How do you import a car from France to the UK?

To import a car from France to the UK, get two things from the seller: the original carte grise and the invoice or bill of sale. When the car arrives, it is declared to UK customs, notified to HMRC through NOVA and registered with the DVLA. A classic that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production pays 0% duty and 5% VAT. A newer car pays 20% VAT, and 10% duty unless it was built in the EU and you can prove its origin.

Deregistration in France, any export plates and the export paperwork are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK, and we handle the customs declaration, NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.

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Duty and VAT on a French car

Buying in France does not make a car duty free. What decides the duty is where the car was built, and a 0% preferential rate needs proof of origin to back it up.

A recent Renault built in France can reach 0% duty with the right proof of origin. A Japanese or American car bought from a French dealer cannot, because it was not made in the EU, so it pays 10% duty plus 20% VAT. For a genuine historic collector's vehicle, origin stops mattering: 0% duty and 5% VAT apply wherever it was built. Our guide to working out if a car counts as a classic explains the test.

Buying a classic in France

France is one of the deepest markets for home-grown classics: the Citroën Traction Avant, DS, 2CV and SM, Peugeots from the 204 and 404 to the 205 GTI, the Renault 4 and 5, and the Alpine A110. Almost all are left-hand drive, which the DVLA registers without difficulty, though you will want the headlamps set up for driving on the left. Our guide to registering a left-hand drive car covers the rest.

Many older French cars carry a carte grise de collection, the collection version of the registration certificate for vehicles at least 30 years old. If the seller has the French dating paperwork that came with it, ask for it: it is useful extra evidence of the car's age.

Checks worth making on any French classic:

• The name on the carte grise matches the seller, and the VIN printed on it (field E) matches the car.
• The car is still original. The 5% rate is for cars without substantial changes, so ask about any engine or body work.
• Where the car has lived. Ask whether it spent its winters on salted mountain roads, and look underneath.

The UK steps

• Customs: we lodge the UK import declaration and pay the duty and VAT due.
• NOVA: we notify HMRC within 14 days of the car's arrival.
• MOT: if the car needs one, you book a UK MOT, which can be done while the car is still on its French plates. Cars under 3 years old do not need one, and vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes are exempt, with a V112 declaration instead.
• DVLA: we prepare the V55/5 registration form; you sign it and send it with the carte grise, the MOT certificate if one is needed, photo ID, proof of your UK address, the £55 first registration fee and road tax.

On a car under 10 years old, a certificate of conformity (the COC, certificat de conformité européen) is also needed, because younger cars need UK vehicle approval before the DVLA will register them. We obtain it for you. The full British list is in our UK documents checklist.