Importing a car into the UK - registering and taxi
Discussion
Say I was to import a car from Portugal with Portugese plates.
Would I have to register it with the DVLA at all? And how long could I keep it without registering it?
If I didn’t inform the DVLA would I still have to tax and insure it?
Just asking for a friend you understand ;)
Cheers
Claire
Would I have to register it with the DVLA at all? And how long could I keep it without registering it?
If I didn’t inform the DVLA would I still have to tax and insure it?
Just asking for a friend you understand ;)
Cheers
Claire
See here
www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/exptimpt.htm
Basically, assuming it is a second hand vehicle, you can leave it on foreign plates for up to 6 months (many leave it much longer than that and avoid having to MoT and tax it). If you want to do the job properly, you need to insure it with a UK insurance company but showing the VIN number instead of the registration number. If it is over 3 years old, take it and get an MoT also on the VIN number. You then need to fill in a V55/5 which asks for the info which will go on your registration document (not difficult). Take V55/5, with Insurance, MoT and foreign registration documents to your local DVLA office. You don't actually apply to register it, you apply for a tax disc and as it doesn't have a registration number they give it one. So you have to pay for the years tax (or 6 months if you are a cheapskate) and a £38 first registration fee. It isn't difficult at all.
About the only thing you need to be aware of is that it needs to be done at the DVLA office in your area. I've registered quite a few imports over the years and a friend bought a car in from Germany. The car was with me in Peterborough so we went to the Peterborough DVLA office but were told we couldn't do it there as he wanted to register it at his address in Norwich.
If it's a new car, the procedure is a bit different.
www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/exptimpt.htm
Basically, assuming it is a second hand vehicle, you can leave it on foreign plates for up to 6 months (many leave it much longer than that and avoid having to MoT and tax it). If you want to do the job properly, you need to insure it with a UK insurance company but showing the VIN number instead of the registration number. If it is over 3 years old, take it and get an MoT also on the VIN number. You then need to fill in a V55/5 which asks for the info which will go on your registration document (not difficult). Take V55/5, with Insurance, MoT and foreign registration documents to your local DVLA office. You don't actually apply to register it, you apply for a tax disc and as it doesn't have a registration number they give it one. So you have to pay for the years tax (or 6 months if you are a cheapskate) and a £38 first registration fee. It isn't difficult at all.
About the only thing you need to be aware of is that it needs to be done at the DVLA office in your area. I've registered quite a few imports over the years and a friend bought a car in from Germany. The car was with me in Peterborough so we went to the Peterborough DVLA office but were told we couldn't do it there as he wanted to register it at his address in Norwich.
If it's a new car, the procedure is a bit different.
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