Glossary
Rego on one side, V5C on the other. The words you meet bringing a car from Australia, in plain English.
31 terms
A
- ADR Australian Design Rules AU
- The national standards Australian vehicles are built to, covering safety and emissions. They are not the same as UK rules, which is why a newer car takes an IVA test here.
B
- Bill of sale AU + UK
- A written record of a private sale, showing the price, the VIN, and the buyer and seller. Customs works from what you paid, so keep it. More
C
- CDS Customs Declaration Service UK
- HMRC’s system for import declarations. Our in-house customs team are authorised CDS entry agents, so your import entry is made by us. More
- Classic rate Historic rate UK
- Cars over 30 years old that meet HMRC’s conditions pay 5% import VAT and no duty, instead of 10% duty and 20% VAT. More
- Compliance plate AU
- A plate fitted to many Australian cars to show they meet the Australian Design Rules. Photos of it help us confirm a car’s details.
- Customs value UK
- What the tax is worked out on: the price paid for the car plus the cost of getting it to the UK. More
D
- Dedicated container 20ft container AU + UK
- A 20ft shipping container booked for your car alone, with room for belongings if you are moving. It costs more than a shared space. More
- DVLA Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency UK
- The agency that registers vehicles in Great Britain and issues the number. Through our dealer-level account it takes around 10 working days. More
- DVSA Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency UK
- The agency responsible for vehicle testing standards, including IVA. We have worked alongside the DVSA on IVA testing for over twenty years.
E
- E-tag Toll tag AU
- The electronic tag on the windscreen that pays Australian road tolls. Take it off before the car is collected and close or update the account. More
H
- Historic vehicle tax class UK
- Once registered here, a car over 40 years old may qualify for no road tax and no annual MOT, as long as it has not been substantially changed. The DVLA sets the conditions. More
I
- Import duty UK
- A tax on goods brought into the UK. For a car it is normally 10% of the customs value. Transfer of Residence relief, and the classic rate, remove it. More
- Import VAT UK
- VAT charged on an import: normally 20% of the customs value plus the duty, or 5% on a qualifying classic. More
- IVA Individual Vehicle Approval UK
- The test that a car under ten years old meets UK safety and environmental standards before it can be registered. Done in our own lane. More
M
- Marine insurance AU + UK
- Cover for the car while it is at sea. Ours covers a total loss at the full purchase value, with a £450 excess on repairs. More
- MOT UK
- The UK’s roadworthiness test. Imported cars ten years old and over take an MOT instead of an IVA. More
- MSVA Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval UK
- The motorcycle version of IVA. We carry out MSVA tests on site too. More
P
- PPSR Personal Property Securities Register AU
- The Australian government register where lenders record money owed against cars. A search on the VIN also shows whether a car has been recorded as written off or stolen. More
R
- Rear fog light UK
- A red light at the back for poor visibility. Cars first used from April 1980 must have one; many Australian cars are built without, so we usually fit one. More
- Rego AU
- Australian shorthand for vehicle registration, handled by each state’s transport authority. More
- Repairable write-off AU
- A damaged car that, in some states, can be repaired, inspected and registered again in Australia. The record stays with it. We cannot take on one bought for import. More
S
T
- Transfer of Residence ToR UK
- HMRC relief that lets you bring your car with no duty or VAT when you move to the UK, if you have lived abroad for more than 12 months and owned and used the car for more than 6 months. More
- Troopy AU
- The LandCruiser 78 Series Troop Carrier, the long-bodied 70 Series wagon. More
U
- UN/LOCODE AU + UK
- The international code for a port or place. AUSYD is Sydney, AUMEL Melbourne, AUBNE Brisbane, AUFRE Fremantle and AUADL Adelaide. More
- Ute AU
- Short for utility: a car-based or truck-based pickup. Australia’s own breed, from the Holden and Falcon utes to the 79 Series LandCruiser. More
V
- V5C Logbook UK
- The UK vehicle registration certificate, issued by the DVLA once the car is registered.
- VIN Vehicle Identification Number AU + UK
- The car’s unique identity, 17 characters on any modern car. It is what the PPSR is searched on and what every document is matched to.
W
- WOVR Written-Off Vehicle Register AU
- The state records of cars an insurer has written off. A car on it, bought for import, is one we are not able to register. More
Nothing matches that. Try a shorter word, or ask us.
Tell us about the car
Make, model, year and where it is. We come back with an itemised quote, and aim to do it the same working day.