Most of the cars we register from Europe are driven to the UK by their owners and are already here, simply requiring the import registration processing with the DVLA. We can however handle the whole process of getting your car from any EU member state to the UK.
We mostly truck the cars by road on fully insured transporter vehicles, but also offer roll on roll off shipping services from more remote areas.
Tax Guidelines for Imports
When importing a car from Europe to the UK, you can do so completely tax free providing the vehicle is both over 6 months old and has covered over 6000km from new.
When importing a new or nearly new vehicle, the VAT must be paid in the UK so please don’t hesitate to run any queries past us in reference to planning your import taxes prior to purchase.
Pre-registration Type Approval and Modifications
Vehicles Under 10 Years Old
On arrival in the UK, your vehicle will need to comply to UK type approval. We can either do this with a process called mutual recognition or through IVA testing.
Every car is different and every manufacturer has different support standards for assisting their clients through the import process, so please enquire so we can discuss the optimum speed and cost option for your individual circumstances.
We manage the whole process on your behalf, whether that be dealing with the homologation team of your vehicle’s manufacturer or the Department for Transport, so you can relax in the knowledge that you will be legally registered with the DVLA in the shortest time possible.
Left hand drive cars from Europe will require some modifications, including those to the headlight pattern to avoid glare for oncoming traffic, the speedo to display the miles per hour reading and the rear fog light if it is not already universally compliant.
We have built an extensive catalogue of the makes and models of vehicle we have imported so can give you a quick cost estimate of what your individual car will require.
Vehicles Over 10 Years Old & Classic Cars
Over 10-year-old cars and classics are type approval exempt, but still require an MOT test and certain modifications prior to registration. The modifications depend on the age but are generally to the headlights and rear fog light.
UK Number Plates & DVLA Registration
As we successfully lobbied for our clients to have access to our own My Car Import dedicated DVLA Account Manager, on passing the testing phase, the registration can be approved far quicker than alternative methods.
We can then fit your new UK number plates and have the vehicle ready for either collection or delivery to a location of your choice.
A streamlined, convenient process that has been tailored over many years, importing a car from Europe to the UK couldn’t be easier. To run through your requirements and find out more, contact us today on +44 (0) 1332 81 0442.