Registering car from the usa

[Matt74]

It may have been different in my case as I imported a car from Finland when we were still in the EU. I did the Nova months after taking delivery of the car. I hadn't heard about the nova before and if more than 14 days have passed since the vehicle was imported a fine is due.

Is it possible for a car from the states to be released before the nova is done?

[MattH]

NOVA for mine arrived after I had collected the car, but duties had to paid before it was released from the docks.

We had to get a NOVA for an ex-army Land Rover which had always been here, but never DVLA registered, so once out of the army we just had to confirm no duty was payable.

[Steve]

As Blue said, when I imported my New Yorker it was actually impossible to have the car in my possession without the duties being paid and the NOVA certificate was a needless piece of paper that was never requested at any point during my registering process. Some people get a bit bogged down in the importance of this document and you see cars for sale that are described as imported, registered and in circulation with a NOVA certificate in place. Pointless saying really as it won't get out of the docks without the duty being paid.

Cheers Steve

[Blue]

There are still cars here that came in long before the NOVA process and indeed before computerisation and are still not registered. And there were also those that came off airforce bases and arrived here without ever being officially imported. Unless you have all the paperwork for those cars, life will be difficult but not impossible.

[Steve]

Sorry Blue, yes, you are obviously spot on with that. My comment was around someone sourcing a car in the States and bringing it in as I don't have experience of anything bit that side of things

[Blue]

Your comments are a fair assessment of 99% of cases here Steve. There have been a few barn and garden finds recently though that have been here since the ‘70s, never driven and never registered, those are the exceptions.

[Steve]

I can imagine that's a nightmare to sort out!!!

[Jeff]

Oh man, I do not miss all that red tape. They are trying to get stricter controls here. Have more trouble with the insurance companies then the government agencies. The cops leave all the old car stuff alone, but crucify the tuners with lowered funny angle wheels.

[Tommy2turbos]

A quick update, after speaking to couple of people at HMRC the NOVA was completed when the car entered the UK. HMRC confirmed this using the VIN, however they wont forward me any confirmation though? They say that the DVLA will check once the V5 application is submitted. does this sound correct? If so, hopefully this is the start of some good luck
The next question i have (if anyone can advise me). The V55/5 form is pretty in depth and asks for some very specific details, does anyone know if every box needs to be filled in? For example, i don't know any of the emission data, braked or unbraked weights, drive by sound level... Is all of this necessary to have the car registered???
Lastly, i have the original ''certificate of title'' from the original owner in the US. This has the VIN, Make, model, year, body style etc printed on it along with the date the vehicle was purchased. Is this going to be sufficient enough to send to the DVLA to prove when the vehicle was manufactured?

[Pete]

You have enough info, most fields on the v55/5 are "N/A"....

[MattH]

I agree with Pete. The NOVA is checked electronically by DVLA using the VIN. The original title is a BIG help for you. You must send the ORIGINAL so take lots of photos / copies of it before you send it, as you don't get it back. This is to prevent someone else trying to use the same document to register another car on the same details (ringing or cloning).

the V55/5, as Pete says needs very little indeed.
I did my 1975 Torana recently with complete success in less than 3 weeks turnaround, including Christmas and New Year break.
If you work through the V55/5 form as below your should be OK.
You can see there are lots of sections you can ignore, all to do with weights, dimensions and emissions etc.
READ THIS GUIDE of how to fill form in.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ehicle.pdf

Fill out form, Sections number as below
2 – Historic
3 – 12 months
4 - £55.
5 – Chrysler
6 – Plymouth
7 – Barracuda
8 - coupe
9 – 2 axle rigid body
10 – colour
11-17 ignore
18 – 5 seats
19 -26 – ignore
27 – year built – just put a year.
28-29 – ignore
30 – 1st of current month
31 – petrol
32 – VIN as on NOVA and original title
33 – engine number
34 – capacity in cc
35 – 45 – ignore
46 – 1/1/same year as 27 (unless you know for sure the build date. Advice is to put 1st Jan as a default, as if you put a specific date, DVLA will want proof.
47 – N/A
48-56 – ignore
57 – first half of your UK postcode
58 - 62 – ignore
63- 64 – YOU!
65 – Historic Vehicle
66 – mileage on speedo
67-69 – ignore

[MattH]

Thank you to Martin for making this a sticky thread so it is hopefully easier to find for anyone trying to register a car with DVLA.