France is the closest place on the continent to buy or keep a car, yet people still picture a pile of customs forms the moment it has to cross the Channel. In practice it is the shortest and simplest European route we run. Many French cars are already sitting in the UK, driven over by their owners, and need nothing more from us than the paperwork.
- Transit time
- About 1 to 3 days
- Usual method
- Our own transporter, or drive it over
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
- Price
- Priced per job
Two ways to get it across
The first is to let us collect it. Our own euro multi-car transporter is in Europe every week, and from France the road leg usually takes about 1 to 3 days. We sometimes use more than one transporter on a job, so ask us for the timing on your car. It is fully insured in transit, and we can collect from, or deliver to, wherever suits you.
The second is to drive it yourself. Plenty of people do, especially when they are moving back. You will need temporary insurance for the trip and a valid driving licence, and we clear the car through UK customs once you land.
| Feature | We collect it | You drive it over |
|---|---|---|
| Time on the road | About 1 to 3 days | Your own journey |
| Insurance in transit | Included | Temporary cover you arrange |
| UK customs entry | We make it | We make it |
The map is an illustration: the road leg runs north to the Channel and the car crosses to Dover, whichever of the two ways you choose.
Customs and import tax from France
Since Brexit, a car coming in from France is an import, so it needs a customs entry. As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we make that entry ourselves. The tax is 20% import VAT on the price of the car plus the transport, and no duty if the car was built in the EU or the UK.
Built somewhere else, and the picture changes. A Japanese or American-built car bought in France pays 10% duty on top of the VAT, because duty follows where the car was made, not where it was registered.
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you have lived outside the UK for over 12 months and owned the car for over 6, Transfer of Residence can make it tax and duty free. A car that was UK-registered before may come home tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C, which our guide to bringing a UK car back home covers.
VAT is worked out from the purchase invoice. If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead.
Your France paperwork
0 of 7 done
What a French car needs for UK roads
French cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right. Three things usually change:
- The headlight beam pattern, adjusted or the lights replaced
- A second rear fog light, because French cars usually have one on the left only
- A speedometer reading in mph
The fog light is the French quirk. UK rules want one in the centre or on the offside, so a car with a single lamp on the left gets another. On cars over 10 years old, the changes generally come down to that rear fog light.
Headlight stickers are sold for this, but they are a temporary fix and do a far poorer job than adjusting or replacing the lights. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains how we do it, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one.
Emissions parts
Most EU-made cars already meet UK standards. The exception is a car that has had emissions parts removed, such as the DPF or catalytic converter, which can be a problem at testing. If your car is heavily modified, tell us at the quote stage so there are no surprises.
Registration, often without the car visiting us
How the car is approved depends on its age. For an EU-built car under 10 years old, the usual route is a Certificate of Conformity, which we can source if you do not have one. Without one, the car takes an IVA test instead.
| Feature | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years old | Certificate of Conformity, or an IVA test |
| 10 to 40 years old | MOT, plus the lighting and speedometer changes |
| Over 40 years old | No MOT needed |
Most French cars are registered remotely. If the car is already here and the work is done, we check the documents and handle the DVLA application without it coming to Castle Donington. Cars that need changes or testing come to our site, where Shipping a Car, as part of My Car Import, runs one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain.
Either way, we submit NOVA to tell HMRC the car has arrived, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days. A car over 40 years old needs no MOT and can be delivered to your UK address before it is registered.
What it costs
We do not publish a guide price for France. Where the car is, whether we collect it or you drive it, and what it needs at this end all change the number. Send us the details and we will price the whole job.
Check the rear fog light before you set off. If it is on the left only, the car will need a second lamp before registration. It is a small job, but it is better to know at the start.
Comparing France with other routes? Our guide to importing a car from Europe sets out what every EU car has in common, and the France country page has the short version.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to bring a car from France to the UK?
About 1 to 3 days by road on our transporter. Ask us for the timing on your car, as we sometimes use more than one transporter on a job.
Can I drive my French car to the UK myself?
Yes. You need temporary insurance for the trip and a valid driving licence. We then clear the car through UK customs and handle the registration.
Do I pay import tax on a car from France?
Usually 20% import VAT on the price plus transport, with no duty if the car was built in the EU or UK. A car built elsewhere pays 10% duty as well. Transfer of Residence can make it tax free if you are moving here.
Why does my French car need another fog light?
French cars usually have a single rear fog light on the left. UK rules want one in the centre or on the offside, so a second lamp is fitted.
Can my French car be registered without coming to you?
Often, yes. Most French cars are registered remotely once the work is done. Cars that need changes or an IVA test come to our site in Castle Donington.
Got a car in France to bring over? Send us the details on the quote form.
