Classic imports

How do you import a classic VW campervan to the UK?

A classic VW campervan comes into the UK through the same steps as any vehicle: an import declaration at the border, NOVA within 14 days, a UK MOT if it needs one, and first registration with the DVLA. The big question is the tax. A split screen or bay window over 30 years old, still in its original state and of a model no longer in production, can qualify as a historic collector's vehicle, which means 0% duty and 5% VAT instead of up to 10% duty and 20% VAT. Whether a camper conversion still counts as "original" is where most of the thinking goes.

Published 25 September 2026 · 8 min read

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1. Which VW are you actually buying?

The age of a VW bus matters more than almost anything else in the import, so it helps to know the generations:

Brazil kept building the bay window long after Germany stopped, switching to a water-cooled engine in December 2005. A "bay window" advertised abroad can therefore be anything from a late 1960s German van to a Brazilian Kombi that is not yet 30 years old. The chassis number and original registration document tell you which one you have.

2. The collector's rate: 0% duty and 5% VAT

Collectors' vehicles are classified under heading 9705 of the UK tariff instead of the usual car heading, 8703. The chapter 97 note on the UK Trade Tariff sets three conditions. The vehicle must be:

• in its original state, without substantial changes to the chassis, body, steering, braking, transmission or suspension system, engine, wings and so on;
• at least 30 years old;
• of a model or type that is no longer in production.

Repairs and restoration are allowed, and worn-out parts can be replaced, as long as the vehicle is kept in its historically correct condition. Modernised or modified vehicles are excluded. Meet all three and the tariff gives 0% duty and 5% import VAT, wherever the van was built.

3. Camper conversions, engine swaps and "original state"

This is where campers differ from classic cars. Plenty of VW buses left the factory as panel vans or Kombis and became campers later, some with a period conversion by a specialist such as Westfalia, some with a home-built interior decades later. The tariff note talks about substantial changes to the chassis, body and engine. It does not say whether a camper interior or a pop-top roof counts, and HMRC does not publish a list for campers.

So we treat it honestly as a case by case question. Things that tend to raise questions:

• Engine swaps. A bigger or different engine from the one the van was built with is a change to the engine, which is one of the items the note names.
• Modernised running gear. Lowered suspension, modern brakes or a converted steering setup move the van away from original.
• Heavy body changes. Cut-in windows, raised roofs and extensive panel replacement on a van that started life as something else.
• Restomods. The tariff guidance on classifying vehicles says heading 9705 excludes modernised, hot-rodded or modified vehicles.

4. If it does not qualify as a classic

A camper that fails the collector's test, or is simply too young, is classified as a used vehicle under heading 8703 by engine type and size. The standard rate on those codes is 10% duty and 20% VAT. Duty can drop to 0% where the van was built in a country with a UK trade agreement and you have valid proof of origin. On the current tariff that includes the EU, Mexico and South Africa, among others.

Origin is where the van was built, not where you bought it, and proving it for a van that has lived abroad for decades is not always simple. Brazil has no trade agreement with the UK, so a Brazilian-built Kombi that is not a classic normally pays the standard duty.

5. Buying from the USA, South Africa, Australia or Brazil

USA. A big source of left-hand drive split screens and bays. You get a US title rather than a European registration document. Our USA import guide covers the export side.

South Africa and Australia. Both drive on the left, so right-hand drive vans are common. Check whether a van was built locally or imported new, because that decides origin if you ever need to argue the non-classic rate.

Brazil and Mexico. Later bay windows were built there. Check the build year carefully: a van can look old and still be under 30.

Left-hand drive vans can be registered in the UK. Our left-hand drive guide explains what is involved.

6. Registration, age-related plates and historic tax

Classic VWs are well past 10 years old, so they are exempt from vehicle approval under the DVSA exemptions list. The registration itself goes to DVLA on a V55/5 with the original foreign registration document, the NOVA confirmation and a UK MOT if the van needs one. Vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes are exempt from the MOT, and you sign a V112 declaration instead, so most split screens and early bays qualify. A later or heavily modified van will need a test.

DVLA gives the vehicle a registration number appropriate to its age based on the evidence you send. If the original foreign document is missing, the guide asks for a letter of explanation plus a dating certificate, which we obtain for you. Without proof of age or identity, DVLA issues a Q plate, which is exactly what you do not want on a 1960s split screen.

Once it is registered there is good news. Under the historic vehicle rules, a vehicle built before 1 January 1986 can go into the historic tax class from 1 April 2026, which means no vehicle tax to pay. It is not automatic: you have to apply for it, and you still have to tax the vehicle. Vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago without substantial changes do not need an annual MOT either, but must be kept roadworthy.

7. Checks before you pay

• Chassis number and build year, matched against the paperwork. This decides the tax, the plate and the historic tax class.
• Rust. Ask for underside photos, and ask about any big recent welding.
• What has been changed. Engine, suspension, brakes, roof, windows. Ask for receipts and photos.
• Damage history. DVLA cannot register an imported vehicle classed abroad as seriously damaged, the equivalent of a UK category A or B write-off.
• A bill of sale showing the price you paid, for customs and NOVA.

If you are importing a newer motorhome or a non-VW camper, our motorhome and campervan import guide covers the body type, weight and approval side in more detail.

The Classic Import Co. deals with the paperwork, and can arrange the transport too. You found the van, which is the fun part. We prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post.