Car Ownership in the UK

Life in the United Kingdom is definitely easier with a car, especially if you live in a rural area or just a little bit off the beaten path. Expat living in London often makes owning a car seem rather unnecessary, but Britain’s charming countryside may provide less in the way of public transport. However, having a car in the UK entails quite a few requirements – and we aren’t only talking about getting used to driving on the left side of the road!

Driving Permits

First of all, you should check if you are even allowed to drive a car in the UK. If you are planning to stay for less than a year, e.g. for a business project or as a visiting student, you can just keep using your overseas driving permit. Everyone who would like to reside in the United Kingdom for over twelve months, though, needs either a “community license” or a British permit.

A community license is one that was issued in any EU or EEA member state. So, if you move from Spain to England, for example, your driving license will simply stay valid. Drivers from most other countries, however, have to apply for a provisional driver’s license and pass a driving test. There are a few exceptions: If your original license is, for instance, from Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, you can just swap it for a UK one without the test. Unfortunately, there’s no way around the driving exam for lots of non-European expatriates.

Car Imports

Obviously, a driving permit isn’t much use without a car. If you’d like to bring along your own car when moving to the UK, you have to be aware of British import requirements. In case that you’d like to drive in the UK for six months or less, you can go on using your old car. You don’t have to register it, and you needn’t pay any vehicle tax. For short-term expats from all EU member states, this is par for the course. But if you arrive in Britain from outside the EU, contact the customs office as soon as your car is shipped there. They may have to decide on a case-by-case basis if you can import the vehicle for personal use, even if it’s only for six months. Car imports from outside the European Union may also require you to pay customs duties and import tax.

Vehicle Registration

If you take up residence in the UK, your car needs to pass certain standard inspections. It must also be registered in Britain. First, the Vehicle Certification Agency must confirm that your car meets specific requirements for the UK (e.g. a speedometer which shows both km/h and mph). Cars imported from non-EU countries, e.g. from North or South America, must then undergo an additional examination, the Standard Approval Test. And then, your car still has to go through the so-called MOT test, a routine inspection according to Ministry of Transport guidelines. Only then can you go to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) for registration.

Considering all this effort, it may be easier just to lease or buy a car directly in the UK. But no matter where you have purchased it, if you own the car, you always have to get car insurance and pay vehicle tax. Once you’ve paid the required taxes for your car, you will get a small tax disc to put on display on its windshield. Vehicles that do not have an up-to-date tax disc may be clamped or impounded, so don’t forget about your vehicle tax!