Registering a classic car in the UK

[DanB7290]

So, I fancy getting a Fiat 126, no particular reason other than it looks like a bit of fun. I've found one that's in there UK, in good nick and very cheap. The only problem being it's not been UK registered; it still has Polish number plates. I've looked online and all I can find is info on importing a new car to the UK or registering it as soon as it arrives. How much of a ball ache is it to do what I'm thinking?

[TooMany2cvs]

DanB7290 said:

So, I fancy getting a Fiat 126, no particular reason other than it looks like a bit of fun. I've found one that's in there UK, in good nick and very cheap. The only problem being it's not been UK registered; it still has Polish number plates. I've looked online and all I can find is info on importing a new car to the UK or registering it as soon as it arrives. How much of a ball ache is it to do what I'm thinking?

Not a ballache at all, with the possible exception of the HMRC NOVA certificate, which should be done within 14 days of it arriving. Apart from that, it's otherwise identical to a newly arrived vehicle.

[aw51 121565]

The car is, presumably, over ten years old? From memory, this means there is no VAT payable if it has been imported from outside the EU (depends when the car came to the UK - on reflection I'm muddying the waters here ).

Contact DLVA, ask them to send you a V55/5 form ( you can do this online here ). The V55/5 form used to explain the process (I hope it still does!), but in summary (and from memory)...

Insure the car on its VIN (make sure all 17 characters of the chassis number are included on the insurance certificate *ahem*) and get it MoTed (which will use the VIN in lieu of the registration mark).

Then send off the insurance certificate, MoT, completed V55/5 form with suitable payment plus enough to pay for road tax to DVLA along with proof of identity (and the relevant NOVA form? this bit is new to me ). As above, no VAT is payable - but if NOVA wasn't declared/submitted/paid/whatever to HMRC within 14 days of entry to the UK then there may be an issue - but no VAT is payable as the vehicle is over ten years old... (Perhaps HMRC will start trying to impose penalties on you for non-declaration of NOVA, though!! )

Your documents will be returned along with a new MoT certificate including the new registration mark and a certificate to get your new number plates made up.

You then need to advise your insurer of the car's new registration mark, and ask them to issue a new certificate with it on (they generally won't charge for this..)

I will add the rider that my memory may not have recalled this 100% accurately - but you will get the gist and it's not complicated (I have done it once, admittedly in the days before NOVA when the appropriate form was a V55/3, and if I can do it...) .

[DanB7290]

Cheers, sounds like a simple enough system. Only thing that is slightly concerning is the NOVA form, from what I understand it should be done as soon as possible on bringing it into the UK? The car I'm looking at has been here for 2 years.

[TooMany2cvs]

DanB7290 said:

Only thing that is slightly concerning is the NOVA form, from what I understand it should be done as soon as possible on bringing it into the UK? The car I'm looking at has been here for 2 years.

Let me know what happens... I've got a 2cv van that's been in the UK five years and a VeloSolex that's been here for AT LEAST 15 years which I'm going to need to get round to registering.

[hidetheelephants]

aw51 121565 said:

As above, no VAT is payable - but if NOVA wasn't declared/submitted/paid/whatever to HMRC within 14 days of entry to the UK then there may be an issue - but no VAT is payable as the vehicle is over ten years old... (Perhaps HMRC will start trying to impose penalties on you for non-declaration of NOVA, though!! )

I'm not sure HMRC have a practical mechanism for detecting how long a foreign registered car has been in the UK, so this may be a moot point. [tinfoil hat] Is ANPR used at all ferry terminals, is it any good at recognising/recording foreign registrations and how long are the records kept?[/tinfoil hat].

[oilspill]

My classic came from Switzerland, is over 20 years old and still had to pay VAT and duty. Using form C384.
The '10 year old' advantage is that they are exempt from the SVA test and type approval, which is nice. You state this when you fill in the V55/5 application.

With Poland now being in the EU, you will have to sign up and do the NOVA online, which was so bad last time I tried I left that vehicle unregistered. Will go back to it when I have more patience, or their I.T dept have improved it.

Edited by oilspill on Thursday 9th October 22:26

[oilspill]

DanB7290 said:

Cheers, sounds like a simple enough system. Only thing that is slightly concerning is the NOVA form, from what I understand it should be done as soon as possible on bringing it into the UK? The car I'm looking at has been here for 2 years.

Get a receipt from Poland with a recent date.

[oilspill]

TooMany2cvs said:

Let me know what happens... I've got a 2cv van that's been in the UK five years and a VeloSolex that's been here for AT LEAST 15 years which I'm going to need to get round to registering.

Track down the prev owners and get receipts with a recent date. You will need a receipt for the NOVA or the C384 (outside EU).