The fear with an import is not any single step. It is forgetting one, and finding out when the car is already at sea or sitting in a port. A list fixes that.
This is the whole import on one page, from choosing the car to driving it on UK plates, split into stages. Tick things off as you go and the page will remember where you got to in this browser. It works for any country. If your car is coming from Japan, the Japanese import checklist adds the Japan-specific items.
- Stages
- 8, from buying to driving
- Tell HMRC
- Within 14 days of arrival
- Biggest single check
- The build date
- Before it ships
- Paperwork and ToR approval
1. Before you buy
Most of the cost and work is decided here. The build date sets the test and the tax, and the paperwork decides whether the car can be registered at all.
Before you buy
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Read buying a car abroad safely and car shipping scams before money changes hands. If the car was built outside the EU but is being bought inside it, rules of origin explains why it may still pay duty.
2. Cost it properly
The bill has four parts, and the surprises come from leaving one out. Tax is worked out on the price plus the cost of getting the car here, with VAT charged on top of any duty.
The full cost
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The shipping costs page has our guide prices, and the import tax calculator runs the tax. A quote from us prices every line above.
3. Paperwork
Getting documents to us before the car ships is what keeps customs short at this end. Some countries add their own, all listed in documents to ship a car.
Documents to send us
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Transfer of Residence comes first. If you are relying on it, apply to HMRC before the car ships. We need the reference to clear the car tax free. The conditions are in Transfer of Residence.
4. Before it ships
A car that leaves in good order is less likely to need work at this end. How it travels also sets a few rules, set out in container, RoRo or air.
Getting the car ready
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Preparing your car for shipping has the full inspection list, and marine insurance explains the cover.
5. At sea
Time at sea is usually 1 to 4 weeks within a continent, 4 to 8 weeks between continents, and around 6 to 10 weeks from Australia and New Zealand. There is less for you to do here, but a couple of things are worth having ready.
While it travels
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The bill of lading explains why that document matters, and how long shipping takes breaks down the timings.
6. On arrival
This stage is ours when we handle the import. We are HMRC CDS authorised agents with our own customs staff, and container cars come to our private facility in Castle Donington, where our own team unloads them.
When it lands
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The detail is in customs clearance and NOVA explained. If anything is damaged, damage in transit covers what to do.
7. Changes, testing and registration
The car stays on our site through all of this. The changes are made in our workshop, then it is tested on our own lanes, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register it within 10 working days of a pass.
To UK plates
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See the IVA test, MOT for imported cars and form V55/5. If a test does not go to plan, what happens if an import fails its test explains the next steps.
8. On the road
GOV.UK says an import cannot be used on a public road until these steps are done, except to reach a pre-booked test. Once the car is registered, a few last things make it legal and sorted.
Ready to drive
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Insuring an imported car, road tax, recalls and ULEZ each have their own guide. For the story behind each stage, read how to import a car to the UK.
Questions people ask
What do I need to import a car to the UK?
The car's current registration document, proof of purchase and photo ID, plus any export documents its country needs. If you are moving here and claiming Transfer of Residence, you also need your HMRC reference before the car ships.
What is the first thing to check before importing a car?
The build date. It decides whether the car takes an IVA test or an MOT, and whether it pays 5% VAT as a car over 30 years old or the standard rates.
When do I have to tell HMRC my car has arrived?
Within 14 days of arrival. This is NOVA, and the DVLA will not register the car without it. When we handle your import, we make the NOVA for you.
Do I need an EORI number to import my car?
Usually not, if the car is for your own personal use. A business importing a car needs a GB EORI number.
Will this checklist save my progress?
Yes, in the browser you are using. Ticks are stored on your device only, so they will not follow you to another phone or computer.
Want us to take most of these boxes off your hands? Tell us about the car on the quote form.
