Can I tour the UK in my foreign registered motorhome?

Not sure how this applies to yours? Get a quote for my motorhome import and we will tell you before you spend anything.

Who can use a foreign motorhome in the UK without registering it?

gov.uk's temporary import rules say you can usually use a vehicle with foreign number plates without registering or taxing it in the UK if all of these apply:

• you're visiting and do not plan to live here
• the vehicle is registered and taxed in its home country
• you only use it for up to 6 months in total, which can be a single visit or several shorter visits over 12 months

That last line is the one to keep an eye on. It's not 6 months per visit. Three two-month trips in a year uses it up.

It's also a rule for visitors. DVLA's INF106 leaflet says: "If you're a UK resident you must not drive a vehicle displaying foreign number plates." So if you're a Brit who lives here and has bought a motorhome in Germany, this page isn't your route, and our guide on driving before registration is.

Do I pay VAT or duty on a visiting motorhome?

Not if it qualifies as a temporary import. For England, Scotland and Wales, gov.uk says you don't pay VAT or customs duty if all of these apply:

• it's for your own private use
• you're not a UK resident
• you do not sell, lend or hire it within the UK
• you re-export it from the UK within 6 months (longer if you're here for a set period as a student or worker and normally live abroad)

The relief is claimed by "filling in form C110 and taking your vehicle through the 'nothing to declare' channel when you arrive in the UK."

Note the "lend or hire" part: lending it to a UK friend for a week, or renting it out while you fly home, breaks the conditions.

What if the police stop me?

gov.uk says you must show the police that you can use the vehicle here without taxing and registering it, for example with proof of the time you've been in the UK (such as a ferry ticket) and that the vehicle is eligible for relief as a temporary import, such as a letter from HMRC. Keep them in the glovebox, not in an email you can't open on a Scottish hillside.

Do I need to register it to drive between England, Scotland and Wales?

No. You may read online that a visiting camper needs UK registration "if you plan to travel between England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland". The gov.uk temporary import page says nothing of the sort about England, Scotland and Wales, which together are Great Britain. What it does say is: "You will need to register your vehicle if you want to move it between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland."

So Cornwall to the Cairngorms on your foreign plates, fine within the 6 month rule. Taking the ferry to Belfast is a different matter. Plan that part with us before you book.

What if I decide to stay, or stay longer?

Then the motorhome stops being a visitor too. gov.uk: "If you become a resident or stay for longer than 6 months you must register and tax your vehicle in the UK", following the normal import steps. That means an import declaration, VAT and duty unless a relief applies, NOVA, vehicle approval where needed, and DVLA registration.

If you're moving here for good and you've lived abroad for at least 12 months and owned the motorhome for at least 6, Transfer of Residence relief may cover the tax. Our guide on moving to the UK with a motorhome explains the conditions.

Can I drive a foreign motorhome in London?

You can, but check the emissions rules first. TfL says: "Vehicles registered outside the UK need to meet emissions standards when driving in London or pay a daily charge."

For motorcaravans of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, TfL's ULEZ page lists the minimum standards as "Petrol: Euro 4 (NOx)" and "Diesel: Euro 6 (NOx and PM)", with a daily ULEZ charge of £12.50 if the vehicle doesn't meet them. Heavier motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes come under the London Low Emission Zone instead. For anything else, use TfL's vehicle checker.

Registering your motorhome with TfL is needed only in certain cases. TfL says you must register it if it's listed as not meeting the standards but you can provide evidence that it does, if it qualifies for an exemption or discount, or if it's an electric vehicle and you want the Cleaner Vehicle Discount. TfL also notes that if it doesn't hold details for a vehicle registered outside the UK, it won't know whether it meets the standards, so "If you think your vehicle meets the standards, you'll need to register it with us." Registration "can take up to 10 working days", and until it's accepted you pay the charges or risk a Penalty Charge Notice. Sort it before the trip, not from a lay-by on the North Circular.

What we do for you

We handle the temporary admission paperwork, so your motorhome comes in on the right customs footing and you have the evidence to show if anyone asks. If you're shipping it rather than driving onto a ferry, we arrange the transport to the UK if you need it. And if plans change and you decide to stay, we do the full import: customs declaration, VAT and duty, NOVA and the DVLA registration pack.

Quick answers

Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6911cb91bda892e068aa6400/inf106-how-to-import-a-vehicle-into-the-united-kingdom.pdf; gov.uk/guidance/transfer-of-residence-to-great-britain; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/compliance-registration/Non-UK-vehicles-driving-in-London; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/vans-minibuses-and-more; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/larger-vehicles; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/lorries-vans-buses-and-coaches.