Buying a classic abroad is exciting right up to the moment you think about getting it home. There is the trip itself, the tax, and a DVLA that wants paperwork for a car built decades ago. The good news is that the rules are kinder to older cars than to new ones, and the rest is a matter of planning.
The tax is lower on older cars
A car over 30 years old pays 5% import VAT and no import duty. Compare that with a modern car from outside the EU, which pays 10% duty and 20% VAT, and you can see why so many classics come to the UK from the USA, Japan and elsewhere.
As with any import, the tax is worked out on the price of the car plus the cost of getting it here. So a £30,000 classic shipped for £1,450 from the USA would pay 5% of £31,450, which is £1,573 in VAT and nothing in duty. If the purchase invoice is more than 3 months old, a valuation is used instead.
Two other routes can bring the tax down to nil. If you are moving to the UK and qualify for Transfer of Residence, or if the car was once registered in the UK and you have the UK purchase invoice and old V5C, it may come in tax free.
Shipping a classic properly
Classics come in every shape, size and condition, so we start by finding out about yours: what it is, whether it runs and anything that needs special handling. From there we choose the route, the carrier and the dates that suit you.
Enclosed transport to the port
An open transporter leaves the car exposed to the weather and road dirt. For a valuable classic we recommend enclosed transport to the port.
A container, not RoRo
In a container the car is strapped down and sealed in until it reaches us. It does not have to run, nobody drives it on or off a ship, and the container comes to our site in Castle Donington, where our own team unloads it with the same care that went into loading it. For classics, this is the way we would ship our own. See container, RoRo or air for the full comparison, and our classic car shipping service for more.
Marine insurance
A classic is an investment as much as a car, and your normal insurance will not cover it at sea. Our marine insurance covers it against damage and total loss in transit, up to its full value, so you are not relying on luck.
How it comes together
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Before it ships
Plan and collect
We agree the route and dates, then collect the car, by enclosed transport if you choose, and take it to the port.
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At sea
Shipping
The car travels sealed in a container. From the USA, the sea passage is around 2 weeks from the East Coast and around 4 from the West Coast.
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On arrival
Customs
We clear the car through customs and check whether it qualifies for the 5% rate of VAT.
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Within 14 days
NOVA
HMRC must be told the car has arrived within 14 days. We handle this for you.
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At our site
Unloading and checks
The container is unloaded at Castle Donington, and the car is checked over and tested as needed.
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Registration
UK plates
We put the paperwork together for the DVLA and, using our dealer-level account, register imported cars within 10 working days.
MOT and road tax at 40 years
Once a car was built or first registered more than 40 years ago, it does not need an MOT, as long as it has not been substantially changed. Replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the car works counts as a substantial change. The car still has to be kept roadworthy, so we still put older cars through an MOT as a check when we register them.
Road tax works on a rolling date too. From 1 April 2026, cars built before 1 January 1986 can stop paying vehicle tax, but you have to apply for the exemption. It does not happen on its own.
Cars under 40 still take an MOT before they are registered, and anything between 10 and 40 years old usually needs the same kind of changes as a younger import, such as lighting.
Historic registration paperwork
This is where a classic import can stall. The DVLA needs to know exactly what the car is and how old it is before it will issue a UK registration. As well as the normal application, that usually means:
Classic registration paperwork
0 of 6 done
The dating evidence matters. When the DVLA is satisfied about the car's age, it can register it accordingly. Where a vehicle's age or identity is in doubt, the DVLA issues a Q registration number instead, which is not what most classic owners want.
Gather the history before you ship. Original documents and dating evidence are far easier to find while you are still in touch with the seller. Ask for everything they have, however old.
We know historic registrations well. If you want the car on UK plates, we can source any extra paperwork the DVLA asks for, so you are not left chasing it yourself. For more on registration, see My Car Import's registration service.
Questions people ask
How much tax do I pay to import a classic car to the UK?
A car over 30 years old pays 5% import VAT and no import duty. The VAT is worked out on the price of the car plus the cost of shipping it here. Transfer of Residence or a former UK registration may bring it down to nil.
Does an imported classic car need an MOT?
Not if it was built or first registered more than 40 years ago and has not been substantially changed. It must still be kept roadworthy. Younger cars take an MOT before they are registered.
What is the best way to ship a classic car?
In a container, with enclosed transport to the port and marine insurance for the crossing. The car is sealed in the whole way and unloaded by our own team at our site in Castle Donington.
What paperwork does the DVLA need for a classic?
The normal application plus photographs of the car and its VIN, registration documents from the country of origin and, often, a dating letter from the manufacturer or an expert. We can source extra paperwork the DVLA asks for.
What is a Q plate?
The DVLA issues Q registration numbers to vehicles whose age or identity is in doubt. Good dating evidence helps avoid one.
Tell us about your classic on the quote form and we will plan the move around it.
