How do you import a motorcycle from France to the UK?

What does a French seller need to give you?

Two things: the carte grise and the invoice. Carte grise is the everyday French name for the registration certificate, officially the certificat d'immatriculation. Unlike the German set, it is a single document, so there is no question of which part to ask for: you need the original. Gov.uk tells you to send DVLA the original foreign registration certificate to show when the vehicle was made, and you will not get it back, so photograph it first.

The invoice is the facture from a dealer, or a signed bill of sale from a private seller. HMRC asks for it when you tell it about the bike through NOVA, if you bought it in the last 6 months. Bought longer ago, and HMRC wants a current valuation carried out in person in the UK by a garage, dealership or other recognised business instead.

Which boxes on the carte grise matter in the UK?

Two of them. The carte grise uses the EU registration certificate codes: box B is the date of first registration and box E is the vehicle identification number. Box B tells you whether the bike is under 10 years old (approval), over 3 years old (MOT) and over 30 years old if you are thinking about the classic rules. Box E must match the frame number stamped on the bike, and it is the number that goes on the customs declaration, NOVA and the DVLA application. Check both against the bike before you pay.

How much tax do you pay on a motorbike from France?

Here is a worked example. A French price is in euros, and customs converts it to pounds at the rate HMRC publishes each month: for October 2026, £1 = €1.1665. Take a bike bought for €8,000 (£6,858.12) with £300 transport, which is an example and not a typical price. The value for customs is £7,158.12.

Example: €8,000 bike from France, £300 transport (October 2026 rate)

In total that is £1,431.62 of tax with proof of EU origin, £1,947.01 for a bike over 250cc without it, and £2,118.80 for a bike up to 250cc without it. VAT is charged on the value plus the duty, which is why it goes up when duty applies. Whatever VAT the French seller charged does not reduce the UK import VAT. Our duty and VAT guide covers the rates in full.

Does the duty depend on where the bike was built?

Yes. The 0% rate in the UK Trade Tariff is a preference for goods originating in the European Union, so it follows where the bike was made, not the French plates or the French seller. A bike built outside the EU and sold in France pays 6% or 8%. Gov.uk says the importer needs a statement on origin from the exporter or their own knowledge that the product is originating, and a claim can also be made after import, within 3 years, with valid proof. Send us the frame number and the listing and we look at the origin side before you pay.

Does a French bike need an approval test?

If it was first registered in the EU and is under 10 years old, gov.uk says it needs a European Certificate of Conformity. A bike built for riding on the right also has to show a headlamp that dips to the left and a speedometer that reads in mph. The official routes are GB conversion IVA through the VCA (£100) or a Partial MSVA through the DVSA (£12); which one DVLA prefers is not stated on the official pages, so ask us first. Over 10 years old, the VCA form says the bike is exempt from its procedure and tells you to contact DVLA. Details in our guide to MSVA and approval. We obtain the Certificate of Conformity for you if you need one.

Does a French bike need a UK MOT?

Yes, if it is over 3 years old. A French contrôle technique, where the bike has one, does not replace the MOT. The maximum MOT fee for a motorcycle is £29.65 on gov.uk. You may ride the bike on a public road before registration only to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test; otherwise gov.uk says you can be prosecuted for using it before the import steps are complete.

What happens once the bike is in the UK?

HMRC must hear about it through NOVA within 14 days. DVLA registers the bike only after NOVA is processed and the VAT and any duty are paid. Then come the £55 registration fee and the vehicle tax, and the V5C can take up to 6 weeks to arrive. Our guide to registering an imported motorbike with DVLA walks through the application.

Deregistration in France, any export plates and the export paperwork are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK, and we handle the customs declaration, NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.

What we do for you

Send us the advert, the make, model, year and frame number, and a photo of the carte grise, before you hand over any money. We explain what the UK side involves for that bike. We lodge the customs import declaration, work out and pay the VAT and any duty, and submit NOVA. Every DVLA form is prepared for you: you just sign and post. We do not test or modify bikes, and we do not buy, sell, inspect or recommend them.

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