A bike in France, Germany or Spain is close enough to ride home, and that is exactly what makes people nervous. Since Brexit there is customs to think about, and a European bike is set up for the wrong side of the road. Neither is a big job. Most European bikes have the paperwork that makes approval quick, and the trip itself is a matter of days.
- 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
- Priced per job
Getting the bike across
European moves come by road rather than sea, so we price them per job instead of using a guide figure. The worldwide £1,250 starting price is for bikes in shared sea containers, which is not how a bike from Lyon or Munich usually travels.
The safest way to move a bike by road is in a long-wheelbase transporter with loading ramps and proper fastening points, strapped at the wheels so the suspension is not compressed. As a guide to timings from 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 by road
Further afield, a crated bike in a container is an option too. Our comparison of container, RoRo and air sets out the trade-offs.
Riding it over yourself
Plenty of people do, especially when they are moving here. GOV.UK sets out the steps for a vehicle you bring in yourself by ferry or the Channel Tunnel: tell HMRC within 14 days that it has arrived, make an import declaration if HMRC says tax is due (a customs agent has to do this for you), then get the bike approved and registered.
We can make the customs entry either way, so talk to us before you set off rather than after. If you are a visitor rather than an importer, our guide to using a foreign-registered vehicle in the UK explains the different rules that apply.
Customs and import tax
A bike coming in from the EU is an import, so it needs a customs entry and import tax is due. We make that entry ourselves as HMRC CDS authorised agents. The tax is worked out on the price plus the transport:
- EU or UK-built bike: 20% import VAT, no duty
- Built anywhere else: 10% duty and 20% VAT, with VAT on top of the duty
- Over 30 years old: 5% VAT and no duty, if it meets HMRC's conditions
- Moving to the UK: nothing to pay under Transfer of Residence, if you qualify
Where was the bike built? Plenty of bikes sold in Europe were made in Japan, the USA or elsewhere. A bike built outside the EU or UK pays 10% duty on top of the VAT, even if it has spent its whole life in France. A BMW, Ducati or Triumph is worth checking too, because the badge does not tell you the factory.
A former UK bike coming home may be tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C, which comes up a lot on routes like Spain. The import tax calculator gives you a rough figure before you commit.
NOVA
Once the bike is in the UK, HMRC has to be told it has arrived through NOVA. GOV.UK gives 14 days, including for vehicles that arrive by ferry or tunnel, and the DVLA will not register a bike until it is done. We submit NOVA for every vehicle we import. Our guide to NOVA explains it in full.
The CoC and partial MSVA
This is where a European bike has the advantage. Most bikes sold new in the EU have European type approval, shown on a Certificate of Conformity, or CoC. For a bike under 10 years old, that CoC opens the door to the partial MSVA rather than the full test.
| Feature | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Under 10, with a CoC | Partial MSVA: headlight, speedometer and, on mopeds, mirror |
| Under 10, no CoC | Full MSVA |
| 10 to 40 years old | MOT |
| Over 40 years old | No MOT, if not substantially changed |
GOV.UK says the partial test takes about 15 to 20 minutes and costs £12 including VAT. Before it, the bike needs a headlight suitable for driving on the left, a speedometer showing mph or mph and km/h together, and, on a moped with one mirror, that mirror on the right. A pass gets a Minister's Approval Certificate, which goes to the DVLA with the original CoC.
Some bikes built before 2016 have an older style of CoC. GOV.UK says these may be accepted, but the DVLA can reject one without the latest emissions information, and then the bike needs a full MSVA. Our guide to the MSVA test covers both versions, and Certificate of Conformity explains the document itself.
Why the test is on our site
The partial MSVA is voluntary, so GOV.UK says you cannot ride the bike to it. You have to arrange transport. We were the first privately owned MSVA test centre in the UK, and the test is done on our own lane, so the bike goes from the transporter to the workshop to the lane without another trip.
What changes on a European bike
European bikes are set up for traffic on the right, so the headlight is the usual job. The speedometer is the other, because most read in km/h. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains the options. On bikes over 10 years old the mph change is not needed to register, but we recommend it.
Your European bike paperwork
0 of 7 done
No CoC? Ask us before you assume the full test. Once the bike passes, we register it with the DVLA through our dealer-level account, then you insure it, tax it and ride. For the four-wheeled version of all this, see importing a car from Europe, and for route detail, our pages for France, Spain and Germany.
Questions people ask
Do I pay import tax on a motorbike from the EU?
Yes. 20% import VAT on the price plus transport, and no duty if the bike was built in the EU or UK. A bike built elsewhere, such as in Japan, pays 10% duty as well.
Does a European bike need an MSVA?
If it is under 10 years old and has a CoC but is set up for driving on the right, it takes the short partial MSVA. Without a CoC it takes the full test. Older bikes usually take an MOT.
Can I ride my bike from Europe to the UK myself?
Yes, many people do. GOV.UK says you tell HMRC within 14 days, make an import declaration through a customs agent if tax is due, then get the bike approved and registered. We can handle the customs side.
How long does it take to bring a bike from Europe?
By road, around 1 to 3 days from France, 2 to 5 days from Spain and 3 to 7 days from Germany.
How much does it cost to ship a motorbike from Europe?
European road moves are priced per job, because the distance and work needed vary. Send us the details on the quote form.
Got a bike in Europe? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price it from collection to plates.
