Yes, a left-hand drive car is fully legal in the UK. You do not have to convert it to right-hand drive. You register it the same way as any import: NOVA, tax, an MOT or test if needed, insurance, then the DVLA. Here it is in plain words, with the small jobs most LHD cars need.
First, the big question: is it even legal?
It is. Left-hand drive cars are legal to own, register and drive in the UK. Loads of people import them from Europe and America and drive them every day. There is no rule that says you must move the steering wheel to the other side.
You do not convert the car. You just import it and register it like any other. The wheel stays where it is.
The main job: the headlights
A left-hand drive car has headlights aimed for driving on the right. On UK roads you drive on the left, so the beams need to dip the other way. This is a cheap, quick fix, either a set of stick-on beam deflectors or a small headlight adjustment. It is the job almost every LHD import needs.
Two other points depend on the car's age. A car first used on or after 1 April 1984 needs a speedometer that shows mph as well as km/h. A car first used on or after 1 April 1980 needs a rear fog lamp on the right-hand side or in the centre.
The steps to register it
Clear customs and file NOVA
When the car arrives, it goes through customs and you tell HMRC with NOVA, within 14 days. This must clear before the DVLA step.
Pay any tax
A classic over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production, pays just 5% VAT and no duty. A normal car pays more. HMRC tells you the amount.
Sort the headlights and MOT
Adjust the headlights to dip left. Get a UK MOT if the car needs one: cars under 3 years old do not, and vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes are exempt. Some newer imports need an IVA test first.
Get UK insurance
Insure the car on its VIN, since it has no UK plate yet. Some insurers charge more for LHD, so a specialist broker helps.
Register with the DVLA
We prepare and pre-fill the V55/5 form; you sign it and post it with your papers and the fee. The DVLA gives you a UK number and a V5C, then you get plates made.
Driving a left-hand drive car in the UK takes a little getting used to on roundabouts and when overtaking, but it is completely normal and legal. Classics from Italy, Germany, France and the USA are nearly all LHD, and registering them here is routine.
Got a left-hand drive classic to bring in?
We handle the customs, the tax and NOVA, and we prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post. From £95.
Get a free quote for my LHD carDoes it cost more?
Usually only the headlight adjustment, any speedometer or fog lamp change the car's age requires and, sometimes, a slightly higher insurance quote. There is no special LHD tax or fee. The import itself costs the same as a right-hand drive car of the same age and value.
Since Brexit we have cleared over 1,500 vehicles into the UK. If you found a great LHD classic abroad, tell us about it and we will handle the import paperwork.