Yes, you can import a car from New Zealand to the UK. You pay 20% VAT, plus customs duty of 10% unless the car originates in a country with a UK trade deal, and a car under 10 years old needs vehicle approval before the DVLA will register it. New Zealand drives on the left, so the steering side is rarely the problem. The speedometer is: it must show miles per hour. A car at least 30 years old, original and no longer in production can qualify for 0% duty and an effective 5% VAT.
NOVA from £45 (duty and VAT not included). We process between customs clearance and NOVA within one business day.
The Classic Import Co. is a trading name of Imexs Brokerage LTD, company no. 13989357. Over 1,500 vehicles cleared since Brexit.
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A car bought in New Zealand is normally right-hand drive, but the detail that decides the cost is where the car was built, because a car on sale there can have been built somewhere else. This page covers the tax, the approval question and what to settle with the seller before you pay. For other right-hand drive sources, see our guides to importing a car from Australia and importing from Japan.
What you need from the seller
- The original New Zealand vehicle registration document. The DVLA asks for the original foreign registration document to show when the vehicle was manufactured, and it does not give it back. Photograph every page before it leaves your hands. If you do not have the original, the DVLA may accept other proof of the manufacture date, such as a letter from the manufacturer.
- An invoice or bill of sale showing the price you paid and the date the car was collected. GOV.UK asks for the invoice or bill of sale if you bought the car in the last 6 months, and for a current in-person UK valuation if you bought it earlier.
- The build year, the country of manufacture and the chassis number (VIN), in writing. The country of manufacture sets the duty, and the VIN must be identical on every document.
Deregistration in New Zealand, 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.
How much tax do you pay on a car from New Zealand?
You pay customs duty on the value of the car, then 20% VAT on the value plus the duty. The UK Trade Tariff lists 10% as the standard duty on a used car, and 0% for a car that originates in New Zealand, a preferential rate that has applied since 31 May 2023. Three steps, in this order:
- Find the customs value. It is the price of the car plus the cost of getting it to the UK border (delivery costs to include). A price in New Zealand dollars is converted to pounds at HMRC's rate (UK Trade Tariff exchange rates).
- Add the duty. 10%, or 0% with a valid origin claim (UK Trade Tariff, heading 8703).
- Add the VAT. 20% of the customs value plus the duty (working out the VAT value).
The same steps for a car bought for £12,000 with £2,000 for shipping and insurance, so £14,000 at the border. The shipping figure is an example, not a price:
| Illustration: customs value £14,000 | Duty | VAT | Tax in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built in New Zealand, Japan or Australia, origin claim valid | 0% = £0 | 20% of £14,000 = £2,800 | £2,800 |
| Built in a country with no UK trade deal | 10% = £1,400 | 20% of £15,400 = £3,080 | £4,480 |
| Can qualify as a collectors' piece (at least 30 years old, original, model no longer in production) | £0 | 5% of £14,000 = £700 | £700 |
Rates: UK Trade Tariff, commodity 8703 23 90 00 (used cars), countries NZ, JP and AU, checked 2 November 2026; the New Zealand rate comes from SI 2023/194. The classic row applies only when all three conditions are met.
The gap between the first two rows is £1,680 on a £14,000 car, and £280 of it is VAT charged on the duty itself. On top of the tax come the DVLA's £55 first registration fee, road tax, and an MOT if the car needs one. To test your own figures, use the import duty and VAT calculator; the guide to the taxes on an imported car explains each one.
Send us the car before you pay
Send us the make, model, year, price and where it was built, and we tell you the tax and what the import will involve. Our NOVA service starts from £45, excluding duty and VAT. See how our NOVA and customs clearance service works.
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Where was your car really built?
Duty depends on where the car was built, not on where you bought it. A car sold in New Zealand can have been built in Japan, Australia, Europe or elsewhere. The Trade Tariff shows a 0% preferential rate for used cars from New Zealand, Japan and Australia, each with a valid origin claim, and the standard 10% for a country with no deal.
Ask the seller for the country of manufacture in writing before you agree a price. The build plate, the VIN and the manufacturer's papers show it. If the seller cannot say, assume 10% until you can prove otherwise.
Does a car from New Zealand need vehicle approval?
If it is under 10 years old, yes. Cars and minibuses with 8 passenger seats or fewer that are over 10 years old do not need vehicle approval; a younger car does, and the DVLA will not register it without proof (GOV.UK, exemptions from vehicle approval).
For a single imported car the usual route is individual vehicle approval (IVA). It is a DVSA inspection of one vehicle, and DVSA will usually offer an inspection within 20 working days and issues an individual approval certificate if the car passes (GOV.UK, individual vehicle approval). The DVSA sets the fee and runs the test; we do not.
A car built for another market can differ from the version sold in Britain, so settle the approval question before you pay, not after the car arrives. A car that cannot be approved cannot be registered.
Not sure the car can be registered? Get a free quote for your New Zealand import →
The speedometer and the steering side
A car first used on or after 1 April 1984 must have a speedometer that can show miles per hour as well as kilometres per hour (regulation 35 of the Construction and Use Regulations). New Zealand dials normally read in km/h, so a car that shows kilometres per hour only does not meet that, and you should settle it before the car is shipped.
New Zealand drives on the left, so a car sold there is normally right-hand drive, like a UK car. Confirm it with the seller anyway. If a car turns out to be left-hand drive, our guide to registering a left-hand drive car covers what to expect.
Moving back from New Zealand with your own car
Bringing your own car because you are moving your home to the UK is a different case from buying one. A relief called transfer of residence can apply, and it has its own conditions. Read our guide to claiming transfer of residence relief on a car before you ship.
The UK steps
- Customs. We make the import declaration, and the VAT and any duty are paid. For a shipped vehicle GOV.UK says the shipping company or customs agent files it for you. Read more on finding a customs agent.
- NOVA. We notify HMRC within 14 days of the car arriving; the 14 days start when it crosses the border. The outcome is a decision of an HMRC caseworker and the timing depends on the NOVA team's workload. See how to get a NOVA and what to do if it is late.
- Approval and MOT. The approval inspection comes first if the car needs one. The car then gets a UK MOT if it needs one: cars under 3 years old do not, and vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes are exempt, with a V112 declaration instead. See the MOT on an imported car.
- DVLA. We prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post: the V55/5, with the original registration document, proof of approval if it is needed, photo ID, proof of your UK address, the £55 first registration fee and road tax. See how to register an imported car with the DVLA.
GOV.UK says you can be prosecuted if you use the car on a public road before you complete these steps, unless you are driving it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test (GOV.UK, importing vehicles).
Bringing a car over from New Zealand?
We handle the customs, VAT and NOVA, and we prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post. Over 1,500 vehicles cleared since Brexit, from £95.
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If you want the whole journey in one place, read importing a car to the UK.