The Bronco has two lives: the boxy early trucks that collectors chase, and the revived model Ford launched for the 2021 model year. Either way, it is a left-hand drive American 4x4 that was never really part of the UK market, and that can make importing one feel like a leap. It is a smaller leap than it looks. My Car Import brings in hundreds of Fords a year, and a Bronco follows the same well-worn route as the rest.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
- Import tax
- 10% duty + 20% VAT
- Over 30 years old
- 5% VAT, no duty
Which Bronco, and what it means
The age of the truck decides two things here: the import tax and the test it needs before registration. Broncos fall neatly into age bands, worked out from today, 12 October 2026.
| Feature | Built | UK test | Import tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | 1966 to 1977 | No MOT, if not substantially changed | 5% VAT, no duty |
| Full-size, early | 1978 to 1986 | No MOT once over 40, if not substantially changed | 5% VAT, no duty |
| Full-size, late | 1987 to 1996 | MOT | 5% VAT if built before October 1996 |
| Current Bronco | 2021 model year onwards | IVA | 10% duty + 20% VAT |
The 1996 trucks are the ones to check. A Bronco built before October 1996 is over 30 and can qualify for 5% VAT; one built later pays the standard rate. The build date is on the door label, so ask the seller for a photo of it.
The Bronco Sport is a smaller, separate model sold alongside the current Bronco. It imports the same way as the new truck, with an IVA test, but tell us which one you have when you ask for a quote.
Early Broncos and the restomod question
First-generation Broncos are popular, and a lot of them have been rebuilt with modern engines, gearboxes, suspension and brakes. That is good news for driving one, but it matters for two UK rules.
The first is the MOT. GOV.UK only lets a vehicle over 40 skip the MOT if it has not been substantially changed, and it counts replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how it works. The second is tax. HMRC's 5% rate is for collectors' pieces in their original state, and its guidance excludes vehicles that have been modernised or modified.
So a heavily modified early Bronco can still be imported and registered, but it may need an MOT and may pay 10% duty and 20% VAT rather than 5%. Our guide to the 5% VAT rules for historic vehicles explains exactly what HMRC looks at.
Ask for the build list. On a rebuilt Bronco, the list of what was changed is worth more than the photos. Send it to us before you pay and we will tell you how the tax and the test are likely to fall.
The current Bronco
A Bronco from the 2021 model year onwards is under 10 years old, so it needs UK approval before it can be registered. American vehicles were never approved for Europe, so that means an IVA test. We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so the truck is tested on our own lane in Castle Donington.
Removable doors and roof panels are part of the appeal. Make sure the ones you want come with the truck, and tell us if any accessories have been added, such as light bars, winches, bigger tyres or a lift. Our Jeep Wrangler guide covers how modifications affect an IVA test, and the same thinking applies here.
What to check before you buy
Before you pay a deposit
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Weight matters because the light vehicle IVA covers vehicles up to 3,500kg, and a category B licence stops at the same figure. Our guide to importing a pickup truck explains what sits either side of that line. For buying in general, see buying a car abroad safely, and if the truck is at auction, read buying a car from a US auction first.
US export
US Customs and Border Protection treats the title as the core document. The original, or a certified copy, has to be at the port with the vehicle at least 72 hours before a sea shipment leaves, along with a lienholder's letter if there is a loan on it.
Some states do not title older vehicles. CBP has a route for that, using a bill of sale and your written certification, which our guide to importing a classic American car sets out. We collect from anywhere in the USA and ship mainly from New York, Savannah, Houston and Oakland.
Shipping and tax
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping a car from the USA starts from £1,450, shipping only. A lifted truck or one with a roof rack may cost more, so give us its real height. East Coast sailings take around 2 weeks and West Coast around 4, with about 2 weeks before that for paperwork and loading.
A Bronco under 30 pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus shipping. One over 30 that qualifies as historic pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you are moving here and qualify for Transfer of Residence, there is no tax at all. The import tax calculator will run your numbers.
Lights and registration
The DVLA registers left-hand drive vehicles without the steering being moved, so a Bronco stays as it is. The work is lighting: amber rear indicators, side markers, a rear fog light on anything first used from 1 April 1980, and headlights set for driving on the left. The speedometer already reads in mph.
Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads goes through each change. Once the truck has passed its test, our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register it within 10 working days. An early Bronco built before 1 January 1986 can also go into the historic tax class, but GOV.UK is clear you have to apply.
Questions people ask
Does an imported Bronco need an IVA test?
Only if it is under 10 years old, which means the current Bronco and the Bronco Sport. Older Broncos take an MOT, and those over 40 that have not been substantially changed need no MOT.
Does a classic Bronco pay 5% VAT?
If it is over 30 and still in its original state, it should. HMRC excludes vehicles that have been modernised or modified, so a restomod with a modern engine is likely to pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead.
Can a Bronco stay left-hand drive in the UK?
Yes. The DVLA registers left-hand drive vehicles without converting the steering. The lights need changing, and the speedometer already reads in mph.
How much does it cost to ship a Bronco from the USA?
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the USA starts from £1,450, shipping only. A lifted truck can cost more, so tell us its real height.
What paperwork do I need?
The title above all, plus the bill of sale and your ID. A lienholder letter is needed if there is a loan on it. Some states do not title older vehicles, and US Customs has a separate route for those.
Found your Bronco? Send us the details, and the build list, on the quote form and we will price it all the way to UK plates.
