The British Virgin Islands drive on the left, like the UK, so it is easy to assume a car from there will slot straight onto British roads. Often it won't, quite. UK government travel advice notes that the majority of cars on the islands are left-hand drive, even though the traffic keeps left. So the first thing we ask about a BVI car is which side the steering wheel is on.
The good news is that either answer is routine for us. This guide covers shipping from Tortola, the work at our end and the tax.
- Port
- Road Town, Tortola
- Guide shipping price
- From £3,575
- Transit time
- Usually 4 to 8 weeks
- Steering
- Usually left-hand drive
- Import tax
- 20% VAT + 10% duty
Shipping from Road Town
Our route runs from Road Town, the capital, on Road Harbour on the south coast of Tortola. The territory's sea ports are managed by the BVI Ports Authority, and its cargo facility at Port Purcell handles containers and breakbulk cargo, with a transit shed and a container freight station on site. There is more on our Road Town port page.
We arrange collection from your address and the move to the port. If the car is valuable and you would like enclosed transport for that leg, say so on the quote form. If the car is on one of the other islands, tell us where on the quote form and we will price getting it to Tortola.
Container or RoRo
Cars from the British Virgin Islands travel in a shared container, a dedicated container or by RoRo, depending on what is sailing. A shared container keeps the cost down by splitting it with other cars. A dedicated container suits a valuable car, or one coming with household goods as part of a move.
In a container the car is strapped down and sealed in for the voyage, and the doors stay shut until it reaches our yard, where our own team unloads it. Our guide to container, RoRo or air covers the differences.
Transit between continents is usually 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the sailing. Your normal car insurance will not cover the car at sea, so we recommend our marine insurance, which covers it up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit.
The BVI paperwork
The car needs clearing to leave the islands and its local registration needs dealing with. Those steps depend on the car and your situation, so we confirm them with you when we quote rather than set them out here. Getting the ownership documents together early is the most useful thing you can do now.
Your BVI paperwork
0 of 5 done
Our list of documents to ship a car to the UK explains what each one is for.
From Tortola to your drive
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Before it sails
Collection and export
We arrange the move to Road Town and get the car loaded, by container or RoRo.
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4 to 8 weeks
At sea
The car crosses the North Atlantic.
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On arrival
Customs
As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we make the customs entry ourselves.
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At our site
Changes and testing
Our team makes the changes the car needs and tests it on our own IVA or MOT lane.
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Within 10 working days
Registration
Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car and fit your UK plates.
Left or right-hand drive
A left-hand drive car is perfectly legal to drive in the UK once it is registered. If it was built for a market that drives on the right, it usually needs:
- Headlights adjusted or replaced so they dip for driving on the left
- A speedometer reading in mph, on cars under 10 years old
- A rear fog light, where the car does not have a suitable one
A car built to North American specification may also need amber rear indicators and side markers, which our guide to converting an American car for UK roads explains. Our guide to left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one.
If your car is right-hand drive, the list is usually shorter: often a rear fog light, and an mph speedometer on a car under 10 years old. Send us the make, model, year and VIN and we will tell you which list applies.
Testing and registration
A car under 10 years old takes an IVA test. A car between 10 and 40 years old takes an MOT, with similar changes made first. A car over 40 years old needs no MOT, and can be delivered to your UK address before it is registered.
Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, and we run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, with the DVSA visiting weekly. The car is changed and tested on the same site, then registered through our dealer-level DVLA account. The IVA test explained guide covers the test.
Import tax from the British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are outside the EU, so a car bought there normally pays 20% import VAT and 10% import duty. Both are worked out on the price of the car plus the transport, with VAT on top of the duty. If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead.
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you are coming home after living on the islands, Transfer of Residence is the one to look at: more than 12 months living abroad and more than 6 months owning the car can make the import tax and duty free, with HMRC approval before the car arrives.
A car that was registered in the UK before and went out with you may also come back tax free, with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C. Our guide to bringing a UK car back home explains how that works.
Apply before it sails. Transfer of Residence is approved by HMRC before the car arrives, not after. Our guide to moving to the UK with your car covers the timing.
What it costs
The British Virgin Islands fall under our rest-of-world guide. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping starts from around £3,575. That is shipping only. It excludes registration, other services, import tax and any remedial work. Your quote prices your actual car and route.
See our shipping costs page for how the figures are built, or the British Virgin Islands country page.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to ship a car from the British Virgin Islands to the UK?
Transit is usually 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the sailing. Customs, changes and testing follow, and registration is within 10 working days once the car has passed.
Which port do cars ship from in the BVI?
Our route runs from Road Town on Tortola, where the BVI Ports Authority's cargo facility at Port Purcell handles containers.
Are cars in the BVI right-hand drive?
Traffic keeps left, as in the UK, but UK government travel advice says the majority of cars there are left-hand drive. A left-hand drive car needs headlight, speedometer and sometimes fog light changes for the UK.
How much does it cost to ship a car from the BVI to the UK?
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the rest of the world starts from around £3,575. That excludes registration, other services, import tax and any remedial work.
Can I bring my car home from the BVI tax free?
Possibly. Transfer of Residence can make it tax free if you have lived abroad for more than 12 months and owned the car for more than 6. A car first registered in the UK may also return tax free with its UK invoice and old V5C.
Send us the car's details on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from Tortola to your drive.