High-powered luxury cars being brought into the Republic from Northern Ireland and Britain will be targeted in a clampdown on Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) fraud.

It will focus on Irish drivers who take top of the range cars across the border and falsely declare them as basic models in order to pay less VRT.

From next week, these imported cars will have to be first assessed by the National Car Test service in the Republic, which will find out if the documentation match the cars.

They will then send a report to the Revenue Commissioners who will determine the due tax.

Until now the Revenue has largely taken the word of the owner. This means drivers can declare a top of the range car as a basic model and save a lot of money illegally.

The changes follow concerns by the Road Safety Authority, gardai and politicians about VRT fraud.

A spokesperson for the Revenue Commissioners confirmed staff do not currently examine all vehicles for registration.

From September 1 next, all imported vehicles will have to be brought to an NCT centre for a registration assessment.