An old Chevrolet C10 or Ford F-100 is one of the easiest ways to get a slice of America on a British driveway. They are simple, tough and full of character, and spares are easy to find. The worry is usually rust, and whether a truck that has spent decades working for a living can be made legal here. It can, and because these trucks are old, the UK rules are on your side.
This guide covers Chevrolet, GMC and Ford pickups from the 1950s to the 1980s. For the wider picture on any older vehicle from the States, see importing a classic American car.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Import tax
- 5% VAT, no duty, if it qualifies
- MOT
- Not needed over 40, if unchanged
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
The trucks people bring over
Most requests fall into a few groups. All of them are left-hand drive, most are regular cab half-tons, and plenty have a V8 or a big straight six.
| Feature | 1950s trucks | 1960s and early 70s | Square body (1973 on) |
|---|---|---|---|
| In brief | Rounded early Chevrolet, GMC and Ford F-100 trucks | The first C10s and the 1967 to 1972 Chevy and GMC, plus F-100s | The boxy C10 and GMC that ran into the 1980s |
| UK test | None if not substantially changed | None if not substantially changed | None if built before October 1986 and unchanged, MOT after |
| Import tax | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty |
| Rear fog light | Not needed | Not needed | Needed if first used from 1 April 1980 |
C10 is Chevrolet's name for the two-wheel-drive half-ton, and the K10 is the four-wheel-drive version. GMC sold the same trucks under its own badges. Ford's equivalent is the F-100. A long bed truck takes noticeably more room than a short bed one, which matters when it comes to shipping.
Rust states and dry states
Where a truck has lived matters more than how shiny it looks. States in the north and Midwest salt their roads in winter, and a truck from there can be rotten underneath while the paint still looks good. A truck from a dry state in the Southwest, such as Arizona, Nevada or parts of California and Texas, has usually kept far more of its original steel. Sun-faded paint and a cracked dashboard are cheap to fix compared with new cab corners and a floor.
These were working vehicles, so look for signs of a hard life too: a bent chassis from heavy loads, a tired bed floor and plenty of filler.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 9 done
If you can, have an independent inspector look at the truck in person. A day of someone else's time costs very little next to a new floor pan.
Restomods and modified trucks
Classic pickups are some of the most modified vehicles in America. Lowered suspension, modern crate engines, disc brake conversions and new interiors are everywhere. That is fine to drive, but it changes the import in two ways.
- HMRC's 5% rate is for vehicles in their original state. Restoration is fine, but a modernised, hot-rodded or restomod truck is the kind HMRC's guidance leaves out, so it is likely to pay the standard rates.
- The MOT exemption for vehicles over 40 years old does not apply if the truck has been substantially changed. GOV.UK counts replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the vehicle works.
Ask before you buy. If the truck has a newer engine or a different chassis, send us the details first. GOV.UK suggests emailing the Tariff Classification Service before purchase if you are unsure whether the 5% rate applies.
Tax at 5%
A vehicle over 30 years old that qualifies as historic pays 5% import VAT and no duty. Today that means anything built before October 1996, which takes in every truck in this guide. Here is a £20,000 truck at our USA guide shipping price of £1,450, so the tax is worked out on £21,450.
| Feature | Qualifies as historic | Does not qualify |
|---|---|---|
| Duty | £0 | £2,145 (10%) |
| VAT | £1,073 (effectively 5%) | £4,719 (20% of £23,595) |
| Total import tax | £1,073 | £6,864 |
If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead of the price. Our guide to the 5% historic VAT rules explains what HMRC looks for, and the import tax calculator runs your own numbers.
MOT, vehicle tax and licences
A vehicle built or first registered more than 40 years ago, which today means before October 1986, does not need an MOT as long as it has not been substantially changed. It must still be roadworthy, so we put older vehicles through an MOT as a check when we register them. A late square body built after that date takes a normal MOT.
Vehicles built before 1 January 1986 can also go into the historic tax class, with no vehicle tax to pay. You have to apply for it. A classic half-ton pickup sits well under 3,500kg gross weight, so a normal car licence covers it. Our guide to importing a pickup truck explains why that weight matters on bigger trucks.
Lights
Older American trucks usually need less lighting work than modern ones. A vehicle first used before 1 April 1980 does not need a rear fog light, and pre-1980 American vehicles largely avoid the lighting issues newer ones have. Headlights set up for driving on the right still need attention, and a square body first used from April 1980 needs a fog light fitted too.
Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads covers the details, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with the wheel on the left.
Shipping in a container
For a classic truck, a container is the usual choice. It is strapped down and sealed in, out of the weather, and comes straight to our site in Castle Donington to be unloaded by our own team. It does not need to run, which helps with a project truck. Many vehicles share a 40ft container with other customers' vehicles, which splits the cost, or you can have one to yourself. Our guide to shared and sole containers compares the two.
We collect from anywhere in the USA and truck it to the port. East Coast sailings take around 2 weeks and West Coast around 4, with about 2 weeks before that for paperwork and loading. US Customs normally wants the title before the truck leaves, and shipping a car from the USA covers the whole journey. For cover once it is here, see insuring an imported car.
Questions people ask
Can I import a Chevrolet C10 to the UK?
Yes. A C10 follows the same route as any classic from the USA: shipping, customs, any lighting changes, then DVLA registration. Most are old enough to skip the MOT if they have not been substantially changed.
Does a classic pickup need an MOT in the UK?
Not if it was built or first registered more than 40 years ago, which today means before October 1986, and has not been substantially changed. It must still be roadworthy.
How much import tax is there on a classic Ford F-100?
If it qualifies as historic, 5% import VAT and no duty, worked out on the price plus shipping. A modified or restomod truck may pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead.
Is a truck from Arizona or California better?
Usually, yes. Trucks from dry states tend to have far less rust than ones from states that salt their roads in winter. Always check photos of the underside whatever the state.
Do I pay road tax on a classic pickup?
Not if it was built before 1 January 1986, once you apply for the historic tax class. The exemption is not automatic.
Found your truck? Send us the listing on the quote form, with the cab style and bed length, and we will price the whole job.
