Importing from Holland/ Germany
Hi Guys
Now my Defenders sold Im soon to be off to look at a G270cdi I like the look of in Holland.
Just wondered if someone could 100% confirm/ has done this what I will need to do in order to drive it back and get it UK registered.
Ive read through a fair bit so just want to check im not missing anything. The car is 2004.
Many thanks Tom
I brought one in from Italy 18 months ago.
You will need to drive it back on the Dutch plates, and drive it straight home and leave it there. This is a bit of a grey area, since as a Uk resident, you cannot drive around indefinitely on foreign plates, but for the purpose of one trip it will be fine.
Then you will need to arrange for an MOT. You can leave the foreign plates on it for that. whilst you arrange that, you may need to swap headlights for RHD versions and ensure speedometer can show miles, but not all test stations are so fussy about the latter. Some will accept a GPS unit and some don't bother to check this.
You will have 14 days from entering the UK to complete an on-line HMRC tax declaration. As its from the EU, there will be no tax due, but this form needs to be completed on-line before the DVLA will process your application for UK plates.
After phoning the DVLA, they will send you a form to complete with the car's details, all of which should be found on the Dutch registration document. You may need a CoC from Mercedes Benz uk, if the DVLA want to be fussy, but the EC approvals shown on the previous registration document will be all that's needed, really.
Send everything off registered post, together with the originals of the Dutch documents.
I can send you a copy of my application as an example, if you like
Wait about 14 days and that should be fine.
For insurance, it may be easier to get cover in holland, but some UK insurers, such as Direct Line will insure, temporarily, on VIN.
Tom,
there's more info here:
http://www.gwoa.co.uk/content/new-owner-1st-g
I think it may be better if you PM me your email address, as i don't think that I can use PM with attachments.
You may wish to try and find one that was first registered (in Holland or wherever) before 26 March 2006, so that it will be in the lowerUK road tax band at about £290 a year, instead of nearer £500.
Hi Tom
Many years ago I bought a G Wagen in Germany and imported into Spain
the German system allowed me to buy 3 months temporary insurance and fitted temp registration plates that allowed me to drive back to Spain and find my way throught the Spanish beaurocracy until I transferred it onto Spanish plates.
Not sure whether this is same for Holland but it did give me the confidence that I was covered for the transition period.
good luck
tim
Biggest hassle really is having to have a HMRC login for online services, because this is the only way that you can inform that you have imported the G. As mentioned, you have to do this within 14 days. The main purpose is for customs to calculate any VAT payable, which there shouldn't be if you buy from EU.
I think that you are meant to have temporary plates in order to drive it back to UK. I had mine delivered becauseI didn't fancy the two-day drive from Poland.
You will need left hand dip, i.e. RHD headlights, and to change the fog light to the offside position. Speedometer and odometer in km is not a problem.
The DVLA form for registration is quite detailed, but all of the information should be available from the European registration document.
Have a look at https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview
The DVLA import pack is essential, so request this - https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/registering-an-imported-vehicle
https://forms.dft.gov.uk/order-dvla-forms/
Rick
If you could pm me a copy of your application as a template that would be incredibly helpful Arnie.
Cheers for taking the time to write that up its exactly what I needed. Doesn't even sound that bad when you say it like that either
Looks like I can get looking now, just got to sort a time when I can escape over the Christmas holidays to look at a couple.
Thanks again for the help.
Tom