Importing a classic car from the EU to the UK means clearing customs, paying import VAT (just 5% for qualifying classics over 30 years old), filing a NOVA notification with HMRC, and registering the car with the DVLA. Here is the full process in order, with the 2026 rates and the points where owners most often get caught out.
What changed after Brexit
Before Brexit, moving a car from an EU country to the UK was treated as a transfer of goods within the single market, not a formal import. Since 1 January 2021, every vehicle arriving from the EU is a full import. That means a customs declaration, potential import VAT and duty, and a NOVA notification to HMRC before you can register it.
The good news for classic owners: the rules that make classics cheap to import still apply, and EU-built cars can also avoid customs duty entirely under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provided the exporter supplies a valid origin declaration.
Import VAT and duty rates in 2026
What you pay depends on the age of the car and, for duty, where it was actually manufactured. These are the rates as they stand in 2026.
| Vehicle type | Customs duty | Import VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Classic over 30 years, original condition | 0% | 5% |
| EU-manufactured car, valid origin proof | 0% | 20% |
| Standard car, no origin proof | 10% | 20% |
| Moving to the UK (Transfer of Residence) | 0%* | 0%* |
*Transfer of Residence relief applies only if you meet HMRC's residency and ownership conditions. Import VAT is calculated on the purchase price plus shipping and associated costs.
On a classic worth £15,000, the difference between the 5% classic rate and the standard 20% rate is over £2,000. Getting the classification right is where the real money is.
The five steps, start to finish
1. Customs declaration
Every car entering the UK from the EU needs a customs import declaration (you may see it as an MRN or C88). This is where the import VAT and any duty are calculated and settled with HMRC. Most people use a specialist rather than filing it themselves, because the declaration sets the classification and the tax due for everything that follows.
2. Pay import VAT and duty
Once the declaration is lodged, HMRC confirms what is owed. Classics in original condition over 30 years old pay the reduced 5% VAT and no duty. EU-built cars with a valid origin declaration avoid the 10% duty but still pay 20% VAT unless they qualify as classics.
3. File the NOVA notification
NOVA (Notification of Vehicle Arrivals) tells HMRC the car has physically arrived in the UK. It normally has to be filed within 14 days of arrival, and it is the step owners most often get wrong.
NOVA has to clear before the DVLA will register the car, not after. Leaving it until the registration stage means waiting all over again.
4. Vehicle approval and MOT, if needed
Cars over 40 years old that have not been substantially modified are MOT-exempt and can go into the historic tax class. Classics between 30 and 40 years still need an annual MOT. Depending on age and specification, some vehicles also need an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test before the DVLA will register them.
5. DVLA registration
With customs cleared, NOVA confirmed and any approval in place, the final step is the DVLA registration application (usually via a V55/5 form for a first UK registration). Once accepted, the car gets a UK registration number and you can order plates.
Not sure which rate applies to your car?
We assess every classic individually and tell you exactly what it will cost to sort. A real person, real answers, no automated quote nonsense.
Get my free import assessmentHow classics qualify for 5% VAT
This is the single biggest saving on an EU classic import, and it is also the most misunderstood. Being over 30 years old is the starting point, not an automatic pass.
HMRC now treats these as "collectible vehicles". To qualify for 0% duty and 5% VAT, the vehicle generally has to be:
- In its original condition, with no substantial modifications to the engine, chassis, steering or bodywork
- Preserved and maintained in a historically correct state (repairs and worn-part replacement are fine)
- Supported by evidence when asked, such as dating documentation or a classic car insurance policy
A modernised or heavily modified car of the same age can be refused the reduced rate, so the paperwork and the way the car is presented to HMRC matter as much as the birthday on the logbook.
If the classification is borderline, you can apply to HMRC for a ruling before you commit. We handle this assessment as part of every import so there are no surprises at the port.
Documents you will need
Gather these before the car leaves the EU. Missing paperwork is the most common cause of delay:
- The original foreign registration document (logbook)
- A dated bill of sale or invoice showing the purchase price
- Proof of shipping or transport costs, which count towards the VAT calculation
- Evidence of the vehicle's age and originality for a classic claim
- Your details for the NOVA and DVLA applications
How long it takes
A straightforward EU classic import usually takes around 3 to 6 weeks from arrival to a UK registration number. IVA testing, a classic classification query or missing documents can extend that. Since Brexit we have cleared and registered over 1,500 vehicles, and most of the delays we see come down to paperwork gathered too late rather than the process itself.
If you would rather not spend hours on hold to HMRC and the DVLA, that is exactly what we do. We handle the customs declaration, the VAT and duty, the NOVA filing and the DVLA registration under one roof, from £95. Talk to a classic car import specialist and we will tell you what your car will cost to sort.