Guide: Registering an imported vehicle

Registering an imported vehicle

You must register any vehicle you bring into the UK permanently. You can’t register before you do all of the following:

First step: NOVA

The first thing to do with an imported bike is to register it on the NOVA (Notification Of Vehicle Arrivals) system, this is the governments website that you must declare an imported bike on. HMRC will then notify you if there is any duty to pay but on an old bike this there shouldn't be any tax due, but it is a legal step that you must do and failure to do so could result in fines from HMRC. To make the declaration you will first need a Government gateway account, its easy to set up and once this is done you can can add the bike to a new deceleration. Once your application is complete you are issued with a NOVA certificate

• tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) you imported the vehicle and get confirmation that your NOVA application is processed
• pay VAT and duty if HMRC tells you to
• get proof of vehicle approval if the bike is imported from outside the EU

Second step for Japanese imports: Vehicle Approval 

Write to the motorcycle manufacturer and request the Certificate of Conformity. If the bike you imported was not an official imported model the manufacturer should we be able to provide you with a Year of Manufacture, this should be sufficient enough to register your bike with the local Authority in the Country you require. To apply for a Year of Manufacture they will require the full VIN, your name and address and this has a cost of £30 (from Honda).

Second step for EU imports: MOT

The next step is a simple MOT as this can be done just of the frame's VIN number. You are able to ride an un-registered bike to and from an MOT station as long as the bike is insured. 

Third step: Register with the DVLA

Follow the instructions for registering a vehicle to fill in your forms and send supporting documents.

You must also send extra supporting documents for an imported vehicle.

DVLA might ask to inspect the vehicle.

Extra supporting documents for imported vehicles

You must send the following original documents:

• proof of vehicle approval
• form V267 (sometimes called the ‘declaration of newness’) if you’re registering a new vehicle
• evidence showing the date the vehicle was collected, eg the invoice from the supplier
• the original foreign registration certificate to show when the vehicle was manufactured (you won’t get this back)

If you don’t have the original foreign registration certificate, DVLA might accept other proof of the manufacture date, eg a letter from the manufacturer or a vehicle enthusiast club.

Don’t send photocopies or faxed copies.