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How do I import a motorhome from Germany (or elsewhere in the EU) to the UK?How do you import an American RV to the UK?How do I import a campervan from Japan to the UK?All in this topic →
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How do I import a motorhome from Germany (or elsewhere in the EU) to the UK?

Updated 28 September 2026 · 6 min read
Short answer

To import a motorhome from Germany into Great Britain you need an import declaration, UK import VAT at 20%, customs duty (0% only with proof the motorhome was made in the EU, otherwise 10%), a NOVA notification to HMRC within 14 days, proof of vehicle approval if it's under 10 years old, and then DVLA registration on form V55/5 with a £55 fee. The same route applies to motorhomes bought in France, the Netherlands, Italy or any other EU country. Deregistration, any export plates and the export paperwork in Germany 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.

Papers to leave Germany with
  • Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II (the German registration documents; other countries have their own equivalents)
  • The invoice or bill of sale showing what you paid
  • If possible, a statement on origin (for 0% duty)

If the motorhome is under 10 years old you'll also need a Certificate of Conformity (CoC): we obtain it for you.

On this page
What documents should I get from a German seller?Is there import duty on a motorhome from Germany?And VAT? I've already paid German VATDoes a German motorhome need vehicle approval in the UK?What happens after it arrives in the UK?How long does it take?What we do for you

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

What documents should I get from a German seller?

Germany's registration papers come in two parts. The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (the German federal motor transport authority) calls them "Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (ehemals Fahrzeugschein)" and "Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (ehemals Fahrzeugbrief)", in English Part I and Part II of the registration certificate.

Why they matter on the UK side: DVLA wants "the original foreign registration certificate to show when the vehicle was manufactured", and you won't get it back. So make sure you leave with the originals, not copies. If a document is missing, tell us before you pay; DVLA may accept other proof of the manufacture date, but it's easier to sort out while the seller is still answering the phone.

You also need the invoice. HMRC's NOVA notification needs it if you bought the vehicle in the last 6 months.

Is there import duty on a motorhome from Germany?

It depends on where the motorhome was built, not where you bought it. This is the bit most guides skip, so we'll split it in two.

EU-built motorhome bought in the EU (say a Fiat Ducato-based motorhome converted in Germany): duty can be 0% under the UK-EU trade deal, but only with proof of origin, either a statement on origin from the exporter or importer's knowledge. Without it, the standard 10% applies. For EU goods, gov.uk also allows a claim within 3 years of import if the proof turns up later.

Non-EU-built motorhome bought in the EU (say an American RV from a German dealer): HMRC's guidance says origin "may not be the country where they are shipped or bought from". A US-built RV isn't EU-originating, and the USA has no preferential rate, so it pays 10% duty. Approval can also be different: the EU route below relies on a European CoC, and a vehicle that never had one needs checking before you buy.

The full explanation, with the myths, is in our duty and origin guide.

Found the motorhome?

Send us the details before you pay. We tell you what the import involves, then handle the customs, the NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.

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And VAT? I've already paid German VAT

UK import VAT at 20% is due when the motorhome enters Great Britain, charged on the price plus accessories, delivery and any duty. gov.uk lists no exception for VAT paid in Germany. If you haven't paid yet, ask the seller whether they can sell it to you as an export. The detail is in paid VAT abroad: do I pay UK VAT?.

Does a German motorhome need vehicle approval in the UK?

Under 10 years old: yes. gov.uk says that for a vehicle registered in the EU you need a European Certificate of Conformity, and "if it's a left-hand drive vehicle, you'll also need a certificate of GB conversion Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA)". The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has a dedicated motorhome form, the fee is £100, and for a motorhome it asks for "the CoC for the final stage", meaning the one for the finished motorhome, not just the base van. The left-hand drive changes (headlamps, speedometer, rear fog lamp) are done by a garage or converter; see our left-hand drive guide and our CoC guide.

