How do you import a motorbike from Japan to the UK?

Deregistration in Japan, 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.

Do Japanese bikes really pay 0% duty?

Only if two things are true. The UK Trade Tariff shows a 0% preferential rate for goods from Japan, and that rate follows where the bike was made, not where you bought it. And you have to prove it. For a used bike, which document HMRC accepts as proof of Japanese origin is not spelled out in the sources we have read, so treat the 0% as a claim that needs proof, not a given.

If the bike was built somewhere else, for example a Japanese brand assembled in Thailand, there is no UK preference for Thailand in the tariff and the standard rate applies. We check the paperwork with you before you buy.

What duty do I pay if the 0% does not apply?

The UK Trade Tariff lists 8% for motorcycles up to 250cc, including scooters, and 6% for motorcycles over 250cc and for electric ones. You may read online that bikes pay a flat 10%. That is the car rate. The tariff lines for motorcycles show 6% or 8%.

How much is import VAT on a bike from Japan?

Import VAT is 20%. gov.uk says VAT is charged on the total cost of the vehicle, plus accessories bought with it, delivery and extra charges, and customs duty. So shipping and duty go into the amount VAT is charged on.

Here is an illustration of the arithmetic, not a price. Assume a bike costs £5,000 and shipping is £500, and for simplicity we use £5,500 as the value for duty too. HMRC's valuation rules decide the real figure for your bike.

VAT is worked out on £5,500 plus the duty, which is why it rises with the duty rate.

Does a Japanese bike need an MSVA test?

If it is under 10 years old, has not been registered in the UK before and has no European or UK type approval, yes. gov.uk says motorcycles use MSVA, the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval. DVSA charges £85 in working hours and £109 outside them (DVSA fees page, updated 20/08/2026). The test is carried out at a DVSA test station. We do not test, approve or modify bikes: we prepare the paperwork around it.

If the bike is over 10 years old, the DVSA MSVA inspection manual and VCA form MR-002 say vehicles over ten years old are exempt. That is not wording from gov.uk's own exemptions page, and gov.uk says DVLA might inspect the vehicle, so we check each bike rather than assume.

What happens after it lands?

1. Your customs agent makes the import declaration and VAT and duty are paid at the border.
2. NOVA, the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals, must reach HMRC within 14 days. gov.uk says you may be fined if you are late. It gives no amount.
3. DVLA registration costs £55, plus vehicle tax. DVLA wants original documents, including the original foreign registration certificate, which you will not get back. It shows the manufacture date. Without it, DVLA might accept other proof.
4. The V5C registration certificate can take up to 6 weeks to arrive.

Do not ride the bike on the road before these steps are done. gov.uk says you can be prosecuted, unless you are riding it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test.

What we do for you

Before you pay, send us the listing and the papers and we tell you what the UK side involves, including the origin question for the 0% claim. We make the customs import declaration, work out and pay the VAT and duty, submit NOVA and prepare every DVLA form: you just sign and post. The MSVA test is done by a DVSA test station and any modification by a garage. We do not buy, sell, source or inspect bikes.

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