[macmedal]

macmedal, that just isn't true. If my friend from France brings over their French registered car, temporarily, within the Vienna Convention, and I am insured to drive it and it is taxed and registered correctly in France, I, if I were a UK resident, could drive it in the UK.

Ok I will give you that, but I was talking in the context of the original OPs query in relation to a vehicle owned by them and they reside solely in the UK. That is officially what DVLA advise.

However perhaps you could even take it a step further. Say you had a second home in France and had bought, registered and insured a vehicle in France for use at that second home. If you wanted to drive into the UK temporarily with that foreign registered vehicle, for example to have it serviced. I think within the terms of the convention you would legally be able to do that as long as it was properly insured and it was for a temporary period. But I suppose this relies on the definition of UK residence, say you have dual residence 6 months in UK and 6 month in France.

Lots of technical grey areas which would take case law to clarify. The world has changed with a lot more movement within the EU. The DVLA and UK VCA seem slow to respond to this change and perhaps some of the information is a little misleading and confusing. But I am no lawyer so we have to go with what they currently advise.

 

[raynipper]

Dunno that it has any bearing on the original post,........ but my experiences so far are.....

Minor misdemeanor 8 years ago in France while driving our French reg car but with a UK driving license.
Plod asked if we lived in France and luckily I said no we leave the car at our holiday home. He said good as if resident in France he would have to escort me to the Prefecture to change license to French to put points on. €22 fine.

Recently here in La Manche Plod has been very 'visual' in checking UK reg cars are not flouting the 6 months to register rule. Several Brit friends have been grilled about their comings and goings within the time limit.

A friends Brit neighbour who has three cars and an old tractor all on UK plates had a visit from local Plod while he was not at home.
They removed the UK plates from two cars and the tractor as it was obvious they had been there some years. But left the plates on the one car that had in fact been back and forth to the UK.

I guess French plod as other countries are tightening the noose on people who flout the registration regs. Maybe this is all part of the move towards standardising the number plates to chase fines and penalties.

Ray.

 

[nicholsong]

Ray

Is it only Brits they are targeting? If so, maybe because they can ask when and how you crossed La Manche and can check with ferry/tunnel.

With anyone coming from other Schengen countries there is little they can do.

The re-registration regs for my vehicle are being flouted - by the Polish government' refusal to re-register RHD - although after European Court decision in March have announced their intention to amend laws here, but probably not before my next near 2,000 mile round trip for MOT.

Now we have EU agreed construction certs. there should be little difficulty in agreeing an EU plate - except of course vehicle tax, MOT equivalents, headlights, 'A'-frame rules - shall I go on?

And then of course driving licence permissions, but isn't that where we came in with the OP's post :roll: :lol:

Geoff

 

[thieawin]

Geoff

even in Schengen they have APNR at border crossings, so they ask when you entered and can check

 

[raynipper]

So far Geoff, it does seem to be Brits. But maybe we don't mix in Polish workers circles................ yet.

Ray.

 

[Poulbot]

Macmedal, join the club! My import paperwork was going very smoothly until DVLA rejected the V55 on the basis that the NOVA check on VAT flagged a blank! It seems that they had entered an 'O' instead of a '0' (oscar instead of a zero) in the VIN entry on their database. My registration is now scheduled to be looked at after easter!

Also one caution to all, is that the UK are now charging £10 per day for all foreign registered commercial vehicles entering the UK instead of the proposed road tolls, so we are not yet sure if all vehicles will be ANPR'd and just the commercials will be billed or whether alll foreign plated vehices will be recorded. I'm not sure if that makes any difference to the original question on this thread, but worth remembering that your details are now being recorded and saved, regardless of country of origin.

 

[nicholsong]

Geoff

even in Schengen they have APNR at border crossings, so they ask when you entered and can check

John

I can understand that on main roads, but there must be many minor roads - so one could just claim that one used one of those.

