How do I register a car?

[S100HP]

New car from Japan should be here in a couple of weeks. I have the option of paying the importer to register it, but feels expensive.

As a total novice, can anyone give me an idiots guide how to do it please? I wish to put it on a private plate which is currently on a different car (but will be in my name) just to complicate it.

Thanks in advance

[marcella]

How old is the car?

If it is under 10 years old then will need to get a IVA done prior to registration which costs about £200.

If it's older then you just to need do an MOT first.

Then you need to complete a V55 for the DVLA to start the registration process but this is taking up to 5 weeks with traders and longer for individuals. I believe you also have to fill out a NOVA for HMRC.

Just to note I have not done any of this, I'm currently using Torque GT to import a car for me and do all this stuff. I know it will cost a lot more but I'd rather someone do it that has been doing it for years but it doesn't seem like it's a difficult process just timely.

Hope that helps.

[samoht]

- I think you need an agency to do the customs clearance, someone like https://www.kleerfreight.com/
- Collect from port.
- Do NOVA online within 14 days of the car arriving in the UK https://www.gov.uk/nova-log-in and pay VAT and import duty
- If it doesn't already have a rear foglight, will need one adding.
- Then MoT (or SVA if under 10 years old)
- Then download the V55/5 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/registe... fill it in and post it back together with first registration fee and first road tax payment
- you also need the Japanese de-registration form for this. You need to have completed NOVA too.

If you're lucky, the DVLA will send you back a V5 with your newly assigned registration number, you can then get plates made up and hit the road.

AFAIK you'd have to swap the private plate on separately once it's registered.

In principle you can't drive the car on the road until it's registered & taxed. However there's a loophole where you can drive it to and from a pre-booked MoT. If you want to do this you can insure it against the chassis number initially, and update the insurance co with the registration once obtained.

[Axeboy]

The customs paperwork you can do yourself but its just not worth the hassle, and its a cheap part of the process that the agent takes care of.

They will sort the taxes, hmrc adjustments etc etc and bill you before allowing release from port and getting the NOVA to you

The NOVA doc will take some time, they are running slow now, it used to be a week max, more like 3+ now