How to register an imported car with the DVLA

This is the part of importing that puts people off, and it should not. It is bureaucratic rather than difficult. Follow the steps in order, and the only thing that varies is how long the DVLA takes.

We handle all of this for cars we source. If you are doing it yourself, here is the sequence.

Step 1: Tell HMRC the car has arrived (NOVA)

NOVA stands for Notification of Vehicle Arrivals. HMRC needs to know the vehicle is in the country and that any duty and VAT owed has been dealt with. This has to happen within 14 days of the vehicle arriving.

In practice, if you used a customs clearing agent at the port, they will usually complete the NOVA entry as part of the clearance. Confirm with them rather than assume. The DVLA will not register the car until NOVA is cleared, and this is the single most common cause of delays.

Step 2: MOT or IVA

Which one you need depends on the age of the vehicle.

This is why most JDM imports are older cars. Once a vehicle is over ten years old it escapes individual approval entirely and simply needs an MOT, which saves both money and a great deal of hassle.

The modifications you will probably need

• Rear fog light. Japanese cars often do not have one and UK rules require it. This is the most common single job.
• Headlights. Japanese cars are right-hand drive like ours, so the beam pattern is usually fine, but it is worth having checked.
• Speedometer. It must be able to display mph. Many Japanese speedometers have a small mph scale already; some need a conversion or an overlay.

Step 3: Insure the car

You need insurance before the DVLA will register it, and you will be insuring a car that does not yet have a UK registration number. Insurers do this routinely using the chassis number. Not every insurer is comfortable with imports, so use a broker who deals with them regularly.

Step 4: Send the DVLA your application

You are applying on form V55/5, which is the form for registering a used vehicle. Send it with:

• The completed V55/5.
• The Japanese export certificate, which is your proof of age and identity for the vehicle. Keep the original safe and get a translation.
• Evidence that NOVA is cleared.
• Your MOT certificate, or IVA certificate if applicable.
• Proof of your name and address.
• The registration fee and the first vehicle tax payment.

Step 5: Wait for the V5C

The DVLA will allocate a registration number and send a V5C logbook. Timescales vary; a few weeks is normal and busy periods run longer. If they need more information, they will write to you, which is why getting the paperwork right first time matters so much.

An imported car normally gets an age-related registration number that matches the year it was built in Japan, rather than a current-year plate. Once the V5C arrives, you can order plates and the car is a normal UK car.

How long the whole thing takes

From the car landing at the port to driving it on UK plates, allow four to eight weeks. Customs clearance takes a few days, the MOT and any modifications take a week or two depending on your garage, and the DVLA takes the rest.

Add that to shipping and export paperwork, and a realistic timeline from winning an auction to driving the car is eight to twelve weeks. Anyone promising you four is guessing.

Or let us do it

Every car we import can be delivered UK-registered, MOT'd and ready to drive. We handle NOVA, the modifications, the MOT and the DVLA application, and you get a car with a V5C and a number plate rather than a pile of forms.

Common questions

How do I register a Japanese import with the DVLA?

Clear NOVA with HMRC within 14 days of arrival, get an MOT if the car is over ten years old or an IVA test if it is younger, insure the vehicle using its chassis number, then apply on form V55/5 with the Japanese export certificate, NOVA evidence, the MOT certificate, proof of address and the registration fee.

Do I need an IVA test for a Japanese import?

Only if the vehicle is under ten years old. Vehicles over ten years old are exempt from individual approval and simply need a standard MOT, which is why most JDM imports are older cars.

How long does the DVLA take to register an imported car?

A few weeks is normal once a complete application is submitted, though busy periods take longer. Allow four to eight weeks from the car landing to driving it on UK plates, and eight to twelve weeks in total from winning the auction.

What registration number does an imported car get?

Usually an age-related registration number matching the year the vehicle was built, rather than a current-year plate. If the age cannot be proved, typically because the export certificate is missing, the vehicle may be issued a Q plate instead, which harms its value.