U.K REGISTRATION F.A.Q

UK Registration and Order Process for Left Hand Drive Cars

Q: I have decided on the LHD car I want and wish to order, what do I need to do?

A: You need to contact the sales person you have been dealing with and inform them of your decision. The sales person will issue a Sales Agreement and ask you to pay your holding deposit.

Q: Once I have signed and returned my Sales Agreement and paid my Deposit, what happens next?

A: The car will be reserved for you, and arrangements will be made to meet your requirements, which will be discussed at the point of sale. As an internet-based company, most of our correspondence is done by email. We send all updates and information via email unless it is of an urgent nature, at which time we will telephone you.

Q: How do I pay my final balance?

A: We will send you a reminder and bank account details once we know when your car will be ready for collection from the supplier.

Q: What happens after I make the final payment?

A: We will email you to confirm receipt of your payment and will transfer your funds to our supplier the same day we receive them. We allow 3 working days for the funds to clear in our supplier's account. Once the supplier has the cleared funds, they will contact us with a collection date.

Q: How long does the transportation take?

A: This depends on several factors, including the transport company scheduling, driver availability, and shipping times. As a rough guide, it can take anything from 3 to 14 days. We will contact you the moment we have more accurate information.

Q: Will the car come with any plates?

A: It is possible that your vehicle may have foreign export plates upon arrival. However, in most instances, your vehicle will not be plated upon arrival in the UK. Your vehicle must be stored off-road until the registration formalities have been completed.

Q: What documentation do you require in order to register my vehicle in the UK?

A: The documentation required to register a left-hand drive vehicle in the UK is as follows:

• From the supplier:
  • Certificate of Conformity (COC)
  • Original Foreign Registration Document
• From the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency):
  • Mutual Recognition Certificate (can only be obtained by providing COC and Original Foreign Registration Document)
• From HMRC:
  • Custom clearance (which we will handle for you ) VAT is due unless it's your car you are bringing back in the UK
• From you:
  • Copy of identification
  • Copy of utility bill (also foreign utility if the car is being used abroad)

Q: How soon will you be able to register my car?

A: The documents required from the supplier (COC and Original Foreign Registration Document) usually arrive after your vehicle has arrived in the UK. Any left-hand drive vehicle, new or otherwise, needs approval by VCA, regardless of any Type Approval Certificate/Certificate of Conformity it may have with it. Once we receive the COC and Original Foreign Registration Document for your vehicle, they are sent to the VCA. The VCA will issue a Mutual Recognition Certificate. Upon receipt of this and all of your documentation, the relevant forms (V55/5 and VAT 414) will be completed by us and sent, along with all of the documentation listed above, to the local DVLA office for registration. The entire registration process for a LHD vehicle can take up to 4-6 weeks to complete.

Q: Do I need to get plates made up?

A: This depends on whether you have agreed in your contract that you wish for us to register the vehicle. It may be supplied on export plates (temporary registration). If you are having UK registration, the plates will be provided by us as soon as we know the UK registration number of your vehicle, i.e., once the vehicle has been registered by DVLA.

VAT Qualification and Cost Efficiency

Q: Why is it important for the car to be VAT qualifying?

A: VAT qualifying cars are typically less expensive to import into the UK. When a car is VAT qualifying, it means that VAT can be reclaimed if the car is exported out of the UK. This can result in significant savings on the total import cost. Non-VAT qualifying cars may incur additional costs, making them more expensive to import.

This document is designed to help you understand the UK registration and order process we operate. It includes information relating to the Order Procedure, Payment Procedure, Delivery, and Registration of your Left Hand Drive car in the UK.

For any further queries that are not answered in this document, please make and enquiry HERE. For other useful information, click on the links below.