To register an imported car with the DVLA, you fill in the right forms, send them with your papers and a fee, and the DVLA sends back a UK logbook and a number plate. But you have to do a few things first, in the right order. Here is the whole thing in plain words.
Do these first, or it will not work
The DVLA will not register your car until two things are done. Miss either one and your form comes straight back to you. So sort these before you send anything:
- NOVA. You tell HMRC the car is here. This has to be done and cleared first. Do it within 14 days of the car arriving.
- Any tax. If you owe VAT or duty, you pay it. A classic over 30 years old pays much less. HMRC then says the NOVA is clear.
Think of it like a queue. HMRC first, then the DVLA. Jump the queue and you go to the back.
The steps to get your number plate
Get NOVA cleared
Tell HMRC the car is in the UK and pay any tax. Keep the letter they send you. You need it for the DVLA.
Get an MOT if the car needs one
Cars over 3 years old need an MOT. Cars over 40 years old do not. Some newer imports also need a test called an IVA first.
Get car insurance
You need a UK insurance policy on the car before you register it. The insurer uses the car's VIN number, not a plate, because it does not have a UK plate yet.
Fill in the right forms
There are particular forms for this. The right one depends on whether the car is used or brand new. Fill them in carefully. If the details do not match your other papers, they get rejected.
Send it all to the DVLA
Send the form, your ID, the foreign logbook, the NOVA letter, the MOT if you have one, and the fee. Send originals, never photocopies. The DVLA keeps the foreign logbook.
Wait for your V5C, then get plates
The DVLA sends you a UK logbook called a V5C. This takes about 4 to 6 weeks. Once it arrives, you can get your number plates made and put them on.
Until the car is registered, taxed and insured (and has an MOT if it needs one), you cannot drive it on the road. Keep it off the road until the V5C arrives and the plates are on.
Want us to do the whole thing?
We handle NOVA, tax, and the full DVLA registration for you, from £95. You just get the keys and the plates.
Get my free import assessmentWhat it costs
The DVLA first registration fee is £55, plus the car tax when you register. Number plates cost a bit extra. Any VAT, duty, MOT or IVA test are separate, and come before this step. A classic over 30 years old pays far less tax than a normal car, which is the big saving.
No foreign logbook? Do not panic
If you do not have the original foreign logbook, the DVLA may take other proof of when the car was made, like a letter from the maker or a car club. It has to be an original, not a copy.
Since Brexit we have registered over 1,500 cars into the UK. If the forms feel like a maze, let us do it for you and we will get your car its plates.