Import guide
Importing a Japanese car into the UK
How importing a Japanese car into the UK works: shipping, customs and NOVA, vehicle approval, DVLA registration and your delivery options.
By Cathect Trading Co Published
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Last reviewed: . Rules change. We confirm the current rules for your specific car before we buy it.
How we help
We buy the car you want at auction in Japan, prepare the Japanese export documentation and ship the car to the United Kingdom. When it arrives you choose how to receive it:
- Door-step delivery. We arrange delivery from the port to your address.
- Port pickup, you clear the car yourself. You collect the car from the port and handle the import documents yourself.
- Port pickup with a clearing service. You collect the car from the port and a clearing service, ours or a third party, handles the import documents.
Before you ask for a quote
Japan and the UK both drive on the left, so Japanese-market cars are right-hand drive, which is normal in the UK. When you choose a car, think about:
- The car's age. It affects whether the car needs vehicle approval before it can be registered (see below).
- Its history. Ask us for the Japanese auction sheet and check the mileage.
Arrival and delivery options
We ship the car from Japan to a UK port and tell you the arrival details. If you choose port pickup, you or your clearing service collect the car once customs has released it. If you choose door-step delivery, we arrange delivery to your address.
Customs clearance and NOVA
When the car arrives it is declared to customs, and any import VAT and duty that HMRC says is due must be paid. You can do this yourself, use our clearing service or use a third-party clearing service.
You have 14 days to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after the car arrives in the UK, using the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) service. The DVLA cannot register the car until NOVA has been processed.
Import duty and VAT
HMRC assesses import duty and VAT when the car is imported. Goods that originate in Japan can qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). A claim is based on a statement on origin from the exporter or on the importer's knowledge that the goods originate in Japan. Current tariff details are published on the UK Trade Tariff.
Vehicle approval
Cars imported from outside the EU usually need Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) before they can be registered. GOV.UK says that if a vehicle was first registered or manufactured more than 10 years ago, it might not need approval, and explains how to check whether a vehicle is exempt. We confirm what applies to your car before we buy it.
DVLA registration
Once NOVA has been processed and the car has vehicle approval if it needs it, you register and tax the car with the DVLA. The DVLA gives you a UK registration number so you can have number plates made up.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Importing vehicles into the UK
- GOV.UK: Tell HMRC about an imported vehicle (NOVA)
- GOV.UK: Getting vehicle approval for an imported vehicle
- GOV.UK: Vehicle approval
- GOV.UK: Summary of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- UK Trade Tariff
Frequently asked questions
Do you ship to the UK?
Yes. We buy the car at auction in Japan, handle the Japanese export paperwork and ship it to the UK.
Who clears the car through UK customs?
You can clear the car yourself, use our clearing service or use a third-party clearing service. If you choose door-step delivery, we arrange delivery to your address.
Where can I check the current UK import rules?
Check GOV.UK, which publishes the official guidance on importing vehicles, customs, vehicle approval and DVLA registration.