People tend to ask us about a car's make, its value and how far away it is. All of those matter. But the single detail that changes the most about an import is how old the car is.
Age decides which test the car takes before it can be registered here, how much tax HMRC charges when it lands, and how much paperwork the DVLA wants to see. There are a few lines worth knowing about, and a car can sit either side of each one.
Under ten years old: the IVA test
Most recent Gulf cars are under ten years old, and most of them take an IVA test. Individual Vehicle Approval checks a car built for another market against UK standards. It is more thorough than an MOT, because the car was never approved for sale here.
For these cars, the specification matters. A GCC spec car can differ from the European version in places, and that affects what the test needs. We check the car from its VIN before it ships, so you know what is involved up front. Our guide to GCC spec explains why.
We were the first privately owned IVA testing centre for passenger vehicles in the UK. It means the test happens on our own site, on a date we schedule, rather than waiting for a slot somewhere else. Our guide to the IVA test explains what is checked.
Ten to 40 years old: an MOT
Once a car is over ten years old, it takes an MOT instead, after the conversions it needs for UK roads. For most Gulf cars that means the headlights, the speedometer and a rear fog light. Heavy front window tint usually has to come off too. We do the conversions in-house and the MOT in our own lane.
The tax is the same as for a newer car, unless the car is also over 30. Import duty is 10% of the customs value, and import VAT is 20% of the customs value plus the duty.
Over 30 years old: the classic rate
This is the line that changes the bill. A car over 30 years old, in its original state without substantial changes, pays no import duty and 5% import VAT instead of 20%.
The condition matters as much as the age. A car that has been heavily modified may not qualify, so tell us about any work that has been done to it when you ask for a quote. The duty and VAT calculator has a setting for classics, so you can see the difference on your own numbers.
The Gulf is a good place to find these cars. Dry air means far less corrosion than a car of the same age that has lived in Britain, although heat brings problems of its own. Our page on classic cars has more.
Over 40 years old: no test before registration
Cars over 40 years old do not need an MOT before they are registered, although you can choose to have one anyway. They may also qualify for the historic vehicle tax class.
Motorbikes follow a similar line. Bikes over 40 years old are generally exempt from the MOT, as long as they have not been substantially changed in the previous 30 years. Our motorbikes page covers them.
Proving the age
For a modern car, its age is plain from the documents. For an older one, it can take more work. The DVLA wants to know a car's age and identity before it will register it, and a forty-year-old car with a Kuwaiti registration book may not answer every question on its own.
We have a wealth of experience registering historic cars and can source the additional paperwork the DVLA needs, such as dating evidence. With the age and identity proven, a classic can often get its age-related plate. Without that proof, it would get a Q plate. Our guide to UK number plates explains the difference.
Where Transfer of Residence fits
Everything above is about a standard import. If you are moving your home to the UK, Transfer of Residence relief may mean no duty and no import VAT, whatever the car's age.
The conditions are that you have lived outside the UK for over 12 months, owned and used the car for at least 6 months, and do not sell, lend or hire it out for the first 12 months. It does not change the test the car needs, only the tax. Our Transfer of Residence checker takes a minute.
A quick way to place your car
- Under 10 years: IVA test, 10% duty, 20% VAT
- 10 to 30 years: MOT, 10% duty, 20% VAT
- 30 to 40 years, unaltered: MOT, no duty, 5% VAT
- Over 40 years, unaltered: no test before registration, no duty, 5% VAT
- Moving home with Transfer of Residence approved: the same test, no duty and no VAT
If your car sits close to one of these lines, or you are not sure which side it falls, send us the details. When you ask for a quote, give us the year and anything you know about the car's history, and we will tell you which band it is in and what that means before anything is shipped.
Questions people ask
Which test will my Gulf car need in the UK?
It depends on its age. Cars under ten years old usually take an IVA test. Cars between 10 and 40 years old take an MOT, after the usual conversions. Cars over 40 years old do not need a test before registration.
Is a car over 30 years old cheaper to import?
Usually, yes. A car over 30 years old in its original state, without substantial changes, pays no import duty and 5% import VAT, rather than 10% duty and 20% VAT.
Does Transfer of Residence still matter for an older car?
Yes. If you are moving home and HMRC approves Transfer of Residence relief, there is no duty and no import VAT, whatever the age of the car. For a classic it can take the bill from a small one to nothing.
What if I cannot prove how old the car is?
Tell us early. The DVLA wants to know a car’s age and identity before it registers it. For older cars we can source the extra paperwork it needs, such as dating evidence.