Even when buying a car in your own country, it can be difficult to get your head around all of the different aspects involved – there are myriad different parties with their own separate roles to play during the purchase process, and it's often you who will spearhead the work to get everything done.
This means that when transporting a car from overseas, there are numerous additional steps to the overall process.
While each person's experience of buying a vehicle from overseas is dependent on their own circumstances, whether it is for a brand-new car, a like-new vehicle, a high-end sports car, or a classic collectible, there are important steps in the process that need doing across the board, for all drivers.
Read on to find out more about the important steps to take when shipping a car from across the ocean to your home.
Choose a shipping company
It takes a lot of hard work to get to the point where you are ready to have your new car transported overseas, and in many cases, it can be a considerable amount of time in the making – mostly taken up in the process of deciding what to buy, which could be something you've pondered over and saved up for during your career.
However, once you have decided which car you’d like to buy, the way in which it will be bought, and closed the deal, the process of shipping it to its final destination can begin.
Choosing a shipping company isn't absolutely necessary, but they are professionals at the job and can complete a number of the following steps for you, making the process easy from start to finish.
Their car transport process will ensure that all guidelines and regulations are met during shipping, but regardless of whether you decide to go your own way or use a shipping company, it's important to know the next steps.
Inform HMRC
When transporting your car to the UK, clearing all the necessary information with HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) is critical to ensure you get your new vehicle on the road legally and as efficiently as possible.
Once your car has been transported into the country, it's up to the vehicle owner to notify HMRC of the importation within two weeks of its arrival in your possession – this can be done through the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) service.
Approval and registration
Once your vehicle's details have been handed to HMRC, they will tell you about any VAT or duty that needs paying as a result of the car being transported from overseas.
The VAT and duty must be paid before the car can be released from customs, and the amount paid depends on aspects such as total value, vehicle upgrades, or other additions.
It’s then a case of proving the vehicle meets safety and environmental standards through the procurement of an IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) certificate.
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