The speedometer
Australian speedos read in kilometres an hour. UK law wants miles an hour, so we convert it: a new face, a reprogrammed cluster or a setting change, depending on the car.
Making it road legal, in our own lane
Being right-hand drive, an Australian car is already close to UK spec. Here is what still needs doing, and who does it.
Two changes, usually
Right-hand drive, headlights that dip to the left, indicators where we expect them. The list of work on an Australian car is short.
A rear fog light
Many Australian cars are built without one. A UK car needs a rear fog light, so we fit one that suits the car and wire it properly.
IVA or MOT? It comes down to age.
Before any test, we inspect the car properly for anything that might trip it up, so it has the best chance of passing first time.
Then it goes down our lane. We were the first privately owned IVA testing centre for passenger vehicles in the UK, and we have worked with the DVSA on IVA testing for more than twenty years. We book the slot ourselves, so your car never leaves us to wait in a queue somewhere else.
- Under 10 IVA Individual Vehicle Approval, in our own lane.
- 10 and over MOT A standard MOT, also on site.
- 30 and over MOT + historic Original condition? Usually 5% VAT and no duty at import.
Then the DVLA
With the test passed, we send the registration application to the DVLA, along with the customs evidence and the test certificate. Because we hold a dealer-level account, that usually takes around 10 working days.
You get a V5C logbook in your name and a UK registration number. We fit the plates, and the car is ready to collect or deliver.
The car keeps its Australian plates until the UK number is issued. We do not drive it on UK roads before then.
Already in the UK?
Shipped it yourself? We can take it from the port.
You do not have to use us for the whole job. If your car has already landed, or is on the water now, we can clear it through customs, do the conversions, test it and register it. If it is already cleared, we can start at the workshop.
Get a quote
Registration questions
Does my Australian car need an IVA test?
If it is under ten years old, yes. Individual Vehicle Approval is the UK check that an imported car meets the safety and environmental standards for our roads. Cars over ten years old need an MOT instead.
What modifications will it need?
Usually two: the speedometer has to show miles per hour, and the car needs a rear fog light. Because Australia drives on the left, the bigger lighting changes that American and European cars need do not usually apply.
How long does DVLA registration take?
Once the car has passed its test, around 10 working days. We submit the application through our dealer-level DVLA account.
What is MSVA?
Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval, the motorbike version of IVA. We carry out MSVA tests on site too, so Australian bikes go through the same lane.
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.