When you relocate to the UK, the answer to "can I take my car too?" is yes; and, if planned correctly, tax-free. Shipping a car from Turkey to the UK falls under the same HMRC ToR1 (Transfer of Residence) relief as your household goods: if you have owned and used the vehicle in your name for at least 6 months, have lived abroad for 12 months and are moving to the UK, you can import it without paying customs duty or VAT. Behind the relief comes a registration chain unique to the UK: the NOVA notification, DVLA registration, an MOT and, where needed, an IVA test, insurance and British plates.
Driving the car yourself means more than four thousand kilometres, at least five border crossings and mileage on the clock. The preferred method is a double-deck car transporter: the vehicle is collected at our Istanbul depot with a photographed condition report, crosses Europe on the transporter, crosses the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel and is delivered to your address from our London depot. In this guide we cover the relief conditions, the registration steps, the left-hand-drive question, the documents and the timeline.
Three Ways to Bring a Car to the UK
| Scenario | Tax | Who it is for | Core condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer of residence under ToR1 | Exempt from customs duty and VAT | People settling in the UK (work, family, Ancestry, Skilled Worker visa etc.) | 6 months' ownership and use, 12 months' residence abroad, no sale for 12 months |
| Standard import | Customs duty + 20% VAT | Those who do not meet the relief conditions, or who bring a second vehicle | CDS import declaration, tax on the vehicle's value |
| Temporary use | Tax-free, time-limited | Visitors not resident in the UK | Vehicle stays registered abroad, is not registered in the UK, time limit applies |
This article focuses on the first scenario. Under a standard import the taxes are calculated on the vehicle's customs value, which often makes selling the car in Turkey and buying in the UK the more sensible option; we make that comparison openly during the survey.
Vehicle Relief Conditions under ToR1
The ToR1 application is a single file for household goods and vehicle alike; the vehicle is declared in a separate section of the form with its chassis number, registration plate, make and model and date of acquisition. The URN (Unique Reference Number) issued after HMRC approval is used in the customs declarations of both the household-goods truck and the car transporter. The conditions for the vehicle are:
- The vehicle must have been registered in your name and used by you for at least 6 months before arrival in the UK; the invoice or notarised sale contract and the Turkish registration document prove this.
- You must have lived in Turkey (or outside the UK) for at least 12 months; a residence certificate, employment and rental records are sufficient.
- The vehicle must be imported within 12 months of your move to the UK.
- For 12 months after import the vehicle may not be sold, hired out or lent; otherwise the relieved taxes are reclaimed.
- Commercial vehicles are excluded; cars, SUVs, personal light commercial vehicles and motorcycles are covered.
The application is made before the vehicle sets off; transport does not begin until the URN is issued, otherwise the vehicle enters the standard import regime at the port.
The UK Registration Chain: NOVA, DVLA, MOT, IVA
The relief settles the customs side; to drive the car on the road you need a separate registration chain, and each step requires the output of the one before it.
1. NOVA notification (Notification of Vehicle Arrivals)
Within 14 days of the vehicle entering the UK it is notified to HMRC's NOVA system; the ToR1 URN is entered here and the absence of a VAT liability is recorded. Without NOVA approval the DVLA will not process the application. Our customs team files the notification together with the declaration.
2. Technical compliance: type approval, IVA or exemption
For a European type-approved vehicle, a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from the manufacturer is usually sufficient. If a CoC cannot be obtained, an IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) test is required; it is carried out at DVSA centres and checks UK-specific items such as headlights, speedometer and rear fog lamp.
3. MOT
Every vehicle over three years old undergoes an annual MOT test. Before registration the MOT is carried out on the chassis number; no plate is needed.
4. DVLA registration and plates
You apply to the DVLA with form V55/5, the NOVA approval, the CoC or IVA certificate, the MOT, ID and proof of UK address, the original Turkish registration document and insurance. After registration the V5C is issued, plates are made up and vehicle tax (VED) is processed; the Turkish registration document stays with the DVLA.
5. Insurance
Before registration a temporary policy is taken out on the chassis number; the permanent policy is updated once the plates are issued. There are insurers who specialise in imported left-hand-drive vehicles.
6. Can a left-hand-drive car be used in the UK?
Yes, left-hand-drive vehicles are legally registered and driven in the UK; there is no ban. However, because traffic drives on the left, three technical adjustments are expected: the headlights must be adjusted or replaced for a left-dipping beam (dipped beams that flare to the right dazzle oncoming drivers), the speedometer must be readable in miles (dual-scale dial or an additional gauge) and the rear fog lamp must be in the centre of the vehicle or on the side facing the centre of the road. These are items checked at the IVA and MOT; having them done at a garage before leaving Turkey saves time in the UK.
In practice, left-hand drive restricts visibility when overtaking and finds few buyers on the used-car market; if you intend to sell the car within 1-2 years, we will question together during the survey whether bringing it makes sense.
Transport Method: Double-Deck Transporter and Channel Crossing
The vehicle is collected at our Istanbul depot or at your address with a photographed condition report (four sides, wheels, interior, mileage, fuel), strapped to the double-deck transporter and leaves Kapıkule under the T1 transit regime. The route runs along the Bulgaria-Serbia-Hungary-Austria-Germany-Belgium/France axis and crosses from Calais or Dunkirk by ferry to Dover, or via Eurotunnel to Folkestone.
On entry to the UK a GMR (Goods Movement Reference) is created in advance for the transporter in the GVMS system; the vehicle is released into free circulation under a CDS import declaration referencing the ToR1 URN. Total door-to-door time is 8-12 days; departure day is fixed by our weekly UK runs and confirmed to you in writing. For luxury, classic or sports cars an enclosed transporter is available; on an open transporter the risk of stone chips is low but not zero.
