Importing a Car from France to the UK

France is one of the most popular countries to import a car from — whether it's a Peugeot, Citroën, Renault, Alpine, or a French-registered German or Italian car that's cheaper on the continent. Since Brexit, the process has changed significantly. You now need French sale and export paperwork, UK customs formalities, an HMRC vehicle notification and potentially vehicle approval before DVLA will register your car.

This guide covers every step from buying in France to driving on UK roads, with verified figures from official government sources.

Scope: this is the standard route for a used passenger car imported permanently into Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales) by a private individual. Northern Ireland has different customs and registration rules. A new vehicle uses form V55/4 and may require form V267, so do not use this used-vehicle checklist unchanged.

Why Import from France?

French imports are attractive for several reasons:

• Lower prices — many models are significantly cheaper in France than the UK, especially used cars
• Proximity — France is the closest major car market, with multiple transport options
• A possible nil preferential rate — only when the car meets the TCA product-specific origin rule and the importer holds enough evidence to make a valid claim
• Wider selection — access to French-market models, specifications, and colours not available in the UK
• Classic car market — France has excellent stock of Citroën DS, 2CV, Peugeot 205 GTi, Alpine A110, and other classics

Step 1: Buying in France — Documents to Collect

Important: Make sure the VIN on every document matches the car. Follow the official French guidance on selling a used vehicle, crossing out the carte grise and exporting a vehicle outside the EU. French customs says a used export normally keeps its current registration, whereas French registration guidance warns that a crossed carte grise is generally not valid for driving abroad. Resolve that conflict in writing before deciding to drive.

A VAT-registered French dealer may invoice an export outside the EU without French VAT only when the export conditions and evidence are satisfied. Agree the invoice, exporter and exit evidence before payment; see the French tax authority's cross-border goods guidance.

Step 2: Getting the Car to the UK

Driving It Yourself

Do not assume the crossed carte grise, seller's insurance or your existing UK policy lets you drive the newly purchased car home. Arrange transport unless French customs/ANTS and the insurer have confirmed the exact journey and registration status in writing. If you do have a lawful self-drive route, you'll need:

• Valid insurance for this VIN and the full France-to-GB journey — the general green-card waiver for UK-insured vehicles has applied since 2 August 2021, but it does not create cover for a newly bought French car
• A valid driving licence — your UK licence is accepted in France
• The French registration document (carte grise) — carry the original
• A roadworthy, lawfully registered vehicle and any equipment required in France and the UK

At the Border (Post-Brexit)

Since 1 January 2021, bringing a car from France to the UK is an import from outside the UK's customs territory. When you arrive at the UK border:

• If you bring the car in personally, HMRC's current route says to contact the CARS team within 14 days. Do not submit a customs declaration until HMRC tells you one is needed
• If the car is shipped, a customs import declaration is normally made at import; agree with the shipping company or customs agent who will do it and who will handle NOVA
• Keep the exact UK arrival date and all customs references. DVLA cannot register the car until HMRC has processed the notification and any tax has been dealt with

Start with GOV.UK's vehicle-import overview and current HMRC notification routes, rather than relying on an old NOVA login tutorial.

Step 3: NOVA — Notify HMRC Within 14 Days

The order depends on how the car arrives. For a private self-import into Great Britain, contact CARS; if HMRC says tax is due, appoint an agent to make the customs declaration, pay the assessed duty/VAT, send the customs documents to CARS, and CARS will then make and process the NOVA notification. For a shipped vehicle, the import declaration and tax payment normally happen at import before NOVA is completed. See HMRC's paying VAT and duty guidance.

Step 4: Customs Duty & VAT

The VAT base can include commission, packing, transport and insurance as well as duty; use HMRC's VAT valuation guidance for the exact journey. Want to check the numbers for your own import? Use the pre-set France-to-UK car import calculator, which withholds a preferential result until the required rate and evidence are confirmed.

Rules of Origin: When Does 0% Duty Apply?

Under the TCA, nil duty is a claimed tariff preference, not a general exemption for French cars. The imported car must satisfy the product-specific rule and the claim must be based on either:

• a valid statement on origin made by the exporter on an invoice or other qualifying commercial document; or
• importer's knowledge backed by enough records to prove the rule is met if HMRC verifies the claim.

For consignments above €6,000, an EU exporter making the statement normally needs a REX number. Importer's knowledge generally means production and material records, which a private buyer of a used car is unlikely to possess. The marque, VIN plant, country shown on the carte grise or Certificate of Conformity can be useful factual evidence, but none is automatically a valid preference claim on its own. A Toyota built in Japan does not become EU-origin through French registration; equally, do not claim that every EU-assembled model qualifies without checking the exact product-specific rule and production evidence.

If you cannot support preference at import, budget the standard rate. HMRC allows an eligible post-import claim within 3 years of import, and the statement-on-origin record should be kept for 4 years. Read HMRC's UK-EU origin and preference guidance before instructing the customs agent.

Classic Vehicles (Over 30 Years Old)

Some cars over 30 years old may qualify for collector classification under heading 9705, but age alone does not establish it. The vehicle should normally be in original or historically correct condition, be of a model no longer produced, and meet the historical-interest criteria. Check HMRC's vehicle classification guidance and obtain an Advance Tariff Ruling before import if the tax treatment is material; do not assume 0% duty and 5% VAT.

