Whether you’re transporting a vehicle for work, leisure or a lucrative sale, knowing the facts on its transportation is important. There are several rules and regulations that you must bear in mind when transporting a car or motorbike overseas, with its journey from the UK requiring several pieces of key documentation to keep things moving smoothly.
Read on to discover all you need to know about transporting your car or motorbike to another country outside the UK.
If you’re taking your car or motorbike outside of the UK on a temporary basis, i.e. for less than 12 months, the rules and documentation that apply will differ from a more permanent export. Temporary exports are common, you could be touring Europe for example, or shipping your car or motorbike elsewhere for an event.
In the case of temporary exports, your vehicle can stay registered in the UK, which means you must keep hold of your V5C logbook. This should be valid and carried for the course of the journey. Your vehicle must also be taxed, have an up to date MOT certificate and hold the relevant insurance.
If your car or motorbike is leaving the UK for a period longer than the specified 12 months, the DVLA must be informed through the appropriate channels.
You will be required to complete the permanent export section of your vehicle’s V5C logbook, which should be returned before your departure and the remainder of your V5C kept with you until you arrive at your final destination. This part of your V5C will be needed to register your vehicle overseas. During this process, you may be eligible for a refund for any unused vehicle tax.
Alongside your V5C logbook, you’ll need to produce identification (preferably in the form of a passport), proof of ownership, shipping bill, proof of insurance, export declaration and any country-specific import approvals.
While the process of exporting your vehicle out of the UK is relatively simple for the most part, the rules of your destination country may complicate matters. Some countries for instance require you to provide proof of emissions compliance, proof of vehicle age, translated paperwork and customs broker documentation. Be sure to check the specific rules that apply before exporting.
Motorbike exports are handled a little differently than car exports. To prepare for the journey, you may need to drain fuel or disconnect your motorbike’s battery. Thankfully, you don’t have to handle preparations or the journey ahead alone. Contact our friendly team to discuss your next steps.
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