The cost of importing a car from the USA to the UK breaks into three parts: the tax, the shipping, and the fees. On tax, a classic over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production pays just 0% duty and 5% VAT, while any other car pays 10% duty and 20% VAT. On shipping, expect an Atlantic crossing by container or RoRo. Below is a full breakdown, with worked examples, so you can see the real landed cost before you buy.
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The tax
There is no UK trade preference for American cars, so a car that does not qualify as a classic pays 10% customs duty and 20% VAT. A classic over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production pays 0% duty and just 5% VAT.
| Your car | Customs duty | Import VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Over 30 years old, original, model no longer in production | 0% | 5% |
| Any other car | 10% | 20% |
A worked example
Take a $30,000 car, roughly £24,000. The duty is worked out first, then VAT sits on the value plus the duty. To keep it simple, this leaves out shipping and insurance, which are added to the customs value, so the real tax is a little higher. If the car does not qualify as a classic:
- Customs duty: 10% of £24,000 = £2,400
- Import VAT: 20% of £26,400 = £5,280
- Tax total: £7,680
The same car as a qualifying classic, over 30 years old, original and no longer in production, would pay 0% duty and 5% VAT: about £1,200 in total. Classic status alone saves around £6,500. Our guide on paying import duty and VAT explains the stacking.
On a £24,000 car, qualifying as a classic turns roughly £7,680 of tax into about £1,200. That is what classic status is worth.
The shipping
A car crosses the Atlantic by sea, either RoRo (driven on and off, cheaper) or container (sealed and protected, dearer). Shipping is a real cost on top of the tax, and it also raises the customs value slightly, since VAT is charged on the value including shipping. The methods are covered in our guide to shipping a car to the UK.
The fees
Beyond tax and shipping, budget for the agent's fee for the customs and registration paperwork, any test the car needs, and the £55 DVLA first registration fee. These are smaller than the tax and shipping, but they are part of the true cost.
The total landed cost
Add it up: the purchase price, the shipping, the tax, and the fees. For a classic, the tax portion is small, so the price and shipping dominate. For any other car, the tax is the biggest single addition after the price. Knowing the figure before you buy is what stops a good deal turning into an expensive surprise. See how to keep it down in our guide to avoiding overpaying tax.
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