What is NOVA, and how do you do it for an imported motorhome?

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What is NOVA, and why can't you skip it?

NOVA is HMRC's record that your motorhome has arrived and whether the VAT and duty on it are settled. DVLA uses it as the gate to registration. gov.uk's list of things to do before you can register an import starts with telling HMRC "and get confirmation that your Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) application is processed".

DVLA also checks the two against each other. INF106 says: "We will not register your vehicle if the details in your registration application do not match those provided to HMRC." So the NOVA is not a box-ticking exercise. The VIN, the make and the details on it have to match your V55/5 exactly, or the registration stops.

When does the 14-day clock start?

When the motorhome arrives. gov.uk: "You have 14 days to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after you bring a vehicle into the UK permanently." INF106 puts it as within 14 days "of the vehicle arriving in the UK".

Not from the day you bought it, and not from the day you get round to the paperwork.

Can a private buyer do NOVA online?

You may read online that NOVA is a free online form any private buyer can fill in. For a private buyer, that is not what gov.uk says.

gov.uk splits it in two. VAT-registered companies "must tell HMRC about the imported vehicle by using the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) service". For a non-VAT registered company or private individual, the page says: "You must tell HMRC about the imported vehicle by making a NOVA declaration", and if the vehicle is shipped, that declaration "can be made by either: your shipping company or customs agent (they may charge an extra fee for doing this); HMRC's CARS team on your behalf".

In 2023 a MotorhomeFun member posted that HMRC had told them to use a customs agent after they couldn't do it online themselves.

What if you drive the motorhome over yourself?

Then gov.uk's other route applies. "If you're bringing the vehicle in yourself, you must contact HMRC's CARS team" within 14 days and tell them if you recently bought it outside the UK, moved to the UK with it, are bringing back a vehicle you previously owned here, or inherited it.

HMRC then tells you whether VAT or duty is due and whether any relief applies. If tax is due, gov.uk says "you'll need to hire a shipping company or customs agent to make an import declaration for you", and you send the documents to the CARS team so they can make the NOVA. One condition catches people: "You must have paid any import taxes due before HMRC can make the NOVA declaration."

So a motorhome with VAT and duty to pay still needs a customs declaration made by an agent. (If you're a UK resident, also note DVLA's INF106: "If you're a UK resident you must not drive a vehicle displaying foreign number plates." Our guide on driving an imported motorhome before registration covers that.)

Which documents does NOVA need?

gov.uk lists what "whoever makes the NOVA declaration will need":

• The C88 and E2 customs documents, or the MRN for your import declaration. These come from the customs import declaration, which is a separate step that has to happen first.
• The invoice or bill of sale, if you bought it in the last 6 months. You may read elsewhere that the invoice must be under 3 months old; gov.uk says 6.
• A current valuation if you bought it more than 6 months ago. gov.uk is specific: it "must be carried out in-person in the UK by a garage, dealership or other recognised business". A valuation from the seller abroad won't do.
• A copy of an official document confirming the VIN or chassis number, "for example, a registration or a title document, or an export certificate".

What happens if you're late?

gov.uk says: "You may be fined if you're late telling HMRC." DVLA's INF106 adds that "HMRC may issue a late notification penalty." Neither page gives an amount, so we won't either. The more practical cost is that the motorhome can't be registered until the NOVA is done, and, apart from a trip to a pre-booked MOT or approval test, gov.uk says it can't be used on a public road until the import steps are done.

What happens after NOVA?

INF106: "You need to allow 48 hours after receiving confirmation from HMRC before you contact DVLA to register your vehicle. This is to allow time for DVLA to access the NOVA information." After that, the V55/5 can go to DVLA. Our guide to filling in the V55/5 for a motorhome covers that part.

Do you still need NOVA if you're moving to the UK?

Yes. If you're moving here with your motorhome and claiming Transfer of Residence relief, gov.uk says approval comes from HMRC through form ToR1, and "When you make your import declaration to claim relief for a vehicle you import permanently into the UK, you must also make a NOVA declaration." Relief from the tax doesn't mean relief from the paperwork. See our guide to moving to the UK with a motorhome.

How we handle NOVA for you

We make the customs import declaration, which gives you the MRN, work out the import VAT and duty and handle the payment, then make the NOVA for you, inside the 14 days. We check the VIN and details on the NOVA against the motorhome's registration document and approval paperwork, and then fill in your V55/5 to match, ready for you to sign and post once the 48 hours have passed. If you need it, we also arrange transport of the motorhome to the UK.

Quick answers

Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/telling-hmrc; 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/registering-an-imported-vehicle; gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk.