Lancia Motor Club

General => General Chat => Topic started by: murf on 02 July, 2015, 08:23:35 PM



Title: Importing from Europe
Post by: murf on 02 July, 2015, 08:23:35 PM
I am trying to find out the UK customs/DVLA requirements for bringing a vehicle into England from the Netherlands. The car in question is a 62 Flavia coupe which was brought back to Europe from the USA in 1999. The car has been either in a museum or storage and not registered in Holland since then. The only documentation that the present owner seems to have is confirmation from Dutch Customs that taxes were paid at the time of importation.
My immediate reaction to this news was to perhaps walk away before getting bogged down in sea of official paperwork but then I thought that someone may have encountered a similar situation with their own car and successfully resolved it.
I would appreciate any suggestions as to the  way forward if any.

Murf.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: neil-yaj396 on 03 July, 2015, 06:03:18 AM
Are you planning to trailer it to England, or drive it? It makes a difference. If the former it's just a matter of getting all the forms from DVLA, paying any VAT due and presenting all the paperwork to DVLA, including a dating letter from the Club (Barbara Longlands).

If the latter you need to find Paul Greenways excellent thread on here about importing his Thesis from Italy.

Someone else posted a similar request to yourself a few weeks ago too.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: murf on 03 July, 2015, 03:36:15 PM
Thanks for that. I've now tracked down and looked at the Thesis thread which made interesting reading. With the Flavia it will all now depend on whether I can negotiate the right price for the car and if that happens then I'm intending to trailer it back to the UK. I have also ordered an 'import pack' today from the DVLA so more interesting reading.

Murf. 


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: westernlancia on 04 July, 2015, 06:28:27 PM
I have also ordered an 'import pack' today from the DVLA so more interesting reading.

Don't forget that things are VERY different with older cars from how they are with newer cars, but as older cars don't appear on the DVLA's radar at all they will probably not differentiate between the two, and will give you inaccurate information. I am pretty sure their 'info pack' will only apply to newer cars.

A lot of what you need for new cars (Type Approval etc.) is not needed for older (over 10 years old) cars, and all the stuff about changing the speedo to km/h and LHD headlights can also safely be discounted - my Appia was imported in 2000 and still hasn't got windscreen washers, which is is supposed to have (all cars made after 1935 are). However, I didn't want to drill the original bodywork and so I didn't fit any - and luckily no MoT man has ever known that it was supposed to have them.

What has messed things up a bit is the ghastly new NOVA procedure - I haven't imported a car since that came in, but Simon Ingman (simonandjuliet) has, and I don't think he found it too bad.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: mikeC on 05 July, 2015, 08:11:10 AM
NOVA is no problem - it's just a means of notifying Customs & Excise of the importation, and ensures all due taxes are paid. When I imported the Appia last year it was a very simple form and no taxes to pay. The DVLA registration process was a bit of a nightmare, but that was because I tried to use the original Italian documentation as proof of age: if it's not in English, DVLA can't cope with it! Just contact the LMC and get a letter of authentication from them, and the job's done!


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: murf on 06 July, 2015, 09:04:48 AM
Thank you gentlemen for the feedback. I've asked the present owner for the chassis/enginr numbers so that I can get an authentication of manufacture letter from the club.
I'm unable to get over to Holland until next week to view and there's another potential buyer seeing the car tonight so all this may come to nought. However I need to know what the deal is even if this one slips through my fingers.

Murf.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: neil-yaj396 on 06 July, 2015, 06:20:43 PM
Thank you gentlemen for the feedback. I've asked the present owner for the chassis/enginr numbers so that I can get an authentication of manufacture letter from the club.
I'm unable to get over to Holland until next week to view and there's another potential buyer seeing the car tonight so all this may come to nought. However I need to know what the deal is even if this one slips through my fingers.

Murf.

I think the Club will only do this if someone can actually view the car. As you can imagine the seller can put anything on paper. I don't think many pre-Fiat records, if any exist (all sort of conspiracy theories about this), hence letters for DVLA only go out after inspection.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: murf on 08 July, 2015, 05:19:44 PM
Well I've spent a huge amount of time today on the phone /computer going round in circles trying to establish if any duty or vat would be due on the car if I bring it into the UK. The DVLA were helpful when I finally got through to them but unable to comment on this, referring me to the HMRC website. This doesn't answer the question and their phone contact number is impossible to get through on so I tried the 'Shipmycar' site which seemed to indicate that no tax would be due.
It would be very helpful to know one way or the other before I go Holland to view next week so if anyone has the definitive answer then I would appreciate it.

Murf


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: simonandjuliet on 08 July, 2015, 05:35:25 PM
I have done NOVA on a couple of cars recently and have not paid any VAT. On speaking to one HMRC person (I did get through !) he said that the car was pre-1970-something and was before VAT was introduced and therefore no VAT due.

To me the question is more to do with import duties, it having been in the states. If European import duties have been paid and can be proven, logic suggests that no further duties should be applicable and VAT should not be imposable ...... logic says that, but more than that , I cannot say !

What I can confirm though, is that if you have no NOVA, DVLA will not consider the application


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: neil-yaj396 on 08 July, 2015, 06:22:15 PM
Definitely no Customs Duties on movements within the EU.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: murf on 08 July, 2015, 08:32:27 PM
Once again, many thanks for the helpful feedback. I've now been sent a scan of the Dutch customs document showing that duty was paid (2,400 Guilders in 1999) when the car came back from the USA so hopefully that should cover things.
I've booked to go and view the car in Holland next Tuesday and have been assured that I have first refusal so we will see how it all pans out.

Murf.


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: mikeC on 08 July, 2015, 09:38:09 PM
... I've now been sent a scan of the Dutch customs document showing that duty was paid (2,400 Guilders in 1999) when the car came back from the USA ...

In that case definitely HMRC will not require any revenue (import duties or VAT); all you will need is an inspection and authentication from the Club and registration should be simple, quick and straightforward. Good luck with the viewing!


Title: Re: Importing from Europe
Post by: neil-yaj396 on 09 July, 2015, 08:16:07 PM
... I've now been sent a scan of the Dutch customs document showing that duty was paid (2,400 Guilders in 1999) when the car came back from the USA ...

In that case definitely HMRC will not require any revenue (import duties or VAT); all you will need is an inspection and authentication from the Club and registration should be simple, quick and straightforward. Good luck with the viewing!

The 'duty' must have been VAT. He shouldn't have had to pay duty on a European manufactured car returning from the States? However agents often seem to be unaware of this (a friend paid import duty on a Landrover re-imported from Japan - he's in the process of trying to claim it back).

Not sure if that means that you don't have to pay VAT when bringing it into the UK though? I'm not sure about the note about pre 1970 cars being exempt from VAT either?