Anybody any experience re-importing a car to UK?

[dokkodo]

During the scamdemic years I got stuck in Germany and so registered one of my cars there. It seems like I made a mistake in exporting it (I probably should have SORNed) but hey-ho. The car has been owned by me throughout but it seems that HMRC will want to charge me import duty and VAT if I bring it back to the UK and ask for my old plate back, not to mention all the hoops I have to jump through.

Has anybody been through this and can share their experience?

Apparently unspecified "relief" can be applied for but it seems robbery (not to mention grief and uncertainty) to charge for a car that was originally bought VAT paid in the UK.

Many thanks!

[Bob T]

Many years ago I exported a car to Australia and then brought it home 6 months later. Dealing with HMRC was like being in a Monthy Python sketch. The "help desk" had no idea what forms were required and when, after many attempts, I was able to speak to the right department they couldn't tell me what forms I needed as only the "help desk" could provide advice!

Looking online now it seems the export and return has a time limit on it, 3 years ?

The alternative is to do it as a personal import. I brought a car back from USA in 2020. I had owned it for over 12 months overseas and no tax had to be paid when I brought it into the UK. There was a requirement, noted on the V5, that if I sold it within 12 months I would be liable for import tax.

Best bet is to spend an evening trawling through the HMRC website to find all the forms you need