Buy a car at a Belgian dealer or auction and the obvious worry is having to fly out and drive it back yourself. You do not need to. Belgium sits on our transporter's route to and from the Channel, which makes it one of the shortest runs we do.
- Transit time
- Usually 1 to 4 weeks
- Usual method
- Our own enclosed transporter
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
- Price
- Priced per job
Collection from anywhere in Belgium
We collect from dealers, private sellers and auctions, in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Liège or anywhere else in the country. The car comes back by road on our own enclosed multi-car transporter, which runs regularly across the EU, with a partner network for routes it does not cover. Nothing needs to be shipped.
Because the transporter carries several cars a trip, the collection order varies. We give you a realistic collection window when we quote, rather than promising a date we might miss, and the whole move usually falls within 1 to 4 weeks. The car is fully insured from loading until it is handed back.
What to ask the seller for
Belgian cars are usually well documented, which is good news. Before you pay, ask the seller for these:
Your Belgium paperwork
0 of 5 done
Two of those are worth a word. The Car-Pass is Belgium's mileage history record, and it is required by law when a used car is sold there, so a seller who cannot produce one is a seller to ask more questions of. The purchase invoice sets the customs value, so keep it safe.
Send us the seller's photos of the VIN and chassis plate and we can check them before you hand over any money. Our guide to buying a car abroad safely has more on spotting problems early.
The Certificate of Conformity advantage
Belgian cars often come with their Certificate of Conformity, the Gelijkvormigheidsattest. That matters for a newer car. With a CoC, an EU-built car under 10 years old can usually meet type approval without an IVA test, and you skip the step of sourcing a replacement.
If the CoC is missing, we source it. A car under 10 years old that was built outside the EU, or has no type approval, usually takes an IVA test instead. Our Certificate of Conformity guide covers the detail, and we confirm the route for your car when we quote.
| Feature | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Under 10, with a CoC | Type approval through the CoC |
| Under 10, built outside the EU or no type approval | IVA test |
| 10 to 40 years old | MOT, plus age-appropriate changes |
| Over 40 years old | No MOT needed |
Import tax from Belgium
Belgium is in the EU, so the car pays 20% import VAT on the purchase price plus the transport. There is no duty if it was built in the EU or UK. A car built elsewhere pays 10% duty as well, whichever country sold it.
VAT is worked out from the purchase invoice, or from a recent valuation if the invoice is more than 3 months old. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty, which is worth knowing if the Belgian find is a classic. As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we raise the customs paperwork ourselves.
Moving to the UK? If you have lived abroad for more than 12 months and owned the car for more than 6, Transfer of Residence can make it tax and duty free. A formerly UK-registered car may come back tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C.
Making it UK spec
A Belgian car is left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right. To be registered here it needs:
- The headlight beam pattern corrected so it does not dazzle oncoming traffic
- A rear fog light on the right-hand side
- A speedometer reading in miles per hour
We finish the work to an OEM standard on our own site. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains how, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers driving one here.
Testing and registration
Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, and we run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, with MOT and IVA testing on site every week. Once the car has passed, we submit NOVA and the DVLA application. Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days.
You choose how much of that we do. We can handle everything, or you can do the changes or the testing yourself, or the car can be registered remotely without ever visiting us.
What it costs
There is no flat rate for Belgium. The quote depends on where we collect from, open or enclosed transport, the compliance work, the type of test and how much of the job you want us to do.
The basics every EU car shares are in importing a car from Europe, and the Belgium country page has the short version.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to bring a car from Belgium to the UK?
Usually 1 to 4 weeks. Our transporter collects several cars a trip, so we give you a realistic collection window when we quote.
Can you collect from a Belgian dealer or auction?
Yes. We collect from dealers, private sellers and auctions anywhere in Belgium, including Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and Liège.
What is a Car-Pass?
Belgium’s mileage history document. It is required by law when a used car is sold there, so ask the seller for it.
Does a Belgian car need an IVA test?
Usually not if it is an EU-built car under 10 years old with a Certificate of Conformity, which Belgian cars often come with. Cars over 10 years old take an MOT instead.
Do I pay import tax on a car from Belgium?
Usually 20% import VAT on the price plus transport, with no duty if the car was built in the EU or UK. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT.
Found a car in Belgium? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price it from collection to your drive.
