Not sure how this applies to yours? Get a quote for my motorhome import and we will tell you before you spend anything.
Why do people import campers from Japan?
Japan drives on the left, so Japanese vans are right-hand drive, like ours. Popular campers include the Mazda Bongo, Nissan Elgrand, Toyota Alphard and Toyota Hiace, and specialist insurers list them by name. Being right-hand drive doesn't make one road-ready on its own, but it's one less thing to think about compared with a European left-hand drive motorhome.
The rest of this guide is about the UK side: tax, approval, registration. Deregistration, any export plates and the export paperwork in Japan are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK, and we handle the customs declaration, NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.
How much duty and VAT will I pay on a Japanese campervan?
VAT first. Import VAT is 20%, and gov.uk says it's charged on the total cost of the vehicle plus any accessories bought with it, delivery and extra charges, and the customs duty. So shipping from Japan adds to the VAT bill, not just the transport bill.
You may read that Japanese vehicles pay a flat "10% import tax". That's the UK's standard rate, not the whole story. The UK tariff gives Japan a preferential rate of 0% under the UK-Japan agreement. To get it, you have to prove the vehicle originates in Japan: the tariff's rules of origin for these vehicles list a "statement on origin" or the "importer's knowledge" as the accepted proofs.
Two things to know about that:
- Origin means where it was made. gov.uk says the origin of goods is where they were "grown, produced, or manufactured" and "may not be the country where they are shipped or bought from". A Japanese-built van bought in Japan is the straightforward case.
- 0% is a claim, not a given. How a private buyer of an older used camper proves origin isn't spelled out in the official guidance. We check the paperwork before you buy and tell you whether a 0% claim is realistic. Budget for 10% until then.
Send us the details before you pay. We tell you what the import involves, then handle the customs, the NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.
Does a Japanese campervan need an IVA test?
It depends on its age.
Over 10 years old. For vehicles up to 3,500kg the gov.uk exemptions list covers both "light goods vehicles (3,500kg maximum weight or less) over 10 years old" and "cars and minibuses with 8 passenger seats or less (not including the driver) over 10 years old". So whether the camper started life as a van or a people carrier, over 10 years it doesn't need vehicle approval. It needs an MOT (motor caravans are MOT class 4, maximum fee £54.85 according to gov.uk), then registration.
Under 10 years old. A vehicle that isn't registered in the EU needs Individual Vehicle Approval from DVSA, according to gov.uk, and the VCA form for motorhomes says vehicles first registered outside Europe should contact DVSA for IVA. gov.uk lists motor caravans, personal imports and left-hand drive vehicles among those that can use basic IVA. If the test needs anything changed first, a garage does the work, and we handle the paperwork around it.
Will DVLA register it as a motor caravan or a van?
It's a common question in owners' groups. A camper converted in Japan can end up recorded as a van rather than a motor caravan, and it's worth knowing what DVLA looks for.
DVLA's guidance on changing a body type to motor caravan says the body type "must describe what a vehicle looks like in traffic". The external features it lists as commonly seen on motor caravans are:
- 2 or more windows on at least one side of the main body (not the cab doors)
- a separate door into the living accommodation
- motor caravan-style graphics on both sides
- an awning bar on either side
- a high-top roof, and the guidance adds: "this does not include a pop-top elevating roof"
Inside, it expects seats and a table, sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities and storage, rigidly fixed. So a pop-top camper with no graphics and sliding side doors may not look like a motor caravan to DVLA, however comfy the bed.
The same DVLA guidance says: "The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements." It's a description for identifying the vehicle. Treat it as a case by case question and ask us before you buy if it matters to you.
How does DVLA work out how old it is?
The registration number DVLA gives you depends on the age it can prove. DVLA's INF106 leaflet says it uses the foreign registration document when it shows the full date of first registration; if it doesn't, you need evidence of the month and year of manufacture; and if you can't prove the age at all, DVLA allocates a 'Q' registration number. Our guide on proving your motorhome's age explains what counts as evidence.
Is an old Japanese camper ULEZ compliant?
Check before you plan trips to London. TfL says the ULEZ "is enforced based on the declared emissions of the vehicle rather than the age". For motorcaravans of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, TfL lists the minimum standards as "Petrol: Euro 4 (NOx)" and "Diesel: Euro 6 (NOx and PM)". Campers under 2.5 tonnes aren't named on that TfL page, so check the vehicle on TfL's vehicle checker once it has its UK registration.
What we do for you
Before you pay the seller, we look at the Japanese paperwork: whether a 0% origin claim is realistic, whether the dates will satisfy DVLA, and whether the camper needs IVA. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK. We make the customs import declaration, work out and pay the VAT and duty, submit the NOVA, and prepare the DVLA first registration pack: we fill in the V55/5, you sign it and post it. We also obtain dating letters when the Japanese documents don't give DVLA what it needs.
Looking at a classic Japanese car rather than a camper? Our sister brand Classic Import Co specialises in classic vehicles.
Quick answers
Is there 10% duty on all Japanese vehicles?
No. 10% is the standard rate. The UK tariff gives Japanese-origin vehicles 0% under the UK-Japan agreement, but only with proof of origin, so we check that before you buy.
Does a 15-year-old Mazda Bongo need an IVA test?
No. Vehicles up to 3,500kg over 10 years old are exempt from vehicle approval according to gov.uk. It needs an MOT and then registration with DVLA.
Will my pop-top camper be registered as a motor caravan?
Not guaranteed. DVLA's list of motor caravan features includes a high-top roof and says this "does not include a pop-top elevating roof". DVLA decides on the vehicle's overall appearance.
Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/8703; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/paying-vat-and-duty; gov.uk/guidance/get-proof-of-origin-for-your-goods; gov.uk/guidance/check-your-goods-meet-the-rules-of-origin; gov.uk/vehicle-approval/exemptions-from-vehicle-approval; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/getting-vehicle-approval; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f7d351e90e0768a3523237/application-for-gb-conversion-iva-motor-homes.pdf; gov.uk/vehicle-approval/individual-vehicle-approval; gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees; gov.uk/government/publications/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motor-caravan/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motor-caravan; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6911cb91bda892e068aa6400/inf106-how-to-import-a-vehicle-into-the-united-kingdom.pdf; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/vans-minibuses-and-more.