How do you register an imported motorbike with DVLA?

In what order do you register an imported motorbike?

gov.uk lists three things that must be done before you can register: tell HMRC you imported the bike and get confirmation that your NOVA application is processed, pay any VAT and customs duty you owe, and get proof of vehicle approval. For a shipped bike the full sequence is the import declaration, VAT and duty at the border, NOVA within 14 days, approval, DVLA, then insurance.

HMRC guidance (INF106, November 2025) says to allow 48 hours after HMRC confirms your NOVA before you contact DVLA. We explain NOVA in our NOVA guide and approval in our MSVA guide.

Until all of that is done, gov.uk says you can be prosecuted for using the bike on a public road, unless you are driving it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test.

Which documents does DVLA want for an imported motorbike?

gov.uk says to send these original documents with your application:

• proof of vehicle approval;
• evidence of the date the bike was collected, for example the supplier's invoice;
• the original foreign registration certificate, which shows when the bike was made (you will not get this back);
• form V627/3, if the bike has been structurally modified beyond the manufacturer's specification.

For a brand new bike, gov.uk adds form V267, sometimes called the declaration of newness, and a V55/4 instead of a V55/5.

You also prove who you are. DVLA asks for a photocopy of your photocard driving licence, or photocopies of one document that proves your name and another that proves your address. That is the one place photocopies belong.

What if you do not have the original foreign registration certificate?

gov.uk says DVLA might accept other proof of the manufacture date. Might is the word that matters: it is DVLA's decision, and we cannot promise it. Raise it before you buy, not after. Our guide to bikes with no papers and proof of age goes into it.

What is the V55/5 and who fills it in?

The V55/5 is the form for registering a used vehicle, and gov.uk says that includes used imported vehicles. DVLA publishes a guide to filling it in, but the copy we hold is undated, so we do not quote box numbers here. They can change between versions of the form.

We prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post. gov.uk reminds you to pay the correct postage.

How much does DVLA registration cost?

gov.uk says you pay a £55 registration fee and tax the vehicle when you register it. The 12-month motorcycle tax rates on gov.uk (table updated 09/09/2026) are:

• up to 150cc: £27
• 151cc to 400cc: £59
• 401cc to 600cc: £90
• over 600cc: £125
• zero emission: £27

The page also lists 6-month and Direct Debit figures. Rates change, so check the table on the day you apply. You may read older figures online, such as £26, £57, £87 and £121. They are out of date.

You pay the tax yourself: we do not pay road tax for you. A bike from its third anniversary also needs an MOT. DVLA wants proof of a valid MOT if the vehicle is over 3 years old, and the MOT fee for a standard motorcycle is capped at £29.65 (gov.uk, updated 09/09/2026). The import VAT and duty come on top of all this, and our duty and VAT guide explains them.

How long does it take, and might DVLA inspect the bike?

gov.uk says it can take up to 6 weeks for the V5C to arrive. DVLA might also ask to inspect the bike to confirm its identity. gov.uk says DVLA will send you a letter if it needs to, and that you will not pay a fee.

Nobody can promise an outcome or a date. DVLA decides each application.

What do you do about number plates once the V5C arrives?

gov.uk says DVLA gives you a registration number so you can get plates made up, and that you need the V5C to do it. So the order is: V5C arrives, plates made, then insure the bike before it goes on the road, which gov.uk lists as the final step. Do not order plates earlier and do not ride the bike before then.

What are the common mistakes?

• Sending photocopies of the documents. gov.uk says not to.
• No proof of when the bike was made. Without the original foreign certificate you need other proof of the manufacture date, and DVLA decides whether it accepts it.
• Applying before NOVA is processed. gov.uk says you cannot register until it is.
• Forgetting V627/3 on a bike that has been structurally modified.
• Buying a damaged bike. gov.uk says a "seriously damaged" bike cannot be registered with DVLA, and you are not refunded the VAT, duty or approval fee already paid. Foreign papers may say "statutory write-off", "scrapped" or "non-repairable".

What do we do for you?

We make the customs import declaration, work out and pay import VAT and duty, submit NOVA, and prepare your whole DVLA pack. We fill in the V55/5 and tell you which originals the pack needs, so you only sign and send. We do not test, modify or insure the bike, pay road tax, or arrange SORN. A garage and the DVSA test station handle those parts.

Deregistration in the country you buy in, 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.

Quick answers