As an extreme example: my friends live in a Swiss village near Basel; to get into Basel on their country road they cross in and out of France 3 times, i.e. 6 border crossings. I used to run round the lanes and there were no border signs to tell you which country you were in - even before Schengen

Happy Easter

Geoff

 

[mikego]

Thanks to everyone for all the comments on the rather hazy subject of driving an imported vehicle in this country on foreign (temporary) plates. The official guidelines indicate that it should be possible as you are allowed the direct mileage from dealer to home but then other bits say that a UK resident is not allowed to drive on foreign plates.

Insurance does not appear to be the problem. NFU say they will give cover all the way from the dealer in Germany.

It is 160 miles from ferry to home so I have quotes for it to be driven back under trade plates if I cannot get a definitive response.

This is still going to much cheaper than buying in the UK and getting exactly what we want.

 

[nicholsong]

One point that has not been mentioned is that anyone must give a change of address notification to DVLA and if that address is outside the UK, they are referred to the country of 'residence'

So getting anyone to drive the vehicle, who is 'resident' outside the UK, could be dodgy, unless they hold a foreign licence - then are they insured. What a spider's web!

I am not sure what happens if one has two addresses - can one get a second licence - could be handy.

Geoff

 

[camallison]

Just to add something to the mix - I am Swiss, resident in the UK and hold a British driving licence. I explained all that to the customs officer on entering the UK port, and he said it doesn't make a blind bit of difference. Equally, the German officials weren't bothered that I was using the (insured) Z-plates to get to the port at Rotterdam. They reckoned it was legal and above board. The insurer, on the VIN number, was Hastings Direct, until we had it cleared and registered via the DVLA. That last bit took 11 weeks, even though all the paperwork was in order, which is disgusting! It is my suspicion that the DVLA staff at Swansea are working an unofficial work to rule to prove a political point.

Colin

 

[cater_racer]

I drove around on Italian import plates for while, but the easiest way is to buy a Cherished Number (Cheap one) have the plate made up and insure that, change the plate before you get to Hull.

Put the paperwork in to swap the registration to the retention certificate in the nearest post box later that day.

 

[captainking]

Bought our Hymer from northern Germany 2005 drove it back on German plates and ins entered dover then drove to Yorkshire, when I went to DVLA Sheffield several days later ( recovering from the long drive back) I parked in their car park to do the Import stuff, perhaps its just me but never had a problem with any stage of the purchase and import!

I think you can over think theses things sometimes!

Cap't

 

[camallison]

Bought our Hymer from northern Germany 2005 drove it back on German plates and ins entered dover then drove to Yorkshire, when I went to DVLA Sheffield several days later ( recovering from the long drive back) I parked in their car park to do the Import stuff, perhaps its just me but never had a problem with any stage of the purchase and import!

I think you can over think theses things sometimes!

Cap't

Sadly, DVLA local offices now closed, so not an option any longer.

Colin

 

[captainking]

Bought our Hymer from northern Germany 2005 drove it back on German plates and ins entered dover then drove to Yorkshire, when I went to DVLA Sheffield several days later ( recovering from the long drive back) I parked in their car park to do the Import stuff, perhaps its just me but never had a problem with any stage of the purchase and import!

I think you can over think theses things sometimes!

Cap't

Sadly, DVLA local offices now closed, so not an option any longer.

Colin

Oh! I haven't kept up with the times!

I have a solution! Buy the motorhome in Germany, before entering the UK get dressed in disguise typical Lederhosen attire get the misses a blond platted wig, if you get stopped before getting home speak gibberish with a German accent...I think that will work!

Cap't

 

[thieawin]

Just thought I would share my experience of importing, albeit second hand from GB to IOM. Its still importing no VAT issue.

Is exactly the same whether it is from UK or IRL or anywhere in EU.

Partner saw Land Rover Defender on eBay, he has wanted one for ages, contacted seller, put down £250 holding deposit. This was Wednesday morning.

