Not sure how this applies to yours? Get a quote for my motorhome import and we will tell you before you spend anything.
What is the V55/5, and which guide explains it?
The V55/4 is for new vehicles; the V55/5 is for used ones, and gov.uk lists "used imported vehicles" among them. A motorhome that has been registered abroad, even for a week, goes on the V55/5.
DVLA explains it in a leaflet called V355/5 (edition 10/25), which admits covering every vehicle "would be difficult" and sticks to "the common types of vehicle". Every example is a car, a motorbike or a lorry. Not one motorhome. Write in black ink and capitals: DVLA "will not accept applications that are not signed or filled in properly".
Which boxes matter most on a motorhome?
For an import, V355/5 asks you to put the country you bought the vehicle from in the top right-hand box and to tick whether it is left-hand or right-hand drive. Then the numbered boxes. These are the ones where motorhome owners come unstuck:
- Box 2, Tax class. The leaflet's examples are "petrol car or diesel car". A motorhome is neither. DVLA taxes motorhomes by revenue weight: Private or light goods (TC11) up to 3,500kg, Private heavy goods (TC10) over 3,500kg. Our guide to motorhome road tax has the rates.
- Box 5, Manufacturer, and box 12, Type. Taken from the Certificate of Conformity or the IVA or GB conversion certificate. On a motorhome this is where the base vehicle and the converter can get muddled, so copy what the approval document says, not what the badge on the bonnet says.
- Box 8, Type of body/vehicle. V355/5's examples run from "2-door saloon" to "flat lorry". DVLA publishes no rule on how an imported motorhome's body type is chosen, so this is a box we check against the approval paperwork rather than guess.
- Box 23, Max permissible mass. From the Certificate of Conformity. This figure and box 45 are what decide your tax class.
- Box 36, CO2 (g/km). The combined figure from the Certificate of Conformity. It matters for tax on some newer motorhomes.
- Box 65, Stage of completion. From the Certificate of Conformity "if shown". Motorhomes are often built in stages, and the VCA asks for "the CoC for the final stage". More on that in our Certificate of Conformity guide.
Send us the details before you pay. We tell you what the import involves, then handle the customs, the NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.
What changes if the motorhome is over 3,500kg?
Three things, and the leaflet is brief about all of them.
Box 21, Unladen weight. Only skipped "if your vehicle weighs less than 3,500kg". A heavy motorhome fills it in.
Box 45, Revenue weight. "If your vehicle weighs more than 3,500kg, please give the weight and attach a weight certificate." Forget the certificate and the form is not complete.
Questions 74 to 76. "Only for vehicles weighing over 3,500kg (not for cars or light vans)", and the entire guidance is: "Answer the questions where appropriate." They sit on page 2, so read them with the form in front of you.
Which dates, mileage and price go on the form?
- Boxes 24 to 26: date of first registration "regardless of which country this was in", year of manufacture, and date of UK registration.
- Box 69, List price. For "M1, M1G and M1SP type approved vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2017, you must provide the vehicle list price or notional price, or your application will be rejected." Motorhomes are category M1 special purpose, so this one bites.
- Box 73, Mileage. In miles, not kilometres. A German motorhome showing 60,000km has done about 37,000 miles, and DVLA wants the miles.
The dates decide your registration number, and whether you need approval and an MOT. If the foreign document lacks a full date, see proving the age of an imported motorhome.
What else has to happen before you post it?
gov.uk says that before DVLA will register an import, your NOVA must be processed, any VAT and duty paid, and you need proof of vehicle approval. DVLA's INF106 leaflet says to "allow 48 hours after receiving confirmation from HMRC", and warns DVLA "will not register your vehicle if the details in your registration application do not match those provided to HMRC". The VIN on the V55/5 must match the NOVA exactly.
In the envelope, all originals (gov.uk: "Do not send photocopies or faxed copies"):
- the signed V55/5, the vehicle tax and the £55 fee, by cheque or postal order
- the original foreign registration document, which DVLA keeps; without it, V355/5 asks for a letter explaining why "together with a dating certificate from the manufacturer or other acceptable source"
- proof of approval if under 10 years old, and MOT evidence if over 3
- a weight certificate if over 3,500kg
The one exception is identity: a photocopy of your UK photocard driving licence. It all goes to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BE.
What is the most common mistake?
The wrong tax class. The form takes whatever you tick, and you pay whatever that class costs. Our road tax guide explains how to pick the right one.
Close behind: a mismatch, such as a VIN typed with an O instead of a 0, or a date that doesn't match the foreign document. With DVLA checking against HMRC's record, small typos are not small.
How long does it take to get the V5C?
V355/5 says "within 4 to 6 weeks of receiving your application"; gov.uk says it "can take up to 6 weeks", and DVLA "might ask to inspect the vehicle". You need the V5C to get plates made up, so don't book the ferry to France just yet.
How we handle the V55/5 for you
We fill in the V55/5 from the motorhome's documents and check every box against the approval paperwork and the NOVA we made, so the details match. You sign it and post it with your tax payment. Before that we make the customs import declaration, work out the import VAT and duty and handle the payment, and make the NOVA. If a Certificate of Conformity or dating letter is missing, we obtain it. If the motorhome needs work such as headlamp changes, a garage or converter does that and we handle the paperwork around it.
Quick answers
Will I get the foreign logbook back?
No. DVLA returns your other documents but keeps the original non-UK registration document.
Can I drive the motorhome to the MOT before it is registered?
Only to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test. gov.uk says you can be prosecuted for using it on a public road before the import steps are complete, apart from that journey.
Can I tax it for 6 months instead of 12?
Yes. Box 3 on the V55/5 asks whether you want 6 or 12 months.
Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: gov.uk/vehicle-registration/new-registrations; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f62e57e8e4040c38a3d0c8/v355-5-guide-to-filling-application-for-first-vehicle-tax-and-registration-of-used-motor-vehicle.pdf; gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables/rates-for-motorhomes; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f7d351e90e0768a3523237/application-for-gb-conversion-iva-motor-homes.pdf; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65fc443765ca2f00117da7f2/individual-vehicle-approval-scheme-guide.pdf; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/registering-an-imported-vehicle; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6911cb91bda892e068aa6400/inf106-how-to-import-a-vehicle-into-the-united-kingdom.pdf; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk.