What if I have no US title for an imported car?
Reviewed 2026-07-10
Short answer
A missing US title is a major risk. You need strong replacement evidence for vehicle identity, age, ownership and import status.
Official position
GOV.UK expects original foreign registration evidence for imported vehicles, and says DVLA might accept other manufacture-date evidence if the original foreign certificate is missing. That does not remove the need for ownership, HMRC/NOVA, approval and VIN evidence.
What to do
Ask the US seller, state authority, shipper or importer whether a duplicate title or export paperwork can be obtained.
Gather bill of sale, customs/MRN evidence, shipping documents and any state registration records.
Check whether the vehicle has salvage, non-repairable or certificate-of-destruction history before proceeding.
Get advice before buying if the title is missing and the vehicle is already in the UK.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a US bill of sale is always enough for DVLA.
- Missing salvage or non-repairable history on the US paperwork.
- Separating the title problem from the HMRC/NOVA problem when both affect registration.
Related help
Official sources
Ready to complete the V55/5?
Once the blocker above is resolved, use the guided V55/5 tool to validate the boxes, prepare the PDF and build the posting checklist.
Start your V55/5