For about forty years the Commodore was simply the car Australians drove. Police used it, taxi firms used it, families used it, and tradies drove the ute version to work. That means there are plenty of ordinary, honest Commodores and utes for sale, not just the high-end HSVs. They are right-hand drive from the factory, so bringing one to the UK is more about paperwork and shipping than about changing the car.
- Steering
- Right-hand drive
- Shipping from Australia
- From £3,200, shipping only
- Time at sea
- About 6 to 10 weeks
- Test
- MOT for most, IVA on the last VFs
This guide is about the everyday Commodore and the ute body style. If you are after an HSV, a Monaro or a classic Holden, our Holden and HSV guide covers those. For the Ford side of things, see the Ford Falcon guide.
VB to VF at a glance
The Australian-built Commodore ran from the VB of 1978 to the VF, which was still being made when the factory closed in October 2017. The series letters matter, because they tell you roughly how old the car is, and age is what decides the test and the tax here.
| Feature | Early cars (VB to VL) | Middle cars (VN to VZ) | Last cars (VE and VF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1978 to the late 1980s | Late 1980s to mid 2000s | Mid 2000s to 2017 |
| In brief | Smaller, lighter and now properly classic | Bigger bodies, the bulk of cars for sale | The most modern, and the ones most people ask about |
| UK test | No MOT if over 40 and unchanged, otherwise MOT | MOT | MOT, or IVA if built after October 2016 |
| Tax today | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT if built before October 1996, otherwise standard | 10% duty + 20% VAT |
Across most of those years you will see the SS badge on the sporty V8 versions, which are the ones that tend to hold their value. A plain six-cylinder sedan or wagon is often a far cheaper way into the same car, and it is just as easy to import.
The ute
The Australian ute is a car up front with a load bed behind the cab. Holden built Commodore-based utes over several generations, and HSV sold its own version as the Maloo. Ford did the same thing with the Falcon ute until Falcon production ended in October 2016. To drive, they feel much more like a big saloon than a pickup truck.
That matters for shipping. A ute travels like a large car, not a full-size American pickup, so the cost sits close to a Commodore sedan. If it has a canopy, a tonneau cover, a tow bar or a lift, tell us when you ask for a quote so we can plan how it is loaded.
Car or van once it is here
How a ute is classed affects vehicle tax and, if a business owns it, company car tax. Vehicle tax follows how the DVLA classes the vehicle. Our guide to importing a pickup truck explains the rules and the HMRC change for double cab pickups from April 2025. If the ute is going on a business, talk to your accountant before you buy.
Buying a late VF? Production ended in October 2017, so a Commodore or ute built after October 2016 is still under 10 years old. It takes an IVA test rather than an MOT, and its speedometer has to read in mph. Check the build plate before you pay.
What to check before you buy
Many Commodores and utes have lived hard lives as fleet cars and work vehicles, which is not a problem as long as you know about it. A ute that carried tools every day will show it in the bed, the suspension and the tow bar.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
Former fleet and police cars come up for sale often. They can be good buys, but get the service history if you can. Our guides to buying a car abroad safely and importing a modified car cover the wider checks.
The test depends on age
| Age of the car | What it needs |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years | An IVA test, and a speedometer reading in mph |
| 10 to 40 years | An MOT, with a rear fog light if one is not fitted |
| Over 40 years | No MOT needed, as long as it has not been substantially changed |
As of October 2026, almost every Commodore and ute is past 10 years old and takes an MOT. Only the final VFs, built after October 2016, need an IVA. At the other end, cars built before October 1986 are over 40, which takes in the VB to VK and the earliest VLs. The IVA test explained covers what the examiner looks at.
Shipping from Australia
Our partner hauliers collect from anywhere in Australia and take the car to the nearest port. It travels in a shared container, or a dedicated 20ft container if you would like one to yourself. The time at sea is usually about 6 to 10 weeks.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Australia starts from £3,200. That is shipping only, and does not include import tax, testing or registration. From collection to registration, allow around 10 to 16 weeks, depending on what the car needs. You will need the registration papers, the purchase invoice or bill of sale, and your passport. Our guide to shipping a car from Australia goes through the route in full.
Import tax
A Commodore or ute under 30 years old pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the cost of getting it here, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. One over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty instead. That covers everything from the VB to the VR, and the earliest VS cars built before October 1996.
Moving to the UK and bringing your own car? If you have lived abroad for at least 12 months and owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers, and our cost to ship from Australia guide puts the whole bill together.
Getting it road legal
Being right-hand drive, an Australian Commodore or ute needs very little. A rear fog light is fitted if there is not one, and a car under 10 years old has its speedometer converted to mph, which we do in-house. If you drive in London or a charging Clean Air Zone, read our guide to ULEZ and imported cars before you buy.
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, with MOT testing in the same building in Castle Donington. Our dealer-level DVLA account then lets us register the car within 10 working days.
Questions people ask
Can I import a Holden Commodore to the UK?
Yes. It is right-hand drive, so it needs very little work. It is shipped from Australia, cleared through customs, given a rear fog light if needed, tested by MOT or IVA depending on age, then registered with the DVLA.
Does a Commodore or ute need an IVA test?
Only if it is under 10 years old. As of October 2026 that means the last VFs built after October 2016. Everything older takes an MOT, or needs no MOT at all once over 40 and not substantially changed.
How much does it cost to ship a ute from Australia?
Shipping from Australia starts from £3,200, shipping only. A car-based ute ships like a large car, so the price sits close to a sedan. Tell us about any canopy or tow bar when you ask for a quote.
How much tax will I pay?
Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus shipping. A car over 30 years old, which takes in the VB to VR and the earliest VS, pays 5% VAT and no duty.
Is a Holden ute taxed as a car or a van?
Vehicle tax follows how the DVLA classes it, and company car tax has its own HMRC rules. Our pickup truck guide explains both, and an accountant can advise if a business will own it.
Found a Commodore or ute you like? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from collection in Australia to your drive.
