Romania and Bulgaria are about as far across Europe as a car can come by road, and the distance puts people off. It is still one road journey, one customs entry at this end and the same UK steps as any other EU car. The only real difference between the two countries is who you speak to before the car leaves.
- Usual method
- Road transport, ferry or container
- Price
- Priced per job
- Transit time
- Usually 1 to 4 weeks door to door
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
How the car gets here
We can collect from your address anywhere in Romania or Bulgaria and bring the car over by road. From Romania the route runs west through Hungary and Austria, and from Bulgaria it heads up through central Europe, both ending at the Channel and Dover. Or drive it over yourself and we clear it through UK customs once you land.
Door to door, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks once collection and customs are allowed for. The distance makes the longer end of that more likely, so plan around it.
Before it leaves: Romania and Bulgaria compared
| Feature | Romania | Bulgaria |
|---|---|---|
| Registration authority | DRPCIV, through its county offices | Traffic Police, Ministry of Interior |
| Export as a reason | Ask the office where the car is registered | Listed as a ground for ending registration |
| Key documents | Confirm with DRPCIV | ID, registration certificate Parts I and II, written note of the export |
Bulgaria: the Traffic Police
Bulgarian vehicle registration sits with the Traffic Police of the Ministry of Interior. Export out of Bulgaria is one of the listed grounds for ending a car's registration at the owner's written request, and you apply at a Traffic Police unit of the Sofia or regional Directorate of Interior.
The Ministry asks for:
- Your identity card
- The vehicle registration certificate, Parts I and II
- Your written information about the export of the car out of Bulgaria
- Proof of the right to act for the owner, if a company owns the car
The application is generated by the Traffic Police system for you to check and sign, and the Ministry lists the service as issued immediately. The plates normally go back, unless the car has already been registered in another country.
Romania: DRPCIV
In Romania, vehicle registration and deregistration (radiere) are handled by DRPCIV, the directorate for driving licences and vehicle registration, through its county offices. Ask the office where the car is registered what it needs for a car going permanently to the UK, and what it gives back.
Keep the original registration documents. We need the car's registration document to register it in the UK. If the authority keeps a part, make sure you leave with the part or paper it says to use abroad.
Import tax from Romania and Bulgaria
Both countries are in the EU, so a car from either usually pays 20% import VAT on the price plus transport. There is no duty if it was built in the EU or UK, which takes in Dacias built in Romania. A car built elsewhere pays 10% duty on top.
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used. The import tax calculator gives a rough figure, and the worked examples show the sums.
If you have lived outside the UK for over 12 months and owned the car for over 6, you may import it tax and duty free under Transfer of Residence, through an HMRC application. A car that was UK-registered before may come back tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C; see bringing a UK car back home.
Customs and NOVA
We clear the car through UK customs ourselves as HMRC CDS authorised agents. HMRC must be told within 14 days that it has arrived, through the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA). The DVLA will not register the car without it, and we file it as part of clearance. Our guide to customs clearance for imported cars covers the detail.
Changes for UK roads
Romanian and Bulgarian cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right. Before registration, the headlight beam pattern needs correcting, the speedometer has to read in mph, and a rear fog light may need adding. On cars over 10 years old it usually comes down to the fog light.
We do this on our own site. See speedometer and headlight conversions and left-hand drive cars in the UK.
Testing and registration
For an EU-built car under 10 years old, the usual route is a Certificate of Conformity, which we can source if it is missing. Without one, the car takes an IVA test. Cars over 10 years old take an MOT, and cars over 40 need no MOT and can be delivered to your UK address before registration.
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain and test on site every week. Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days, and most EU cars already in the UK can be registered remotely.
Your Romania or Bulgaria paperwork
0 of 6 done
What it costs
Both countries are priced per job. The distance, where the car is and what it needs here all change the figure. The estimator covers the tax, and the shipping costs page explains what goes into a price.
For more, see importing a car from Europe, or the Romania and Bulgaria country pages.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to bring a car from Romania or Bulgaria?
Door to door, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks. These are long road routes, so allow for the longer end.
How do I deregister a Bulgarian car for export?
Apply to a Traffic Police unit of the Ministry of Interior with your ID, the registration certificate Parts I and II and written information about the export. The Ministry lists the service as issued immediately.
Who handles deregistration in Romania?
DRPCIV, through its county offices. Ask the office where the car is registered what it needs for a permanent move to the UK.
Do I pay import tax on a car from Romania or Bulgaria?
Usually 20% import VAT on the price plus transport, with no duty if it was built in the EU or UK. Transfer of Residence can make it tax and duty free if you are moving here.
Can I drive the car to the UK myself?
Yes. Drive it over and we clear it through customs at this end. Most EU cars can be registered remotely, unless they need work or an IVA test.
Bringing a car over from Romania or Bulgaria? Send us the details on the quote form.
