NOVA Deadline and Mistakes: 5 Things to Know Before Applying

The NOVA deadline is 14 days from when the vehicle crosses the border into the UK. Being late can mean a fine from HMRC. These are the five things that catch people out, from when the clock starts to what counts as proof of value. The full process is in how to apply for a NOVA.

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1. The 14 days run from when the vehicle crosses the border

GOV.UK says you have 14 days to tell HMRC after you bring a vehicle into the UK permanently. The clock starts when the vehicle crosses the border, not when your paperwork is ready. It does not wait for the invoice to arrive or for a shipping agent to send documents. Leave the paperwork until after the car lands and the 14 days can run out before it is ready.

Already past the 14 days? GOV.UK says you may be fined. No amount is published and nobody can tell you how it is calculated, so we give no figures. We help prepare the documents and try to avoid the fine, with no guarantee. See what to do if you are already late.

2. NOVA comes after customs, before the DVLA

The order is fixed: customs clearance, then the NOVA, then the DVLA application. GOV.UK says import taxes must be paid before HMRC can make the NOVA declaration, so rushing the NOVA ahead of the customs side does not save time. The NOVA uses the customs import documents (the C88 and E2, or the Movement Reference Number). Only once HMRC has processed the NOVA can you register the vehicle with the DVLA. An application sent before that cannot go through. The steps for each type of importer are in how to apply for a NOVA.

Would you rather not do this alone? Let us handle your NOVA: we submit the customs declaration and the NOVA, and we prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post.

3. What counts as proof of value, and what does not

HMRC needs to see what the car is worth, and not every document counts. For a shipped car bought by a private person, GOV.UK lists these:

An estimate from an online valuation tool is not a valuation carried out in person. Source: GOV.UK, telling HMRC.

4. The NOVA has to match your tax position

The rates are set at the customs declaration. The VAT rate depends on what the car is, and the duty depends on where it was built. A historic vehicle that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production pays 5% VAT and 0% duty. Otherwise it is 20% VAT, and duty is 10% for cars unless the car has preferential origin, where you need proof of where it was built. Moving home to the UK or bringing back a car you exported can remove both with the right relief (GOV.UK, paying VAT and duty). Getting this right at the customs declaration avoids paying more than you should, or having to correct it later. Check your figure with the import VAT and duty calculator, and see NOVA for classic cars.

5. A wrong NOVA can cost more time than a late one

A late NOVA is a problem, because HMRC may fine you. A wrong one has to be corrected before the DVLA can register the car. The DVLA leaflet says it will not register a vehicle if the application details do not match those given to HMRC. Typical causes are a VIN typed wrongly or a value that differs between documents. Errors mean delays, amendments and extra costs, which is why we prepare the NOVA with every detail. How to put it right: NOVA wrong VIN or value.

The result is the decision of an HMRC caseworker and the timing depends on the NOVA team's workload. We process your job between customs clearance and the NOVA within one business day. That is our working time, not HMRC's.