What do I put in V55/5 box 26 date of registration in the UK?
Reviewed 2026-07-10
Short answer
For a first UK registration, do not invent a UK registration date. Use the official guidance and leave DVLA-only or not-yet-known registration details blank where appropriate.
Official position
The V355/5 guidance describes box 26 as the date the vehicle was first registered in the UK. For a vehicle that has not yet been registered in the UK, that date is not something the applicant can know before DVLA processes the application.
What to do
Check whether the vehicle has ever been UK registered before.
If it is a first UK registration import, do not use the foreign registration date in box 26.
Keep box 24 for the original worldwide registration date and box 25 for manufacture year.
Use the V55/5 tool or a covering note if your case involves a previously UK-registered vehicle being reimported.
Common mistakes
- Putting the foreign registration date in box 26.
- Putting the date you post the V55/5 to DVLA.
- Using the import arrival date as if DVLA had already registered the vehicle.
Related help
Official sources
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Once the blocker above is resolved, use the guided V55/5 tool to validate the boxes, prepare the PDF and build the posting checklist.
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