Not sure how this applies to yours? Get a quote for my motorhome import and we will tell you before you spend anything.
Which route applies to my left hand drive motorhome?
It depends on where it was first registered and how old it is.
- First registered in the EU, under 10 years old: GB conversion IVA from VCA. VCA has a dedicated form for motorhomes, MR-004.
- First registered in the EU, over 10 years old: the VCA form says the vehicle is exempt from this VCA procedure and tells you to contact DVLA.
- First registered outside Europe (the USA, for example): VCA's form says to contact DVSA for Individual Vehicle Approval instead. gov.uk lists both left hand drive vehicles and motor caravans among the vehicles that can use Basic IVA.
One oddity worth knowing: gov.uk says vehicles first registered on or after 1 March 2001 with EU type approval and a CO2 figure may need approval evidence to be taxed, even when they are older. If your motorhome has a CO2 figure on its CoC, mention it when you send us the details.
What has to change on the headlamps?
VCA's form asks you to confirm that the headlamps dip to the left, as UK traffic needs. The detail matters, because this is where people lose money:
- Stickers and beam deflectors are not accepted.
- A flat-beam setting is accepted only if it is a standard feature of the headlamp.
So the cheap stick-on mask you used for a fortnight in France will not get you a certificate. The headlamps need to be converted or replaced, so ask a garage to price this before you agree a price for 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.
What about the speedometer and the rear fog lamp?
Speedometer. It must show mph as well as km/h. VCA accepts a professional overlay on the speedometer face plate. It does not accept stickers.
Rear fog lamp. VCA's form covers its position: fitted on both sides, on the centre line, or on the rear right. A single fog lamp on the left, as built for right hand traffic, is the one to watch.
The same form expects side indicators and rear seat belts to be as originally built.
What evidence does VCA want from the garage?
This is where applications get sent back. VCA wants evidence from the garage that did the work:
- on the garage's headed paper
- showing its MOT station, VAT or Companies House number
- quoting the full 17-digit VIN
- dated within 3 months
- describing exactly what was changed
A handwritten note saying "lights done" will not do. Ask the garage for this letter when you book the work, not afterwards.
How much does VCA charge and how long does it take?
The fee for a certificate of GB conversion IVA is £100. According to VCA's form, card payments are processed in 5 to 10 working days, and if the application cannot be completed you get a £60 partial refund. VCA does not publish a guaranteed turnaround for the certificate itself, so plan for it rather than counting on a date.
Practical tips for living with a left hand drive motorhome
These are tips, not law.
Insurance. Tell your insurer it is left hand drive. Before it has UK plates, DVLA's INF106 leaflet says you will need to insure it using the VIN or chassis number, and points you to the British Insurance Brokers' Association for help finding cover. Being insured does not mean you can drive it: gov.uk only allows an unregistered import on the road to a pre-booked MOT or approval test.
Overtaking. From the left hand seat you cannot see past a lorry on a single carriageway. Hang well back, use a passenger if you have one, or simply do not overtake on narrow roads. A wide-angle mirror on the passenger side helps.
Toll booths, car parks and drive-throughs. Everything is on the wrong side. A grabber stick lives in a lot of LHD glove boxes for a reason.
What we do for you
We handle the paperwork around your left hand drive motorhome: the customs import declaration, working out and paying the import VAT and duty, the NOVA to HMRC, and the DVLA first registration pack, with the V55/5 filled in for you to sign and post. We obtain the final-stage Certificate of Conformity and dating letters where needed. We do not do the headlamp, speedometer or fog lamp changes, and we do not do approval tests: a garage does the work and gives you the evidence letter, and we handle the paperwork around it. Deregistration, any export plates and the export paperwork in the country of purchase are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK.
Quick answers
Can I use headlamp beam deflector stickers for the GB conversion IVA?
No. VCA's motorhome form states that stickers and beam deflectors are not accepted. The headlamps must dip left, and flat-beam is only accepted if it is a standard feature.
My European motorhome has a digital speedo that can switch to mph. Is that enough?
The requirement is that it shows mph and km/h. If yours does that as built, tell us and we will check it against the VCA form before you apply.
My left hand drive motorhome is 11 years old. Do I need the VCA certificate?
No. VCA's form says a vehicle over 10 years old, based on the date of first registration, is exempt from this VCA procedure, and to contact DVLA. It still needs the usual registration documents.
Can I drive it home from Europe on its foreign plates if I live in the UK?
DVLA's INF106 says a UK resident must not drive a vehicle displaying foreign number plates, and advises transporting it from the port. Our guide on driving an imported motorhome before registration covers the options.
Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/getting-vehicle-approval; gov.uk/government/publications/gb-conversion-iva-motorhomes; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f7d351e90e0768a3523237/application-for-gb-conversion-iva-motor-homes.pdf; gov.uk/vehicle-approval/individual-vehicle-approval; 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.