Guides / Imported vehicles and IVA · Updated 30 September 2026

Importing a vehicle into Great Britain: NOVA, IVA and DVLA registration

Bringing a car, van or motorcycle into Great Britain permanently means clearing HMRC, proving the vehicle meets standards and registering it with DVLA, in that order. Here is the sequence gov.uk describes.

The five steps in the order gov.uk sets them

GOV.UK describes importing a vehicle permanently into the UK as a sequence of steps, and each one depends on the previous one being finished. In short, you:

1. tell HMRC that the vehicle has arrived, within 14 days;
2. pay any VAT and customs duty that HMRC says is due;
3. get vehicle approval to show the vehicle meets safety and environmental standards;
4. register and tax the vehicle with DVLA, which issues a registration number so you can have number plates made;
5. insure the vehicle before you drive it on UK roads.

The guidance is blunt about what happens if you skip ahead: you can be prosecuted for using the vehicle on a public road before completing these steps. The only exception gov.uk gives is driving it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test.

Step 1: the NOVA notification to HMRC

NOVA stands for Notification of Vehicle Arrivals. According to HMRC, you have 14 days to notify it after you bring a vehicle into the UK permanently, and the notification is made through the NOVA service. Who actually submits it depends on your status:

• VAT-registered companies must use the online NOVA service themselves.
• Individuals and businesses that are not VAT-registered can have a shipping company, a customs agent or HMRC's CARS team submit it for them.

After processing, HMRC tells you whether VAT and customs duty are payable and whether you qualify for any relief. The key point for the rest of the process is that you cannot register the vehicle with DVLA until the NOVA application has been processed. That is why NOVA should be treated as the first job on arrival, not something to do after the approval test.

If the vehicle arrived by sea freight, the customs declaration at the border is usually handled by the shipping company or a customs agent. If you drove it in yourself through the Channel Tunnel or on a ferry, gov.uk says you only pay at the border if HMRC decides it is necessary. For the underlying mechanics of an import entry, see our guide to the CDS import declaration, and if you are unsure whether you need an agent at all, read do you need a broker?

Step 2: VAT and customs duty

HMRC's NOVA outcome tells you what, if anything, you owe. People moving their home to the UK may be able to claim relief, but eligibility is decided by HMRC on the facts, so do not assume a vehicle will be tax-free because it was used abroad. Keep purchase invoices and the original foreign registration documents together, as DVLA will ask for them later too.

Step 3: vehicle approval

This is the step most people mean when they talk about "the IVA test". Gov.uk sets out several routes, and which one applies depends on where the vehicle comes from, its type and its age.

Gov.uk also notes that light passenger and light goods vehicles (3,500kg or less) first registered on or after 1 March 2001 with EU type approval still need approval. Manufacturers approving a whole model use vehicle type approval instead; that route is for volume production, not a single import.

How IVA works

IVA is run by DVSA and is aimed at vehicles imported or built in small numbers. It cannot be used for a vehicle that has already been registered in the UK. There are two levels: basic IVA, a visual inspection plus other tests, and normal IVA, a more detailed inspection that also needs documentary evidence. The application process, in outline:

• make sure the vehicle has a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN);
• choose a test centre from DVSA's list;
• complete the seat belt anchorage form (and the amateur-built declaration, if relevant);
• apply through the individual vehicle approval service and pay the fee.

DVSA says it will usually offer an inspection within 20 working days at the location you choose. A vehicle that passes receives an individual approval certificate (IAC), which is the proof of approval DVLA needs. If the vehicle is refused, you can appeal within 14 days. If you want to know what inspectors examine and how to prepare the car, Easy Clearance has a detailed look at the IVA test for imported vehicles.

Step 4: registering with DVLA

With NOVA processed and approval in hand, you apply to DVLA for first registration. Gov.uk lists the original documents to send, including:

• proof of vehicle approval (for example the IAC or certificate of conformity);
• form V267, the declaration of newness, for new vehicles;
• evidence of the collection date, such as the supplier invoice;
• the original foreign registration certificate, showing when the vehicle was made;
• form V627/3 if the vehicle has been structurally modified.

Gov.uk states a registration fee of £55, and you must tax the vehicle at the same time. The registration certificate (V5C) can take up to 6 weeks to arrive.

Step 5: MOT and insurance

Under the general MOT rules, a vehicle needs its MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, or by the anniversary of its last MOT if it is over 3 years old. Driving to a pre-arranged MOT test is one of the stated exceptions to the ban on using a vehicle without a valid MOT. Arrange insurance before any other road use.

Common mistakes

• Booking the IVA and leaving NOVA until later – DVLA will not register the vehicle until NOVA is processed.
• Assuming an EU-registered left-hand drive car only needs a certificate of conformity – gov.uk also requires GB conversion IVA.
• Driving the car on UK roads before registration and insurance, other than to a pre-booked test.

Terms such as CDS are explained in our glossary.

Related guides

• Importing a car or van into the UK from the EU

• Moving a motorcycle from the UK to Poland: customs and registration

• EU contractors working for UK clients: VAT and tools

Sources

• Importing vehicles into the UK (GOV.UK)
• Tell HMRC: NOVA (GOV.UK)
• Get vehicle approval (GOV.UK)
• Individual vehicle approval (GOV.UK)
• Registering an imported vehicle (GOV.UK)

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements on gov.uk or with a registered agent before you ship.