UK 4x4 and SUV Autos ›› Importing a Vehicle
You are going to need the V55/4 application, a V267 declaration, and be able to calculate new car tax rates when registering a new vehicle for the first time, including new imports.
This guide explains how to import a new car into the UK and how to use the V55/5 application for first vehicle tax and registration to register a previously used vehicle.
Either you (or an importer or shipping company) need to complete the following steps if you bring a vehicle into the UK permanently.
Important: You also need to have adequate vehicle insurance before driving it on any public road in the United Kingdom. There are several extra steps if you are importing a damaged, rebuilt, or modified vehicle from another country.
All United Kingdom residents can move their vehicles between Great Britain and Northern Ireland without facing any restrictions, if (all):
In some circumstances, you might need to change your address on your vehicle log book (V5C) by informing the DVLA. Extra guidance about moving your home from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is available on the GOV.UK website.
By and large, the rules for temporary imports allow you to use a car with foreign number plates without having to register or tax it in the United Kingdom, if you are (both):
There are additional steps of the process to complete if the vehicle you're bringing back to the United Kingdom:
Pro Tip: As a rule, commercial importers of new vehicles will use vehicle registration schemes for the motor trade (e.g. one of the secure registration schemes) instead of following the steps above.