Guide
Car import duty UK: rates by country of origin
Updated
One rate does most of the work: 10% of the car plus shipping. The exceptions. EU-origin cars and 30-year-old classics, are where the real money is saved.
Duty rates at a glance
| Where the car was built | Duty rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EU (meets TCA rules of origin) | 0% | Origin must be declared; most EU-manufactured cars qualify |
| EU-bought but built elsewhere | 10% | A Toyota bought in Germany but built in Japan is not EU-origin |
| Japan | 10% | Standard rate; CEPA preferential rates need proof of origin, rare for used cars |
| USA | 10% | No preferential agreement for cars |
| Rest of world | 10% | UK Global Tariff standard rate |
| Any country, vehicle over 30 years old | 0% | Vehicles of historical interest, see our classic car guide |
Duty is charged on the customs value, not the price
HMRC charges duty on the customs value: what you paid for the car plus the cost of shipping and insurance to the UK border. A £20,000 car with £1,500 shipping has a customs value of £21,500, so 10% duty is £2,150, not £2,000. VAT is then charged on the customs value plus the duty (gov.uk: importing vehicles).
Why "EU-origin" is not "bought in the EU"
The 0% rate under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement applies to cars that originate in the EU under the agreement's rules of origin, broadly, cars manufactured in the EU with sufficient EU content. A used BMW built in Munich qualifies. A used Lexus bought from a Dutch dealer does not, because it was built in Japan, it pays the full 10% (gov.uk: preference agreements).
To claim the 0% rate you (or your customs agent) make a claim for preference on the import declaration, supported by the exporter's statement on origin or your own importer's knowledge.
VAT: the bigger bill
Import VAT at 20% usually costs more than the duty, because it is charged on the car, the shipping and the duty. On the £21,500 Japan example above, VAT is 20% of £23,650 = £4,730, more than twice the duty. There is no VAT relief for used cars bought privately abroad.
Check the live rate for your exact vehicle and origin on the UK Trade Tariff tool before you commit to a purchase, this page states the position as of its updated date and is corrected in place when rates change.