Importing a Car - Help

[Martin4356111]

Morning,

I have bought a tax free car in Cyprus and I'm planning on bringing it back to the UK. However, I'm mega confused over the rules, particularly those surrounding what I need to drive it away and the registration processes.

I plan on having the car shipped in via Southampton or Enfield. When it arrives, it will still be on Cypriot plates, have a valid Cypriot MOT and Cypriot road tax. The plan was to insure the car for a month or so on chassis number and then change when the registration process has been completed.

So I have some questions if anyone with prior experience can help?

1. Can I drive my car away from the port whilst its still on its Cypriot plates and insured on the chassis number? Does anyone have experience of insuring on a chassis number?
2. How long do I have to complete the registration process and how difficult is it?
3. When I collect the car from the port, what do they need to see? Proof of insurance, log book etc?

I was thinking of having a company take car of the collection and paperwork for me but they are quoting around £800. That included:

Collection from the port (80 miles)
Agency Fee
New registration plates and fitting
Storage
Road tax
Delivery (35 miles)
First Registration Fee
VCA Certificate

The car is a UK/EU spec, right had drive and clocks are in MPH.

Any advice would be amazing.

[catso]

Martin4356111 said:

Can I drive my car away from the port whilst its still on its Cypriot plates and insured on the chassis number? Does anyone have experience of insuring on a chassis number?

I imported a motorbike from Italy. Before being able to register it I needed to get an MOT, this meant riding it to the centre so I needed insurance. I got it insured on the frame (chassis) number and was then able to ride it.

IIRC the ins. co. sent me a cover note for 30 days? not sure if they would have been happy to extend the cover note though as I didn't ask and didn't need to as it wasn't my only form of transport.

As to registration, very straightforward once the NOVA declaration was done (no VAT due as was 30+ years old). Filled in the relevant form, sent it off with the MOT and Italian documents plus the registration fee and road tax fee and got a V5 with age related plate and tax within around a week.

Presumably this is easier within the EU? and so could become more complicated after March...

[anothernameitist]

Think a rule now a days is that a UK resident l can't drive a car registered in another EU country on UK roads.

In effect you are seen as potentially evading RFL

NOVA is also needed

Might be best to get the car transported home on a trailer and save the hasle

[catso]

Further thinking about the insurance on chassis number, whilst this may well be OK I assume you can't purchase road tax without a UK plate?

In my case it was OK as I only needed insurance to get to the MOT and you don't need road tax to go to/from an MOT test but using it on the road afterwards would be illegal unless you could get RFL.

[Olivergt]

Could you arrange for an MOT on the day you collect it from the port?

As mentioned you don't need RFL to drive for an MOT. You will be able to get insurance using the VIN etc.

So:
Pick up from Port
Drive to MOT Station - get MOT
Drive home.

You then need to sort the rest of the paperwork.

I'm assuming it is ok to leave a foreign registered vehicle parked on the road, it's just the driving of it that is prohibited.

[Martin4356111]

Thanks for the replies so far.

The car will be registered and taxed in Cyprus and it won't need an MOT as it's only a year old.

Just not sure where I stand in terms of driving away from the port.

[hutchst]

anothernameitist said:

Think a rule now a days is that a UK resident l can't drive a car registered in another EU country on UK roads.

In effect you are seen as potentially evading RFL safety cameras and s.172 of the RTA

NOVA is also needed

Might be best to get the car transported home on a trailer and save the hasle

Fixed

[CanAm]

anothernameitist said:

Think a rule now a days is that a UK resident l can't drive a car registered in another EU country on UK roads.

Is that a law or a rule? And if so, whose rule?

If my mate comes over from Germany, with his nice car, all taxed and insured (for ANY driver, being German insurance) it seems pretty stupid that I can't drive it!?
I can see the point where Mario from the Italian restaurant down the road seems to have been driving his car on Italian plates for a couple of years.

[W124Bob]

Interesting point about a UK resident not being allowed to drive a vehicle registered in another country, except in this case (and in any case where the car is being permenantly imported)the vehicle isn't registered in it's home country, surely marked as exported, therefore in a sort of no mans land . Does the Cypriot paper work show it as exported , I had an article a few years ago, UK classic car dealer spots a nice French registered 60's Merc . Car is resident in Paris , our dealer flys over and drives the car back to Macclesfield .

[Prinny]

Can’t comment on the legalities of driving the car here, but I do recommend the Enfield based shipper - they have done me a couple of cars over to Cyprus, no issues at all & will be using them again this year.