Over 10 years old: the VCA motorhome form says a vehicle over 10 years from first registration "is exempt from this VCA procedure". One catch: gov.uk says you still need approval to tax a vehicle first registered on or after 1 March 2001 with EU type approval if it's a light passenger vehicle "with a CO2 emissions figure in g/km". We check which side of that line your motorhome falls on.

Motorhomes over 3,500kg are a separate question for the approval route: ask us before you buy.

What happens after it arrives in the UK?

In order, on the UK side:

  1. Import declaration, with VAT and duty paid. gov.uk: "You must pay any VAT and customs duty before you can register the vehicle."
  2. NOVA, telling HMRC within 14 days. "You cannot register the vehicle until you've done this."
  3. Approval (CoC and GB conversion IVA, if under 10).
  4. MOT if the motorhome is over 3 years old. Motor caravans are MOT class 4, maximum fee £54.85, and an MOT can be done on an imported vehicle without UK plates.
  5. DVLA registration on form V55/5, with the £55 fee and the first vehicle tax. DVLA INF106 says allow 48 hours after HMRC confirms the NOVA before contacting DVLA.
  6. V5C arrives. gov.uk: "It can take up to 6 weeks." Then you get plates made up.

Before registration you can only drive it on a public road to a pre-booked MOT or approval test, and it needs insurance on the VIN. Our guide to driving before registration covers that, and how to fill in the V55/5 covers the form.

How long does it take?

No public body gives an end-to-end time, and we won't make one up. The official pieces: NOVA within 14 days of arrival, 48 hours from NOVA confirmation to DVLA, and "up to 6 weeks" for the V5C. The rest depends on transport, the garage work and approval.

What we do for you

We make the customs import declaration, work out and pay the import VAT and duty (with the preferential rate where the proof supports it), submit the NOVA and prepare your DVLA pack: we fill in the V55/5, you sign it and post it. We obtain the Certificate of Conformity if you need one, and arrange transport from Germany or the EU if you want it. The garage work for left-hand drive changes is done by a garage; we handle the paperwork around it.

Motorhomes are not new to us: Motorhome Import is part of Cars Import UK, which has imported motorhomes before, and handles cars if you find one of those in Germany too.

Quick answers

Can I drive it home from Germany on German plates?

Export plates are the seller's side. On the UK side, DVLA INF106 says UK residents must not drive a vehicle displaying foreign number plates and advises transporting it from the port.

Will DVLA accept the German CoC?

For a left-hand drive motorhome under 10 years old, the CoC alone isn't enough: gov.uk also requires a certificate of GB conversion IVA. For a motorhome, VCA asks for the final-stage CoC.

The seller has lost the Teil II. Is that a problem?

It can be. DVLA wants the original foreign registration certificate, although it "might accept other proof of the manufacture date". Tell us before you pay.

Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: kba.de/SharedDocs/Glossareintraege/DE/Z/Zulassungsdokumente.html; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/registering-an-imported-vehicle; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/telling-hmrc; trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/8703; gov.uk/guidance/proving-originating-status-and-claiming-a-reduced-rate-of-customs-duty-for-trade-between-the-uk-and-eu; gov.uk/guidance/check-your-goods-meet-the-rules-of-origin; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/paying-vat-and-duty; 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-registration/new-registrations; gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees; gov.uk/guidance/mot-testing-guide/h-documentation; 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.

Related guides
How much import duty will I pay on a motorhome, and does it matter where it's from?Bought a motorhome abroad? Import duty is 0% or 10% depending on where it was built, not where you bought it. Here's how origin and proof work.I paid VAT abroad on my motorhome. Do I pay UK import VAT too?Paid German or Dutch VAT on your motorhome? UK import VAT is still due when it enters Great Britain. Here's what gov.uk says and what to ask the seller.Can you register a left hand drive motorhome in the UK?Buying a left hand drive motorhome in Europe? Stickers on the headlamps won't pass. What VCA needs changed, when you're exempt, and how to register it.

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