Teslas are sold new in the UK, so bringing one over from America is a choice people make for a reason: they are moving here with it, or they want a particular car. The worry is that an American Tesla will be an odd one out, with the wrong plug, the steering on the wrong side and a test to pass. All three are true, and none of them is a reason to stop. They are things to understand before you commit.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
- Import tax
- 10% duty + 20% VAT
- Under 10 years old
- IVA test
Who imports an American Tesla
The most common case is someone moving to the UK who already owns the car. If you have lived abroad for more than 12 months and owned the car for more than 6, you may be able to bring it in with no import tax under Transfer of Residence. That changes the sums completely.
The other case is a buyer after a specific car that is easier to find in America. That can work, but a UK-market Tesla is right-hand drive and already has a UK socket, so weigh up the conversion and the charging before you choose a US one.
The charging port
This is the biggest practical difference. The US Department of Energy notes that Tesla vehicles in America do not have a CCS or CHAdeMO port. They use Tesla's own connector, which has since been standardised in North America as SAE J3400.
UK charging is built around different plugs. GOV.UK's technical specification for home chargepoints uses the Type 2 connector for AC charging, and CCS is the usual connector on UK rapid chargers. A UK-market Tesla has a socket for that system. An American one does not.
| Feature | US-market Tesla | UK-market Tesla |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | Left-hand drive | Right-hand drive |
| Charging socket | Tesla North American connector (J3400) | Built for UK Type 2 and CCS charging |
| Lighting | US pattern, headlights set for the right | UK pattern |
| Approval | None for the UK, so IVA if under 10 years | Approved for sale here |
| Import tax | 10% duty + 20% VAT, unless ToR applies | Not an import |
Adaptors exist for some combinations, but we would not buy the car on the assumption that one will give you full-speed charging here. Find out exactly what home and public charging you will have before the car leaves America, and ask Tesla what it can and cannot support on a US car in the UK.
Check with Tesla too. Warranty, app access, software features and Supercharger access on a US car in the UK are matters for Tesla, not for us. Ask them in writing before you buy.
Left-hand drive is fine
The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without asking for the steering to be moved, so a US Tesla stays left-hand drive. Our guide to left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one, including insurance.
IVA and the changes it needs
A US-market Tesla was never approved for sale in Britain. GOV.UK's Individual Vehicle Approval scheme is how a single car like this shows it meets UK standards, and as a rule a car under 10 years old from outside Europe needs it. Today that covers every Model 3 and Model Y, and later Model S and Model X cars. A car built before October 2016 is over 10 years old and takes an MOT instead.
Before the test, the car needs the same kind of changes as any American car. Headlights have to dip the right way for driving on the left, and a rear fog light is needed. American-market cars can also have red rear indicators, which have to be amber here, so we check what this one has. A car under 10 years old must show its speed in mph, which an American car already does.
My Car Import has IVA tested and registered Teslas for countless clients. We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so the car is tested on our own lane, with no waiting for a government slot and no trip to a test centre. Our guides to the IVA test and converting an American car have the detail.
Before you buy or ship
US Tesla checklist
0 of 7 done
Title matters on a Tesla as on any US car. US Customs wants the title, or a certified copy, at the port with the car at least 72 hours before it sails. Many Teslas are financed or leased, and CBP will want a letter from the lender or leasing company allowing export.
Shipping an electric car
A Tesla ships as a battery-powered vehicle, which at sea means dangerous goods rules and a set charge level. That is our side of the job, and our guide to shipping an electric car to the UK explains it. We will tell you what charge to leave once the booking is made.
We collect from anywhere in the USA and truck the car to the port, mainly New York, Savannah, Houston or Oakland. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the USA starts from £1,450, shipping only, with around 2 weeks at sea from the East Coast and around 4 from the West. See shipping a car from the USA for the full journey.
Tax and registration
Being electric earns no discount on import tax. A Tesla from the USA pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus shipping, unless Transfer of Residence applies. The import tax calculator will give you a figure.
Once it passes, our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days. After that it pays vehicle tax like any other electric car: GOV.UK lists a £10 first payment for zero emission cars, then the standard rate, with an extra yearly charge on cars with a high list price.
Questions people ask
Can I import a Tesla from the USA to the UK?
Yes. My Car Import has IVA tested and registered Teslas for many clients. The car stays left-hand drive, needs some lighting changes and usually an IVA test, and pays 10% duty and 20% VAT unless Transfer of Residence applies.
Will a US Tesla charge at UK chargers?
Not natively. US Teslas use Tesla's North American connector, while UK home chargers use Type 2 and most rapid chargers use CCS. Adaptors exist for some combinations, so work out your charging before you buy, and ask Tesla what it supports.
Does a US Tesla need an IVA test?
If it is under 10 years old, yes, because a US-market car was never approved for the UK. Today that means built after October 2016, which covers every Model 3 and Model Y. An older Model S or Model X takes an MOT instead.
Do I have to convert a US Tesla to right-hand drive?
No. The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without the steering being moved.
Can I bring my Tesla tax free if I am moving to the UK?
Possibly. If you have lived abroad for more than 12 months and owned the car for more than 6, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence, which means no import duty or VAT. HMRC has to approve it.
Bringing a Tesla over from America? Tell us about it on the quote form and we will price the shipping, testing and registration together.
