | +14% |
Jan–Oct 2026 (78,050) is already 6,446 more than the whole of 2025 (71,604), with November and December still to be published.
Read any single month with care. Late registrations spill into the next month, so one month can look stronger or weaker than the underlying flow.
What does this mean for a buyer?
If you're weighing a direct import, the CSO series shows a large and steady flow. More than 7,000 used (imported) cars were licensed in Ireland in each month of 2026 so far. An imported car is an ordinary purchase here, not an unusual one, and the NCTS registers vehicles on Revenue's behalf.
The market total tells you nothing about what your own car will cost. Import VAT depends on the car's CIF value. VRT depends on its CO2 band and the Open Market Selling Price Revenue sets, plus the NOx charge, which depends on its NOx figure. Check the cost breakdown on a specific listing rather than reading anything into a national count.
Who does what on a Japan import?
The seller is Carbarn LLC in Japan, and its responsibility ends when the car is handed to the shipping line at the Japanese port. Everything after arrival in Dublin or Cork is the buyer's job, either in person or through a customs agent. The steps run in this order.
- Customs. The buyer or their agent lodges the customs declaration in Revenue's Automated Import System, which needs an EORI number. They pay any customs duty, then import VAT at 23% of the CIF value plus that duty, as set out on Carbarn's import rules and regulations page.
- NCTS booking. The buyer books the NCTS appointment within 7 days of the car entering the State, per Revenue's VRT and registration page.
- VRT and registration. The buyer pays VRT at that appointment and registers the car within 30 days of entry, per the same Revenue page.
- Sea time. Allow 28 to 45 days at sea on a monthly RoRo sailing.
There is no warranty, guarantee or finance on a car bought this way. The sale is as described in the auction sheet and inspection report. The order of payment, inspection and shipping is set out on the how to buy page.
Want to see what Japanese auction lots look like?
Carbarn lists live lots from Japanese auction houses for buyers in Ireland, with the auction sheet, grade and photos shown before you decide. You set a target bid in yen on the live auction page, and a refundable card deposit starts a Japan-side inspection. An invoice follows only if the bid wins. If it loses, the deposit is refunded or moved to your next car.
What doesn't this figure show?
The CSO figure is a count of licensings in Ireland and nothing more. It doesn't say where the cars came from, what they cost or what condition they were in. Four limits matter most for a reader sizing the Japan route.
- No country of origin. The CSO doesn't record where a used (imported) car was first registered, so these are not all Japanese cars.
- Licensings, not imports or sales. A car that landed but hasn't yet been licensed isn't counted. A car sold twice is counted once.
- Timing lag. Cars registered late in a month may be licensed in a later month, in the CSO's own words.
- No prices, models or condition. The table has no make, model code, odometer km or price fields.
Method and sources
The series above is CSO table TEM27, statistic "Secondhand Private Cars", all licensing authorities, all fuel types, as published at data.cso.ie. All 28 monthly values and both January–October sums were checked against the CSO PxStat API on 13 November 2026. The 7,843 headline and the +14% change also appear in the CSO's October 2026 release, and the 6,898 comparison in its October 2025 release. The 7-day and 30-day rules come from Revenue's VRT and registration page, linked above. No SIMI, Autobiz or Japan Customs counts are used.
