Yes, according to GOV.UK: a private person importing a vehicle must make a NOVA declaration within 14 days. What changes is who files it. The online NOVA service is for VAT-registered companies; for a shipped vehicle a private person uses a shipping company, a customs agent or HMRC's CARS team.
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What does GOV.UK say about private importers?
GOV.UK splits importers by VAT status, not by age or by how big the car is. The rule for a private person is under the heading "Making a NOVA declaration if you're a non-VAT registered company or private individual": you must tell HMRC by making a NOVA declaration, and how you do it depends on whether the vehicle is shipped or you bring it in yourself. The deadline is the same 14 days, counted from when the vehicle crosses the border (see NOVA late: what to do).
Who files the NOVA in each case?
| Your case | How the NOVA is made (GOV.UK) |
|---|---|
| VAT-registered company | The company uses the online NOVA service. If it cannot, it asks the imports and exports helpline for a VAT NOVA1 form |
| Private person, vehicle shipped | Your shipping company or customs agent (they may charge extra), or HMRC's CARS team on your behalf |
| Private person, you bring the vehicle in yourself | You contact HMRC's CARS team; if VAT or duty is due, a customs agent makes the import declaration, and CARS makes the NOVA declaration once the tax is paid |
| Vehicle from the Isle of Man registered there | No NOVA application; send form V55 and the Isle of Man registration document to the DVLA |
| Engine of 48cc or less (7.2kW or less if electric) | You can register without telling HMRC first |
Whoever makes the declaration needs the C88 and E2 customs documents or your Movement Reference Number, the invoice or bill of sale if you bought in the last 6 months (otherwise a current in-person UK valuation), and an official document showing the VIN or chassis number. The step-by-step route is in how to get a NOVA on an imported car.
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.
Let us handle your NOVA
Importing as a private person? Tell us the vehicle and where it is. We make the customs declaration and the NOVA, and we prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post.
Get a free quote for my NOVAFree and no obligation.
Can a private importer ask for a NOVA alone?
Yes. A private person can ask for the NOVA without an agent, through HMRC's CARS team. The risk is in the details. If the VIN, the value or the dates are wrong or missing, HMRC may need corrections before it can go on, and each correction means delay and sometimes extra cost. The DVLA will also not register a vehicle whose details do not match what HMRC was given (INF106). See NOVA wrong VIN or value for how corrections work.
That is why we prepare the NOVA ourselves, with all the details, rather than leave it to chance. Between your customs clearance and your NOVA we process within one business day, which is our own working time, not HMRC's. The result is HMRC's decision and its timing depends on how busy its NOVA team is, so we cannot promise either. So far we have never had a NOVA refused, because we solve the problem first. It costs from £45, not including duty and VAT.
What about the old NOVA1 form?
NOVA1 is the paper version of the notification. On GOV.UK it appears only in a few places: a VAT-registered company that cannot use the online service (in Great Britain, or for Northern Ireland imports from the EU) can ask the imports and exports helpline for a VAT NOVA1 form, and a vehicle from the Isle of Man that is not registered there needs form NOVA1 from the same helpline (GOV.UK). For a private person with a shipped vehicle, GOV.UK does not point to NOVA1 at all.
DVLA's leaflet says the form is available from the NOVA sign-in page but takes HMRC longer to process (INF106). We could not find a form to download on that page. A "NOVA application form PDF" on another site may be old, so ask the helpline for the current one.
Why does the DVLA leaflet say something different?
DVLA's leaflet INF106 (October 2025) says that a non-VAT registered company or private individual does not need to notify HMRC using NOVA or the NOVA1 form, but must fill in certain customs forms before registering. GOV.UK's Telling HMRC page says that a private person must make a NOVA declaration within 14 days. The two do not agree.
One thing is true on both: a private person does not use the online NOVA service or the NOVA1 form on their own. GOV.UK has the declaration made by a shipping company, a customs agent or HMRC's CARS team instead. We follow GOV.UK's Telling HMRC page, because it is the one that says what to do. If you are unsure, ask HMRC's CARS team (ecsm.nchcars@hmrc.gov.uk) or the imports and exports helpline.
Does a private importer still pay VAT and duty?
The NOVA is not the tax. GOV.UK says the tax is paid through the import declaration made by your shipping company or customs agent, and that for a bring-it-yourself case you must pay any VAT and customs duty before HMRC can make the NOVA declaration (GOV.UK). To see what your car would pay, use our VAT and duty calculator. For what the NOVA itself costs, see how much a NOVA costs.
Let us handle your NOVA
Not sure which route you are on? Send us the vehicle and where it is, and we will tell you who files what. Over 1,500 vehicles cleared since Brexit. NOVA from £45, not including duty and VAT. See how our NOVA service works.
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