Exporting a car from Germany to UK

[JMDVAN]

Would anyone know how to export a car out of Germany to the UK?
My main issue is what documentation / Customs clearance do I need to export the car out of Germany?
Is this something I can do myself or point me in the direction of an agent who could help?
Car is nine years old. I understand I have to Pay VAT and duty importing to UK.
Thanks

[grombot]

JMDVAN said:

Would anyone know how to export a car out of Germany to the UK?
My main issue is what documentation / Customs clearance do I need to export the car out of Germany?
Is this something I can do myself or point me in the direction of an agent who could help?
Car is nine years old. I understand I have to Pay VAT and duty importing to UK.
Thanks

I do!

Will you be collecting the vehicle yourself or using a transporter to move it for you?

[JMDVAN]

I am going to have to have it transported. No way to collect myself with covid restrictions.

[grombot]

JMDVAN said:

I am going to have to have it transported. No way to collect myself with covid restrictions.

You'll need the purchase invoice, and a copy of the German registration.

You need a German customs agent to do the EU export declaration. They will probably need the details and consent of the seller in Germany. The document is called an EUA.

For import into the UK you will need to have an import declaration completed by a UK customs agent. This is the point at which you pay the 10% duty and 20% VAT.

Is the vehicle EU built? You could claim preferential origin and avoid the 10% duty if so under the UK/EU trade deal.

Once the vehicle is UK customs cleared your agent should send off for a NOVA. Once the NOVA is issued you can approach the DVLA for registration.

[JMDVAN]

Thanks for the info, an ideas where I can find an agent to process the exporting paper work in Germany? My transport guy is coming from Italy but has no contacts in Germany.

[grombot]

JMDVAN said:

Thanks for the info, an ideas where I can find an agent to process the exporting paper work in Germany? My transport guy is coming from Italy but has no contacts in Germany.

BLG AutoTec GmbH & Co. KG
Martina Müller
Tel.: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]

Let me know if you go for it, and need help this side.

[Unbusy]

Isn’t it possible to drive the car back on a UK licence? Obvs with insurance.
I think I read on here before that it isn’t possible but there was no reason given. Since you can drive a hire car with a foreign registration, why not one you bought?
Asking as I’m looking to do similar. Germany or Italy to my UK home and then get a UK registration completed.

[zzrman]

Unbusy said:

Isn’t it possible to drive the car back on a UK licence? Obvs with insurance.
I think I read on here before that it isn’t possible but there was no reason given. Since you can drive a hire car with a foreign registration, why not one you bought?
Asking as I’m looking to do similar. Germany or Italy to my UK home and then get a UK registration completed.

You may not be able to get insured on a foreign reg car.

FWIW I bought a car in Germany in November 2018 and exported it to Andorra. So EU to non EU as is yours. German car was put on temporary plates and insurance. Bike was then registered with German Customs as about to be exported. When I got to Andorra the French side of the border scanned the forms already referred to and the bike was thereupon officially exported from the EU. This enabled me to claim the VAT back - this may not be an issue for you with a 9 year old car.

[grombot]

Unbusy said:

Isn’t it possible to drive the car back on a UK licence? Obvs with insurance.
I think I read on here before that it isn’t possible but there was no reason given. Since you can drive a hire car with a foreign registration, why not one you bought?
Asking as I’m looking to do similar. Germany or Italy to my UK home and then get a UK registration completed.

You could, and you'd probably have no problem. However it is illegal for a UK resident to drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK....

[Unbusy]

Thanks for the help chaps. Damned inconvenient though, I mean surely a driving licence lets you drive? Might be cheaper having a European guy drive it back rather than pay for a transporter. I have more questions but don’t want to hijack the thread anymore!

[Tyre Smoke]

grombot said:

You could, and you'd probably have no problem. However it is illegal for a UK resident to drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK....

That is poorly worded. A foreign national may be resident in the UK and drive a vehicle from their home country quite legally in the UK for a period of time, usually 12 months.

[W124Bob]

German DVLA issue temp export plates if required allowing you to drive the car, subject to it being road legal. They can be valid for a max of 30days dependent o the fee you pay. Personally I would take UK insurance out using the VIN , the issue of the legality of driving it on UK soil has puzzled me. Surely the car isn't registered anywhere, German system shows it as an export and it's not yet registered in the UK to you. Can owners still do factory collection of their new Merc/Porsche?(Covid excepted).
There was an article I've tried to find in one of the classics mags a few years ago were they did drive their new(to them) 70's Ford Transit LWB van back to the UK, it was full German fire brigade spec and very low KM's.
https://www.car-exporter.de/Shipping/Transport/Tem...

[Tyre Smoke]

But surely that would be where you were going? To your prebooked MOT.

It's a grey area, but the chances of getting pulled on German plates whilst minding your own business in the UK must be virtually zero.

[JMDVAN]

In My case I am having the car trailered into the UK. The seller has never sold a car abroad before. I have never exported from Germany before.
I just want to have the paper work in order before the car sets off.

[butch_]

Hi JDMVAN,

Have you managed to bring the car into the UK?

I have been looking for information on importing a car from Germany. The last time I had done it, a few good years ago, there was no VAT and no duty to pay.

Is VAT payable now? Even if I buy a car from a private individual in EU and can prove VAT was paid in the EU?

[majordad]

As a result of Brexit, duty and vat are now payable on importing a car from an EU country, even if vat was previously paid on the car.

[carinaman]

Useful thread. Thank you.

[Tyre Smoke]

majordad said:

As a result of Brexit, duty and vat are now payable on importing a car from an EU country, even if vat was previously paid on the car.

Depending on the age of the vehicle.

This has always been the case with non EU imports, even before we left the Union. Over ten years and there didn't used to be any duty, I think.