Exporting a car from the UK

Exporting a car from the UK

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Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
My plan is to export and drive the car from Greater London to Sweden. The car is MOT'd, insured (by a Swedish insurance company on the VIN, all documents will be with me in the car), tax is a bit trickier though, as I haven't got a UK address.
Risk it driving 60 miles to Harwich and on the ferry, try sorting tax on it somehow, or do I really have to trailer it to the ferry?

What could possibly go wrong? biggrin

AndrewEH1

4,917 posts

152 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
Finlandia said:
My plan is to export and drive the car from Greater London to Sweden. The car is MOT'd, insured (by a Swedish insurance company on the VIN, all documents will be with me in the car), tax is a bit trickier though, as I haven't got a UK address.
Risk it driving 60 miles to Harwich and on the ferry, try sorting tax on it somehow, or do I really have to trailer it to the ferry?

What could possibly go wrong? biggrin
I guess the question is, when was it last taxed? 60 miles isn't far, but could be slightly awkward should you be stopped.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
Tax expired last year, so I guess it will be listed as non taxed on all databases.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
To be legal as a temporary import to another country, it has to be legal in the country it's registered in. So MOT, tax, UK insurance on a UK-reg vehicle.

Are you a Swedish resident? If so, the Swedish government may restrict you from driving a foreign-registered vehicle on Swedish roads, as there would be if it was all happening the other way around.

Who's it registered to currently? Clearly not you. They're the ones who are going to get a stroppy from any ANPR you trip.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
To be legal as a temporary import to another country, it has to be legal in the country it's registered in. So MOT, tax, UK insurance on a UK-reg vehicle.

Are you a Swedish resident? If so, the Swedish government may restrict you from driving a foreign-registered vehicle on Swedish roads, as there would be if it was all happening the other way around.

Who's it registered to currently? Clearly not you. They're the ones who are going to get a stroppy from any ANPR you trip.
I am a resident in Sweden, there are no restrictions on driving foreign cars in Sweden, or registering foreign cars even if they technically would be illegal to drive in the country of (previous) registration. The car is at a dealer, they will MOT it before the sale. It's just the tax bit for the 60 mile drive to Harwich that is slightly iffy.

AndrewEH1

4,917 posts

152 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
How is the V5 getting dealt with at the dealer? Being posted straight to the DVLA saying it's been exported?

Problem is that you don't have a UK address. I guess you could maybe use dealer plates? I don't know how legal that would be though, or how willing the dealer could be to that.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
AndrewEH1 said:
How is the V5 getting dealt with at the dealer? Being posted straight to the DVLA saying it's been exported?

Problem is that you don't have a UK address. I guess you could maybe use dealer plates? I don't know how legal that would be though, or how willing the dealer could be to that.
All paperwork, with a permanent export notification, would be sent to the DVLA on the day I pick the car up. Dealer plates would be one option, if the dealer would agree on it. Maybe pay the dealer to drive the car to the port would be another option.

AndrewEH1

4,917 posts

152 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
Also, this being PH what car is it? Photos from Sweden once you arrive please!

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
It's nothing special, a Volvo C70 T5, but they are >6x the money over here, plus they are rustbuckets compared to the UK ones.

I can show you a photo of the one I've got now, it blew its bloody engine recently hehe

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
You'll need the entire V5c except for the sections marked for when the car is sold to the trade or exported.

How far is the dealer from the port? I used to drive stuff there that was sold for export for a nominal fee.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
quotequote all
I can't remember the exact Vs, 5s and letters now hehe
When I have done this before everything has worked fine, filled in the documents, sent off the export notification to DVLA, dealer had taxed the car for half a year in advance (which was later sent in for refund), but as I understand it you can't do this under the new tax rules.

That would of course be another option, pay someone to drive it 60 miles and take the risk for me biggrin

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
German transit plates,

http://www.transit-plate.com

Fill out all the online forms before you leave your home country, Arrive in the UK, remove UK plates and put the transit plates on and your good to go smile

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
CDB1983 said:
German transit plates,

http://www.transit-plate.com

Fill out all the online forms before you leave your home country, Arrive in the UK, remove UK plates and put the transit plates on and your good to go smile
Isn't that just for Germany?

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
Roo said:
CDB1983 said:
German transit plates,

http://www.transit-plate.com

Fill out all the online forms before you leave your home country, Arrive in the UK, remove UK plates and put the transit plates on and your good to go smile
Isn't that just for Germany?
That's how I understand it too, brilliant idea though.

KevinCamaroSS

11,555 posts

279 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
Finlandia said:
I am a resident in Sweden, there are no restrictions on driving foreign cars in Sweden, or registering foreign cars even if they technically would be illegal to drive in the country of (previous) registration. The car is at a dealer, they will MOT it before the sale. It's just the tax bit for the 60 mile drive to Harwich that is slightly iffy.
It will also come up as uninsured on the insurance database.

IMHO you should tax it by month, pay the first payment, then cancel it when you arrive in Sweden. Take out some short term insurance and it is all legal.

Le TVR

3,092 posts

250 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
I've done this.
Once the certificate of permanent export is issued the UK tax is cancelled and will be refunded in around a month.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
Roo said:
CDB1983 said:
German transit plates,

http://www.transit-plate.com

Fill out all the online forms before you leave your home country, Arrive in the UK, remove UK plates and put the transit plates on and your good to go smile
Isn't that just for Germany?
No, you can get international ones.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
KevinCamaroSS said:
It will also come up as uninsured on the insurance database.

IMHO you should tax it by month, pay the first payment, then cancel it when you arrive in Sweden. Take out some short term insurance and it is all legal.
I can't do that though as I don't have a UK address. It is insured on the VIN, so as long as I get stopped by a real police, I can produce all documents, except for the tax. I've done this before, the insurance, but the new tax rules make it impossible for me to tax it.

Will have another look at the German transit plates.

Le TVR

3,092 posts

250 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
Finlandia said:
but the new tax rules make it impossible for me to tax it.
As I said, once you apply for a certificate of permanent export the tax is cancelled anyway. Even if you manage to get it taxed it will be cancelled as soon as the certifcate is issued.

Finlandia

Original Poster:

7,803 posts

230 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
quotequote all
Le TVR said:
Finlandia said:
but the new tax rules make it impossible for me to tax it.
As I said, once you apply for a certificate of permanent export the tax is cancelled anyway. Even if you manage to get it taxed it will be cancelled as soon as the certifcate is issued.
Missed this bit smile

Once the document confirming permanent export arrives at DVLA the tax is cancelled, but what happens before that? The paperwork would be posted on the day I pick up the car, so basically I would be driving an untaxed car, or am I missing the point entirely?

Looks like the German transit plates or dealer plates would be my best option, or then risking it in the dark, the ferry leaves Harwich at 11pm.