No belongings are carried inside the vehicle; customs requires the vehicle to be declared as a vehicle and goods as goods. Fuel tank no more than a quarter full, alarm disabled, spare key stays with you.
Documents Required
- Turkish vehicle registration document (original) and the owner's passport
- Invoice or notarised sale contract, proving the vehicle has been registered in your name for at least 6 months
- ToR1 approval and URN; visa or residence status, UK address (tenancy agreement, employment contract)
- Proof of 12 months' residence in Turkey: residence certificate, SGK social-security statement or tenancy agreement
- Turkish export formalities: the export declaration and the status of the vehicle's registration (deregistration or export record) are settled with our customs broker; for a vehicle under lien or finance, a lien-release letter from the bank is essential
- Power of attorney: so that the Turkish export and UK import declarations can be made in your name
- On the UK side: insurance policy, form V55/5, MOT (at the registration stage)
The Advantage of Moving Car and Household Goods Together
Planning both shipments in one file has three benefits: a single ToR1 application (inventory list and vehicle on the same form, one URN; no risk of conflicting dates and addresses), synchronised timing (the household-goods truck and the car transporter leave the same week, meet at our London depot and delivery is planned for a single day) and a single point of contact (one person knows where both your belongings and your car are). For the household-goods side, see our guide to moving household goods from Turkey to the UK.
What Determines the Cost
- Collection point in Turkey (delivery to our Istanbul depot or collection from an address in Anatolia) and delivery region in the UK (London, the Midlands, Scotland)
- Open or enclosed transporter; size and weight of the vehicle (SUVs, panel vans and high-roof vehicles take up more space)
- Customs service items: Turkish export declaration, T1 transit, GMR, CDS import declaration, NOVA notification
- Customs duty and VAT for vehicles not covered by ToR1 (based on the vehicle's value)
- Insurance cover: standard CMR or full transit insurance on the vehicle's value
- Winch loading for a non-running vehicle; IVA/MOT arrangements on request
Common Mistakes
- Moving to the UK less than 6 months after putting the car in your name; the relief is lost and the vehicle enters the standard import regime.
- Forgetting to declare the vehicle on the ToR1 and listing only household goods; a separate later application for the car causes delays.
- Dispatching the vehicle before the URN has arrived.
- Missing the 14-day NOVA deadline; a penalty and a blocked DVLA registration.
- Trying to ship a vehicle with outstanding finance or a lien; the Turkish export cannot be completed.
- Going into the IVA/MOT without the headlights and speedometer adjusted; a repeat test and lost time.
Case Study: Ankara to Manchester on a Skilled Worker Visa
A software engineer living in Ankara finds a job in Manchester; his Skilled Worker visa is approved and he is moving with his wife and two children. His car is a three-year-old SUV, registered in his name for 2.5 years; the finance has been paid off. In the video survey the household goods and the vehicle are planned in a single file; the vehicle is declared on the ToR1 with its chassis number and the URN arrives within two weeks. At a garage in Ankara the headlights are adjusted to a left-dipping beam and a mile scale is added to the digital display. The vehicle is collected at our Istanbul depot with a photographed condition report and leaves the same week as the household-goods truck. Departure from Kapıkule under T1, Calais-Dover ferry crossing; on day nine the CDS declaration and NOVA notification are completed at our London depot, and on day eleven the car is delivered to the address in Manchester. Because the manufacturer's CoC could be obtained, no IVA is needed; the MOT and DVLA application are completed within three weeks and British plates are fitted. Customs duty: zero. VAT: zero. Mileage: the same as on the day of collection.
Why REG Transport?
- Weekly scheduled runs on the Turkey-UK lane; the car transporter and the household-goods truck leave the same week.
- Our own depots in Istanbul and London; your vehicle is never left out in the open during transit.
- ToR1 application, URN tracking, GMR, CDS declaration and NOVA notification from a single source; our customs team knows UK regulations inside out.
- Photographed condition report at collection and delivery; CMR insurance included, with optional all-risk cover on the vehicle's value.
- Video or on-site survey; an honest assessment of your eligibility for relief and of whether bringing the car makes sense.
- A single point of contact; written, itemised quote the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to ship a car from Turkey to the UK?
8-12 days door to door including the Channel crossing. NOVA and DVLA registration take a few weeks depending on the paperwork; the car does not go on the road until the plates are issued.
If I bring my car under ToR1, do I pay no tax at all?
If the conditions are met, customs duty and VAT are exempt. What you do pay are UK administrative items such as the registration fee, vehicle tax (VED), the MOT and, if required, the IVA test fee.
Can I register my left-hand-drive car in the UK?
Yes. With the headlight beam, mile speedometer and rear fog lamp adjusted, the car passes the IVA/MOT and is registered with the DVLA. There is no legal obstacle.
Can I keep the car registered in Turkey and drive it in the UK?
A UK resident cannot drive a foreign-plated vehicle on a continuous basis; the obligation to register arises with residence. Time-limited temporary use is available only to visitors who are not resident in the UK.
Would it make more sense to buy a car in the UK instead of bringing mine?
If you have owned the car for less than 6 months, it is still on finance or you plan to sell within 1-2 years, usually yes; if you are staying long-term and meet the relief conditions, bringing it is worthwhile.
Let's Take Your Car to the UK Together
Fill in the quote form with your registration details, moving date and UK address; we will confirm your ToR1 eligibility and send a written quote the same day. For more detail see our international vehicle transport and customs clearance pages, the United Kingdom country guide, our article on car transport from Europe to Turkey for the reverse direction, and our CMR vs all-risk insurance guide for insuring your belongings.
