Norway sits right next to the EU without being in it, so a car from there is a non-EU import. That label puts people off, but the job itself is close to home and well trodden. We collect, ship, clear customs and register the car on UK plates.
- Route
- RoRo, container or by road
- Price
- Priced per job
- Transit time
- Usually 1 to 4 weeks door to door
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, duty depends on the car
How the car gets here
Cars from Norway come either by sea or overland. At sea, RoRo is the quicker option at typically around 1 to 3 days, and a container generally takes around 5 to 10 days but keeps the car sealed. Overland, the car travels south through Sweden and Denmark and on to the Channel.
Weather, customs and port congestion can all shift those times. Door to door, allowing for collection and booking, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks. Our guide to container, RoRo or air compares the methods, and we will recommend the one that suits your car.
Import tax from Norway
Import VAT is 20%, worked out on the price you paid plus the cost of transport. If the purchase invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead.
Norway is outside the EU, and My Car Import's standard rate for a non-EU car adds 10% duty. That is the figure to budget for. The UK does have a free trade agreement with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and a separate one with the EU, so a car whose origin can be proved under one of them may pay less. Duty follows where the car was built, not where you bought it.
Whether that applies to a used car is something we check case by case, and we confirm it on your quote. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty either way. The worked tax examples show the sums in pounds.
Moving to the UK
If you have lived in Norway for at least 12 months and owned and used the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence means no import tax or duty. Apply to HMRC before the car ships. A car that was UK-registered before may also come back tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C. See bringing a UK car back home.
Budget for duty until we confirm otherwise. Planning on 20% VAT plus 10% duty means the only surprise, if there is one, is a smaller bill.
Customs and NOVA
We clear the car through UK customs ourselves as HMRC CDS authorised agents. HMRC also has to be told within 14 days that the car has arrived, through the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals, or NOVA. Without it the DVLA will not register the car, so we submit it as part of clearance.
Making it UK road legal
Norwegian cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right, so the usual changes apply:
- Headlights adjusted or replaced for driving on the left
- A speedometer reading in mph
- A rear fog light where needed
We do the work on our own site. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions covers how, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one day to day.
Testing and registration
- Under 10 years old: an IVA test, which we carry out on site
- Over 10 years old: an MOT, with changes generally coming down to the rear fog light
- Over 40 years old: no MOT needed, and the car can be delivered before registration
A government IVA slot can take weeks, if not months, to get. We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain and test every week. Once the car passes, our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days. Our IVA test guide explains what the test involves.
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Before it moves
Quote and tax check
We price the route and confirm whether duty applies to your car, plus any Transfer of Residence paperwork.
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Collection
Out of Norway
The car is collected and travels by RoRo, container or road, whichever suits it.
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Arrival
Customs and NOVA
We clear the car through UK customs and tell HMRC it has arrived within the 14 days.
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At our site
Conversion and test
Headlights, speedometer and fog light are sorted, then the car takes its IVA test or MOT.
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Registration
UK plates
We apply to the DVLA, usually within 10 working days of the car passing.
Your Norway paperwork
0 of 6 done
What it costs
We do not publish a guide price for Norway, because European routes are priced per job. The method, where the car is and what it needs to pass its test all change the figure. The estimator below uses the standard non-EU rates, so it shows the cautious case.
Questions people ask
Do I pay import duty on a car from Norway?
Norway is outside the EU, so our standard rate is 20% VAT plus 10% duty. A car whose origin can be proved under a UK trade agreement may pay less, and we confirm which applies on your quote. Cars over 30 years old pay 5% VAT and no duty.
How long does it take to ship a car from Norway?
RoRo typically takes around 1 to 3 days and a container around 5 to 10 days. Door to door, allowing for collection and customs, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks.
Does a Norwegian car need an IVA test?
Under 10 years old, yes, and we carry it out on our own site. Over 10 years old it needs an MOT, and over 40 years old no MOT at all.
Can I bring my car from Norway tax free?
If you are moving to the UK after at least 12 months living abroad and have owned and used the car for at least 6 months, Transfer of Residence means no import tax or duty.
What changes does a car from Norway need?
Headlights adjusted or replaced for driving on the left, a speedometer reading in mph, and a rear fog light where needed.
Send us the car's details on the quote form and we will price the whole job, duty check included.