Step 5: Vehicle Approval

Most French Cars Are Left-Hand Drive

This is the key difference compared to importing from, say, Japan. Almost all cars bought in France will be left-hand drive (LHD). This means:

• Cars under 10 years old need the GB Conversion IVA (£100, paperwork only) in addition to a CoC
• LHD is perfectly legal to drive in the UK — there's no requirement to convert to right-hand drive
• You'll need to adjust or replace headlights so the beam pattern doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic

For the conversion application, VCA asks for the original CoC or a scan and a garage invoice/statement dated within 3 months. The evidence must identify the VIN and garage (including an MOT, VAT or Companies House number) and cover the headlamps, speedometer and rear fog lamp. Check the official vehicle-approval route and the current GB Conversion IVA application.

Step 6: Vehicle Modifications for UK Roads

Step 7: MOT Test

If the car is over 3 years old, it normally needs a valid UK MOT before DVLA registration. A vehicle over 40 years old may be exempt only if it has not been substantially changed in the previous 30 years; the keeper must make the exemption declaration and the car must still be roadworthy.

• A French Contrôle Technique is not accepted as a substitute for a UK MOT
• You may drive to or from a pre-booked MOT or approval test without registration/tax, but the vehicle must still be insured for that journey and roadworthy
• MOT cost: £54.85 (maximum fee set by DVSA)
• Common MOT failure points for French imports: headlight beam pattern, rear fog light position, emissions and vehicle condition. The MOT checks that a fitted speedometer works and is illuminated; it does not fail a car merely because its scale is in km/h

Sources: MOT test fees, MOT lamps manual, MOT speedometer manual, and historic-vehicle exemption criteria.

Step 8: DVLA Registration (V55/5 Form)

Key V55/5 Tips for French Imports

• Box 8 (Body type): use the description that matches the vehicle, such as SALOON, HATCHBACK, ESTATE, COUPE or CONVERTIBLE
• Box 9 (Wheelplan): normally 2-AXLE RIGID for a standard passenger car
• Box 18 (Max net power): enter whole kW, not bhp; do not convert it to horsepower
• Box 24 (Date of original registration): copy the carte grise “Date de première immatriculation”, not the UK application date
• Box 32 (VIN/chassis): copy the full VIN exactly and cross-check it against the stamped vehicle identifier
• Box 69 (List price): for a type-approved M1 car first registered from April 2017, enter the list/notional price required by the current guide; DVLA warns that leaving it blank can cause rejection
• Box 73 (Mileage): convert and enter the mileage in miles, not kilometres

Use the current V355/5 completion guide, not box numbers copied from an older form. GOV.UK's first-registration page has the latest document checklist.

Step 9: Insurance & Vehicle Tax

You must insure the vehicle before any use on UK roads, including a journey to a pre-booked MOT or approval test. For a Great Britain postal application, an insurance certificate is not normally an enclosure, but that does not remove the road-use requirement.

• Get a UK insurance quote using the French VIN — most UK insurers can cover imported vehicles
• Specialist import insurance may offer VIN-based cover while DVLA registration is pending; compare the territorial and unregistered-vehicle terms, not just price
• Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is paid as part of registration. From April 2026 the standard annual rate is £200 for most cars registered after April 2017
• Expensive Car Supplement: £440 a year can apply in years 2-6 after first registration. For combustion cars the list-price threshold is over £40,000; for zero-emission cars it is over £50,000

Check the current vehicle-tax rate tables for the car and tax-start date.

Full Cost Breakdown

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Step-by-Step Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep driving on French plates while I sort the paperwork? A UK resident should not use the car for ordinary journeys on French plates. Before registration, the narrow road-use exception is a journey to or from a pre-booked MOT or approval test, with valid insurance and a roadworthy car. Transport it otherwise.

Is it worth importing from France? Potentially. Proximity can reduce transport cost, and a car that satisfies the TCA product-specific origin rule can receive a nil duty rate when the importer makes a valid evidence-backed claim. Compare the total landed and registration cost; do not assume every EU-manufactured or French-registered car receives preference.

Do I need to cancel the French registration? DVLA retains the original non-UK registration certificate as part of the first-registration application, but that does not substitute for every seller/export obligation in France. Confirm the sale, export and registration-status steps with ANTS or the relevant French authority before the vehicle leaves.

What about electric vehicles from France? EVs follow the same customs-origin evidence and registration principles. The temporary UK-EU EV origin rules run through 31 December 2026, with the final stricter product-specific rule due from 1 January 2027, so check the tariff code and import date rather than relying on the badge or battery location. Use the duty calculator for customs and the current road-tax calculator for VED.

Can I use a French car insurance policy in the UK? Do not assume so. A permanent export or completed sale may end the French policy, and cover that applies to a visitor may not apply to a UK-resident keeper. Get written confirmation for the precise journey and arrange VIN-based UK cover before any UK road use.

Research checked 24 August 2026. This guide covers the standard private route for a used passenger car imported from France to Great Britain. Regulations, fees and exchange rates can change; verify the live French government, HMRC, VCA, DVSA and DVLA guidance before acting. Northern Ireland follows different rules. Consider a customs agent or specialist adviser for relief claims, uncertain origin, collector vehicles or high-value imports.

Related Guides

• IVA Test UK: Complete Guide
• How to Import a Vehicle to the UK: DVLA Process
• UK Car Import Costs: Full Breakdown
• France to UK Import Duty & VAT Calculator
• NOVA Application: 14-Day Deadline Guide
• Importing a Car from the USA to the UK
• Importing a Car from Germany to the UK
• Importing a Car from Japan to the UK
• Complete V55/5 Form Guide