UK import taxes, sourced

Car import duty calculator: what will importing cost?

Import duty (10% for most non-EU cars), then VAT at 20% on the car plus shipping plus duty, then a £55 registration fee. A £20,000 car shipped from Japan for £1,500 lands at about £28,435, £6,935 of that is UK taxes and fees. Enter your numbers and this car import tax calculator gives the full breakdown.

Vehicle price / value

What you paid (or the market value HMRC would accept).

Shipping and insurance to the UK

Where the car was built

Duty follows where the car was manufactured, not where you bought it.

Over 30 years old and in original condition

Vehicles of historical interest pay no duty and an effective 5% VAT.

Total landed cost

£28,435

Car + shipping + duty + VAT + £55 registration. First VED, IVA test and agent fees come on top, see assumptions.

Get an import agent to handle it

Customs value (car + shipping)	£21,500
Import duty	£2,150
Import VAT	£4,730
DVLA first registration fee	£55
Total taxes and fees	£6,935

UK car import costs by route

Last updated 2026-08-15

Duty at the UK Global Tariff rate, VAT on car + shipping + duty, and the £55 DVLA registration fee, computed with the same formulas as the calculator above.

Duty: the 10% third country rate on heading 8703, taken from the UK Trade Tariff on 15 August 2026, applied to the customs value (car + shipping); 0% for EU-origin cars claiming TCA preference and for vehicles classified as collectors' pieces under heading 9705. VAT: 20% of customs value + duty, or the 5% rate that applies to heading 9705. £55 DVLA first registration fee added; vehicle approval, VED and agent fees excluded.

UK car import costs by route
Route	Car + shipping	Import duty	Import VAT	Total landed cost
EU-built (TCA), £15,000 + £800 shipping	£15,800	£0	£3,160	£19,015
Japan, £20,000 + £1,500 shipping	£21,500	£2,150	£4,730	£28,435
USA, £30,000 + £2,000 shipping	£32,000	£3,200	£7,040	£42,295
Classic over 30 years (Japan), £25,000 + £1,500 shipping	£26,500	£0	£1,325	£27,880
Rest of world, £10,000 + £1,200 shipping	£11,200	£1,120	£2,464	£14,839

Importing a £20,000 car from Japan with £1,500 shipping costs about £6,935 in UK taxes and fees, £2,150 duty, £4,730 VAT and the £55 registration fee.
An EU-built car pays 0% duty under the TCA, so a £15,000 import with £800 shipping owes only VAT: £3,160.
Classic-car relief turns 10% duty + 20% VAT into 0% duty + 5% VAT, on a £25,000 thirty-year-old car from Japan that is a saving of £7,155.

Cite this page

“UK car import costs by route”, Car Import Calculator, https://carimportcalculator.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-15). Duty: the 10% third country rate on heading 8703, taken from the UK Trade Tariff on 15 August 2026, applied to the customs value (car + shipping); 0% for EU-origin cars claiming TCA preference and for vehicles classified as collectors' pieces under heading 9705. VAT: 20% of customs value + duty, or the 5% rate that applies to heading 9705. £55 DVLA first registration fee added; vehicle approval, VED and agent fees excluded.

How this is worked out

The third country duty on cars (tariff heading 8703) is 10% (UK Trade Tariff). Cars built in the EU that meet the Trade and Cooperation Agreement rules of origin enter at 0%, it is where the car was manufactured that counts, not where you bought it (UK Trade Tariff).
We apply the standard 10% third country rate to Japan, the USA and everywhere else. The Trade Tariff does list a 0% preferential rate for Japan under the UK–Japan CEPA (and for many other partner countries), but preference has to be claimed on the import declaration with a valid statement on origin from the exporter, which private used-car imports rarely have. The USA has no preferential rate for cars. Check your exact commodity code in the Trade Tariff tool before shipping.
Import VAT is 20% (UK Trade Tariff), charged even on used cars bought privately abroad. gov.uk states that VAT is charged on the total cost of the vehicle plus any accessories, delivery and extra charges, and the customs duty (gov.uk).
A vehicle classified as a collectors' piece of historical interest under tariff heading 9705 carries 0% duty and a 5% VAT rate (UK Trade Tariff). The classification test, broadly over 30 years old, in original condition and no longer in production, comes from the tariff classification rules rather than from any gov.uk guidance page, so get a binding tariff decision before relying on it for a specific car.
The £55 DVLA first registration fee is included (gov.uk: new registrations fee). First vehicle tax (VED), the IVA test where required, customs agent fees, port charges and UK transport are not, they vary by vehicle and route.
You must tell HMRC within 14 days of the vehicle arriving using the NOVA service; you cannot register the vehicle until you have, and you may be fined if you are late (gov.uk). Moving to the UK with your own car? Transfer of residence relief can remove duty and VAT entirely, but you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months, have owned and possessed the vehicle for at least 6 months before moving, import it within 12 months of coming to live here, and not sell, lend or hire it out for 12 months after (gov.uk: transfer of residence).

Car Import Calculator is an independent information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not affiliated with HMRC, DVLA or any government body, and nothing here is customs, tax or legal advice. Rates and reliefs depend on your exact vehicle and circumstances, confirm with the UK Trade Tariff tool or a customs agent before committing to an import.

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Frequently asked

How much does it cost to import a car to the UK?

Typically 10% import duty on the car plus shipping, 20% VAT on the car plus shipping plus duty, and a £55 registration fee. A £20,000 car with £1,500 shipping from Japan owes about £6,935 in taxes and fees, a landed cost of roughly £28,435.

Is there import tax on cars from the EU to the UK?

Cars built in the EU that meet the Trade and Cooperation Agreement rules of origin pay 0% duty, but 20% import VAT still applies. Cars bought in the EU that were built elsewhere pay the full 10% duty.

What is the import duty on a car from Japan?

10% of the customs value (car plus shipping) at the standard UK Global Tariff rate, followed by 20% VAT on the customs value plus duty. A car that classifies as a collectors' piece under heading 9705 instead pays 0% duty and 5% VAT.

How much does it cost to import a car from China to the UK?

The same taxes as any car from outside a preferential trade deal: 10% import duty on the car plus shipping at the UK Global Tariff rate, then 20% VAT on the car, shipping and duty together, and the £55 registration fee. Choose Rest of world in the calculator; a £20,000 car with £1,500 shipping owes about £6,935 in taxes and fees. The IVA test, first VED and any agent's fees come on top. (GOV.UK, UK Trade Tariff)

Do you pay VAT on imported used cars?

Yes. Import VAT at 20% applies to used cars, including private purchases from private sellers abroad. It is charged on the price plus shipping plus any duty, there is no used-car exemption.

What is the 30-year rule for importing cars?

A vehicle over 30 years old, in original condition and no longer in production can classify as a collectors' piece of historical interest under tariff heading 9705, where the duty is 0% and the VAT rate is 5% instead of 10% duty plus 20% VAT. The classification is a judgement call, so a binding tariff decision is the safe route.

What is NOVA and when is it due?

NOVA is HMRC's Notification of Vehicle Arrivals. HMRC must be told within 14 days of the vehicle arriving in the UK, any VAT and duty must be paid before the declaration can be made, and DVLA will not register the car until the NOVA application has been processed. You may be fined if you are late.

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