Wednesday pm I went on a 72 hour work trip to Bulgaria. Partner was off to his sister's birthday in Manchester. I did 3 planes, two hotels and 300 miles motoring and a 3 hour train journey before ending up in Manchester on the Saturday evening.

Sunday morning met up with Paul, drove to Nottingham, he test drove. I'd already done HPI and other checks in advance and the vendor had kindly posted a picture with the plates visible, so I'd organised a cover note (just in case), inspected documents, decided to buy and paid and we drove back to Liverpool and were home by 21.00 so add another hotel in Manchester, 200 miles driving and a ferry into the total 96 hour trip.

Drove off boat to home, 2 miles. In theory I was now a permanent resident driving a "foreign" registered vehicle which was being permanently imported, but clearly couldn't register late Sunday.

Monday morning filled out form to put through Manx importation roadworthiness test. We have no MOT but all vehicles more than 3 years old are tested before being allowed to register. Appointment made for first thing Thursday, sailed through. test centre only a mile away. Filled out Registration and VED forms and attended IOM Post HQ which acts as licensing agent. That's half a mile. Was allocated registration number, tax disc issued over counter, V5 to follow in post, went an collected new plates and fitted. Notified insurers (who are local) of new index number

Easter intervened. Tuesday V5 arrives in post. Today full policy schedule with the Manx number arrives and full certificate.

The law is identical as the OP situation.

The difference is its all personal here and local. I know the name of the tester, the girl at the PO Counter and the clerk in the Tower Insurance head office

 

[MEES]

We have imported from Palmowski in Bielefeld twice.

They dealt with everything.

The vehicle was taxed in Germany and German plates firtted.

Insurance cover was provided for 2 weeks.

On return vehicle was registered with Dvla and taxed.

Proof of payment in uk faxed to Palmowski who then returned the German tax.

When paperwork arrived from DVLA new plates made.

 

[Annsman]

I'm not being flippant with this comment and I'm not belittling anyones problems but to my little simple mind these last 4 pages are why I'd always buy from a UK dealer or private sale!

I realise that some savings can be made but the time spent chasing ghostly officials from at least two countries to get a proper legal ruling, the problems if any warranty issues arise, customs problems and all this "can I, can't I" would drive me mad and remove any happiness induced by a cheaper purchase price.

On that, how much can be saved when buying abroad.

 

[raynipper]

Where's your sense of adventure Annsman.
If everyone just bought from a regular dealer at a regular price, we would end up paying more.
You will be saying the Internet is a risky place to buy next........

Ray.

 

[captainking]

I can only speak from our experience and the info I was given personally in 2005.

We looked at m/homes in Yorkshire we saw 3 Hymer S700 all were priced on or around £35,000.00 all had quite a few previous owners and all were very tatty and dirty and inspection on the inside the electrics seemed to be all over the place. so after looking at several new ones in the 50k price range, I decided to fly to Germany to look at a Lakia, it was immaculate chassis was like it had just come out of the factory the price was 20,000.00 euros only had one owner but the shower tray was cracked. to cut a long story short we bought the Hymer from the same dealer, it had 1 owner wall to wall kenwood stereo and multi CD player, camping gear new safari room and all the trimmings the interior was like new. two big solar panels. the pitch price was 33,000.00 euros we shook on 30K inclusive of ins sorting out all the paper work service and testing & new front tyre, with the exchange rate very good, when we got back our motor home cost us £ 20,450.00

So our little trip was well worth it!

Cap't
ps we spent £800.00 on the trip we were there a week and had a great time looking around.

 

[MEES]

We saved over £10,000 each time returned a couple of times as part of other trips for warranty work and dealer ordered and posted out to us a few replacement bits at no cost to us.
It really. Was no problem and having read a few threads on here about some treatment by some dealers feel it was worth it to us.
Fully appreciate others may prefer to buy locally but we didn't have the extra 10 grand plus.
We got new van fully loaded with extras for pride of a second hand one.