Germany is close, but since Brexit plenty of people assume bringing a car over has turned into a customs nightmare. It has added a step, not a mountain. We collect the car on our own enclosed transporter, clear it through customs ourselves and do the conversion work on our own site.
- Transit time
- 3 to 7 days
- Usual method
- Our own enclosed transporter
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
- Price
- Quoted per job
How we bring cars from Germany
Most German cars come over on our own enclosed multi-car transporter. Road freight is one of the fastest ways to move a car from mainland Europe, and because the transporter is ours, the car is with our people from the moment it is loaded. Being enclosed, it is also kept out of the weather for the whole trip.
Transit usually takes around 3 to 7 days. RoRo and container shipping are available too, if they suit the car or the timing better.
| Feature | Our transporter | RoRo | Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical time | 3 to 7 days | 2 to 4 days | 5 to 7 days |
| Enclosed | Yes | No | Yes |
The full comparison of methods is in container, RoRo or air.
Import tax from Germany
Since Brexit, a car coming in from the EU pays 20% import VAT. There is no import duty, as long as the car was built in the EU or the UK. A car built elsewhere, say in the US or Japan, and bought in Germany would pay 10% duty as well.
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. And if you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence means no import tax at all. As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we make the customs entry ourselves.
Your Germany paperwork
0 of 5 done
Certificate of Conformity
For an EU-built car under 10 years old, the usual route to registration is a Certificate of Conformity, or CoC. It confirms the car was built to the approved European standard, and with one, a newer EU car can skip the full IVA test.
If you do not have the CoC, we can source it. If one genuinely cannot be found, the car takes an IVA test instead. Our guide to the Certificate of Conformity explains when you need one and what to do if it is lost.
Making it UK road legal
German cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right, so a few changes come with the territory:
- Headlights adjusted or replaced for driving on the left
- A speedometer reading in mph
- A rear fog light where needed
We do this work on our own site, and done properly you would not know the car had been touched. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions covers how. A car over 10 years old then takes an MOT, with the changes generally coming down to the rear fog light, and one over 40 years old does not need an MOT.
Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, and we run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so any testing happens on the same site as the conversion. Once the car is ready, our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days.
Never driven a left-hand drive car here before? Our guide to left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with one day to day.
What it costs
We do not publish a guide price for Germany, because every job is priced on its own. Where the car is, the transport method and what it needs at this end all make a real difference. Send us the details and we will come back with a full quote.
Check where the car was built. No duty applies only to cars built in the EU or UK. If you are buying a German-registered car that was made elsewhere, budget for 10% duty on top of the VAT.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to bring a car from Germany to the UK?
Usually around 3 to 7 days on our own enclosed transporter. RoRo is around 2 to 4 days and a container around 5 to 7 days.
Do I pay import duty on a car from Germany?
Not if the car was built in the EU or UK. You pay 20% import VAT. A car built outside the EU pays 10% duty as well, and a car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty.
Does my German car need a Certificate of Conformity?
Usually, if it is an EU-built car under 10 years old. With a CoC it can avoid the full IVA test. If you do not have one, we can source it.
What changes does a German car need for the UK?
Headlights adjusted or replaced for driving on the left, a speedometer reading in mph, and a rear fog light where needed.
How much does it cost to bring a car from Germany?
Germany is priced per job, because the location, transport method and work needed vary. Send us the details on the quote form for a full price.
Found the car in Germany? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from collection to your drive.
