How much does it cost to import a Harley-Davidson from the USA to the UK?
On a $20,000 Harley-Davidson with $1,000 shipping, the UK tax is £4,244.95 at the October 2026 exchange rate: £936.39 customs duty at 6% and £3,308.56 import VAT at 20%. Any Harley with an engine over 250cc pays the 6% rate, because the UK Trade Tariff lists no lower rate for the United States. A Harley under 10 years old normally needs an MSVA approval test, and DVLA wants proof of when it was built.
- Duty: 6% on the bike over 250cc (8% up to 250cc); the UK has no trade deal rate for the USA.
- VAT: 20% on the price, shipping, extras and the duty.
- Under 10 years old and not approved in the EU: MSVA test.
- Over 10 years old: the DVSA manual lists it as exempt, but DVLA might inspect.
- NOVA: within 14 days of the bike arriving.
Not sure how this applies to your bike? Get a price for your bike and we tell you what applies.
How is the tax on a Harley-Davidson worked out?
UK import VAT is charged on the total cost of the bike plus accessories bought with it, delivery and extra charges, and the customs duty, according to gov.uk. Duty comes first because it goes into the figure VAT is charged on. Under heading 8711 of the UK Trade Tariff the standard rate is 6% for an engine over 250cc, and the list of countries with a lower rate does not include the United States. A Harley with an engine over 250cc, which covers the big twins people usually import, lands in the 6% band. The precise rate for a given engine size is something we check from the frame number before you pay.
A price in dollars is converted to pounds at the exchange rate HMRC publishes each month, unless the contract fixes one. For October 2026 that rate is £1 = $1.3456.
Worked example: a $20,000 Harley-Davidson with $1,000 shipping (October 2026 rate)
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bike, $20,000 | £14,863.26 |
| Shipping, $1,000 (an example, not a typical price) | £743.16 |
| Value for customs | £15,606.42 |
| Duty at 6% | £936.39 |
| VAT at 20% on £16,542.81 | £3,308.56 |
| Tax in total | £4,244.95 |
On top come the DVLA's £55 registration fee, vehicle tax, and the cost of an approval test if the bike needs one. A bike made in a country with a trade deal can pay 0% duty with proof of origin, but that follows where the bike was built, not where you bought it, so a Harley bought in the USA does not qualify just because of the badge. Our duty and VAT guide goes through the bands in full.
Does a Harley-Davidson from the USA need an MSVA test?
If it is under 10 years old, has not been registered in the UK and has no European or provisional UK type approval, yes. gov.uk says a motorcycle in that position must use the MSVA, Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval, scheme. The DVSA manual covers silencer marking, stationary noise limits by engine size and a petrol CO limit of 4.5%, and the MSVA and Partial MSVA pages mention a left-dipping headlamp and a speedometer in mph. Our MSVA guide explains the test.
Two things on a Harley are worth checking before you buy. Many Harleys carry aftermarket exhausts, and the manual's silencer marking and noise checks are the first place a modified pipe can fail. And gov.uk says a rebuilt vehicle, or one built from a mixture of parts from previously registered vehicles, has to use the MSVA scheme, so a bike assembled from several donors is a different case. A test station does the test and a garage does any changes: we do neither. We handle the paperwork around them.
Send the make, model and year and we start from there.
What if the Harley is over 10 years old?
The DVSA MSVA inspection manual (revision 6, 15 April 2025) lists vehicles over ten years old as exempt from the Minister's Approval Certificate. That line is in the manual, not on gov.uk's list of exemptions, and gov.uk says DVLA might inspect the vehicle. Heavily rebuilt older bikes are a case by case question, so ask us before you buy. A Harley more than 30 years old and original can fall under a different duty and VAT rule: see our guide to importing a classic motorcycle.
How do you prove when the Harley was built?
An exemption by age only works if you can show the age. gov.uk says DVLA wants the original foreign registration certificate "to show when the vehicle was manufactured", and you will not get it back. If you do not have it, DVLA might accept other proof of the manufacture date, for example a letter from the manufacturer or a vehicle enthusiast club.
Might, not will. What your US ownership papers count as is something we judge bike by bike, so send us a photo of what comes with the bike, and the frame number, before you pay. If the age or identity of the bike stays in doubt, DVLA issues Q registration numbers to such vehicles: see bikes with no papers and proof of age. If you need a dating letter, we obtain it.
Who ships it, and what happens when it lands?
Getting the bike to a UK port is the seller's or a shipper's job. Deregistration, any export plates and the export paperwork in the USA are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK, and we handle the customs declaration, NOVA and registering the bike with DVLA.
Once the bike lands you have 14 days to tell HMRC through NOVA, the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals, and gov.uk says you may be fined if you are late. DVLA will not register the bike until NOVA is processed and the VAT and duty are paid. The V5C can take up to 6 weeks to arrive, and until then you can be prosecuted for using the bike on a public road, unless you are riding it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test. Our guide to riding and insuring an imported bike before registration covers the gap. For the whole US route, including the 8% band for small bikes, see our guide to importing a motorcycle from the USA.
What we do for you
Before you pay, tell us the model, year, frame number and the documents that come with the bike, and we tell you what the UK side involves. We make the customs import declaration for the bike, work out and pay the VAT and duty, and submit NOVA. We prepare every DVLA form, the V55/5 included: you just sign and post. We do not buy, sell or inspect bikes, and we do not say which bike to buy.
Quick answers
Is there a special rate of duty for Harley-Davidson?
No. Duty depends on engine size and country of manufacture, not the brand. Over 250cc it is 6%, and there is no lower rate for the USA.
Is UK VAT charged on the shipping as well?
Yes. gov.uk says VAT is charged on the total cost of the vehicle plus delivery and extra charges, and on the customs duty.
Can I ride a Harley I have just imported before it is registered?
Not on a public road, according to gov.uk, except to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test. You can be prosecuted otherwise.
Official sources, checked on 17 October 2026: trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/api/v2/commodities/8711500000 · gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/paying-vat-and-duty · trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/uk/api/exchange_rates/files/monthly_csv_202… · gov.uk/guidance/converting-foreign-currency-amounts-to-include-in-the-c… · gov.uk/vehicle-approval/motorcycle-single-vehicle-approval · gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/registering-an-imported-vehicle · gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/telling-hmrc · gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk · gov.uk/vehicle-registration/q-registration-numbers