Shipping From Europe.

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boardman411
Posts: 8
Joined: 9th April 2016 - 9:49pm

Shipping From Europe.

Post by boardman411 » 6th March 2017 - 8:50am

Anyone got any recommendations / contacts for shipping cost from Europe.

Seen a few cars in Europe, I wouldn't mind driving one back, but it's a bit risky + plus the fact your not allowed to drive it once it hits UK soil. So need to find a reliable shipping service...

Thanks,
Shaun.

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937carrera
Posts: 1190
Joined: 7th June 2013 - 11:54pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Shipping From Europe.

Post by 937carrera » 7th March 2017 - 1:13pm

Why do you think you can't drive it on UK soil ?

The taxation requirement only applies to UK registered vehicles, though I am aware of the new declaration process when importing a car. Does that interfere ?

Foreign registered vehicles (temporary import) can be used for 6 months before they have to be registered at DVLA - at least that was my understanding
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

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Kai
Posts: 392
Joined: 3rd June 2007 - 12:40pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Shipping From Europe.

Post by Kai » 8th March 2017 - 8:55pm

To my knowledge, if you hold a UK driving license, under no circumstances are you to drive a car with foreign plates on UK soil. I suppose the reasoning is that the cops or DVLA can't get in touch with you for what ever reason as they don't have a record of the owner of the foreign reg. I never drove my Cheetah from Holland. A mate of mine bought a gipsy from Poland and it arrived in the UK on a trailer for the grand sum of £450.

When you get it to the UK you'll need to fill in a HMRC nova 1 form, get it insured and MOT'd on the chassis number, then apply for a V5 with the DVLA which is going to be the most difficult bit as you have to write them letters nowadays and await a response.

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937carrera
Posts: 1190
Joined: 7th June 2013 - 11:54pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Shipping From Europe.

Post by 937carrera » 8th March 2017 - 10:19pm

Well, this is interesting and Kai tends to know this stuff so I have been off googling.

In summary, it is clear that a foreign national can drive a foreign car in the UK for 6 months before an obligation to re-register occurs. However, DVLA have decided to discriminate against UK nationals and not permit that to happen. They are also quite interested in collecting car tax.

Whatever the DVLA say, it seems that generally speaking in practice the police have no way of actually knowing the position.

The DVLA website says you have 14 days to submit the NOVA form, so to avoid a charge of driving a vehicle while untaxed, book an appointment at an MOT station. You don't need to tax a car to take it to / from the MOT station. Legislation also doesn't specify any constraints on the location of an MOT station, but you need to take a direct route and not stop off on the journey to do other tasks. (filling with fuel would I guess be OK, stopping at a Post Office to get a tax disc (old days) would be a breach of the exemption..... and people have been fined for precisely that.)

Here's what I have been looking at

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-i ... ry-imports

http://www.hughesguides.com/foreignvehicles.pdf

https://www.angloinfo.com/normandy/disc ... pic/939235 (includes contributions from traffic officers)

I would say the risk is low in any case, but you can eliminate it by booking an MOT.
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

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