Since Brexit, a lot of people assume bringing a car over from France, Spain, Germany or the Netherlands has become a customs headache. It has added a step, and that is about it. The car still comes by road, it is still only a few days away, and we handle the customs side as part of the job.
This guide covers what has changed, what has not, and the order things happen in from collection to UK plates.
- Usual method
- By road, across the Channel
- From France
- About 1 to 3 days
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
- Price
- Quoted per job
Getting the car across the Channel
Most European cars come to us by road. From France and Germany, our own multi-car transporter collects the car, crosses the Channel and brings it straight to our site in Castle Donington. From further afield, such as Spain, we arrange road freight to the same place.
Timings depend on how far away the car is. From the figures on our country pages:
- France, about 1 to 3 days by road
- Spain, about 2 to 5 days by road
- Germany, about 3 to 7 days on our enclosed transporter
RoRo and container shipping are available from some countries too, if they suit the car or the timing better. From Spain, for example, a container takes around 5 to 10 days. Our comparison of container, RoRo and air sets out the trade-offs.
Driving it over yourself
Plenty of people simply drive their car to the UK, especially when they are moving here. That is fine, but you will need valid insurance for the trip and a valid licence, and the car still has to go through UK customs once you land. We can make the customs entry for you either way.
Customs still applies
This is the part Brexit changed. A car coming in from the EU is now an import, so it needs a customs entry and import tax is due. As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we make that entry ourselves. The rates are:
- 20% import VAT, on the price of the car plus the transport
- No import duty, as long as the car was built in the EU or the UK
- 10% duty as well, if the car was built elsewhere, say in the US or Japan
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence means no import tax at all. And a former UK car may come home tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C, which matters a great deal on routes like Spain, where we see plenty of British cars returning.
The import tax calculator will give you a rough figure before you commit.
Check where the car was built, not where it was sold. A Japanese or American-built car bought in France or Germany does not escape duty because it was registered in the EU. Budget for 10% duty on top of the VAT.
NOVA
Once the car is in the UK, HMRC has to be told it has arrived through NOVA. GOV.UK gives 14 days for this, including for cars that come in by ferry or the Channel Tunnel, and the DVLA will not register the car until it has been done. We submit NOVA for every car we import. Our guide to NOVA explains it in full.
Your European paperwork
0 of 6 done
Certificate of Conformity or IVA
How the car gets approved for UK roads depends on its age.
| Feature | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years old | Certificate of Conformity, or an IVA test |
| 10 to 40 years old | MOT, plus headlight and speedometer changes |
| Over 40 years old | No MOT needed |
For an EU-built car under 10 years old, a Certificate of Conformity, or CoC, confirms it was built to the approved European standard. If you do not have one, we can source it. If one genuinely cannot be found, the car takes an IVA test instead. Our guide to the Certificate of Conformity covers when you need one and what to do if it has gone missing.
Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, and we run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain. If the car does need an IVA, it is tested on the same site where it is converted.
Headlights and other changes for left-hand drive
European cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right. That means a few changes before they are legal here:
- Headlight beam pattern adjusted, or the lights replaced
- A speedometer reading in mph
- A rear fog light where needed
Headlights are the one people try to shortcut with beam stickers. They are available, but they do a far poorer job than adjusting or replacing the lights properly. French cars often have a rear fog light on the left only, so a second one may be needed for the UK.
Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains the options, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one day to day.
Registration
With the car approved, we register it with the DVLA. Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days, and many cars, including most from France, can be registered remotely. We make up the plates, and then you tax it, insure it and drive it away.
Until it is registered, GOV.UK says the car should not be used on a public road, other than to drive to a pre-booked MOT or approval test.
Country by country
The basics are the same across the EU, but each route has its own details. These pages cover them:
- Shipping a car from France
- Shipping a car from Spain
- Shipping a car from Germany, with our full Germany to UK guide
- Importing a car from Ireland, which works a little differently again
Questions people ask
Do I pay import tax on a car from the EU after Brexit?
Yes. A car from the EU pays 20% import VAT on the price plus transport. There is no duty if the car was built in the EU or UK, but a car built elsewhere pays 10% duty as well.
How long does it take to bring a car from Europe to the UK?
By road, around 1 to 3 days from France, 2 to 5 days from Spain and 3 to 7 days from Germany.
Can I drive my European car to the UK myself?
Yes. You need valid insurance and a licence for the trip, and the car still needs a customs entry and NOVA once it is here. We can handle both.
Does a car from Europe need an IVA test?
Usually not if it is an EU-built car under 10 years old with a Certificate of Conformity. Without a CoC it takes an IVA test. Cars between 10 and 40 years old take an MOT, and cars over 40 do not need one.
How much does it cost to bring a car from Europe?
European road moves are priced per job, because the location and the work needed vary. Send us the details on the quote form for a full price.
Got a car in Europe you want to bring home? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from collection to your drive.
