Is it true that if you import a car from Japan that is older than 10 years, you don't have to have the SVA test and a simple MOT will do?

 

That is definately true.

I have just imported my old race cra from Australia which is road registered, as that is the class I raced in, and I have a letter from the DVLA confirming.

I only have to provide a MOT certificate and insurance, plus pay a one off registration fee of £25.00 to get the car registered. You also need the Customs & Excise form C&E 388 which should be provided by the company that shipped it.

If you contact your local DVLA they can send you aout a pack explaining everything you need to know. It also contains all of the forms that you need to bet filled in.

Mike

 

Cheers

 

Just looking at the DVLA site and it said 1990. So is it 10 years from now (ie 1993) or do you think that the dvla is keeping it at 1990?

 

This is a quote from the DVLA publication SVA4 - March 2002

What vehicles are within the scope of SVA ?

(a) cars or light passenger vehicles with:

for or more wheels and not more than 8 seats (either actual or declared) in addition to the driver's seat; or

three wheels and not more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat and a maximum gross weight of more than 1000kg; or

three wheels and a maximum gross weight of not more than 1000kg and an unladen weight of more than 410kg (i.e. not a motorcycle) and either having a design speed of more than 50kph (31 mph) or an engine capacity of more than 50cc

or

(b) light goods vehicles with:

three or more wheels; and a maximum gross weight not more than 3500kg. In certain circumstances, goods vehicles up to 5500kg can also use SVA.

Will SVA affect you ?

Generally, your vehicle will need to be approved under the SVA scheme and issued with a Minister's Approval Certificate (MAC) if it is up to 10 years old and is not covered be either an EC or national type approval (British or similar national approval from antoehr European Economic Area Member State).

Standard SVA will be applied to the following

a left hand drive vehicle
a personally imported vehicle
an amateur built vehicle
a vehicle manufactured in very low volume
a vehicle manufactured using parts of a registered vehicle
a disabled persons vehicle
a motor caravan
an ambulance
a hearse
an armoured vehicle

note that from 1 February, a vehicle will be deemed a personal import if;

a person had, at the time the vehicle was imported, been normally resident in a country other than the UK for a continuous period of at least 12 months and

the vehicle had been in possesion of that person and used by him/her for a period of 6 months before importing it.


Sorry this is a bit long winded but I hope this clarifies the situation for you

Mike

 

Yeah i read this but the thing i wasnt sure about was in the post above, it says that you need to do a SVA test if the car is not as old as 10 years. Now i was expecting it to mean 10 years from now (ie a 92/93 car could come in no problem not needing a SVA test). However, or another link on the DVLA it says if the car is later than a 1990, it will need a SVA test.

So what do we believe, later than 1990 or the 10 year rule??

 

the 300ZX i found is a 1989 one, so i guess i will be okay.

 

does this mean that you have to own the car in japan for 6 months before you import it??

 

No i think thats regarding selling it. i remember a mate importing a car and saying something like he couldnt sell it till after he owned it for 6 months. Not sure but i know you dont have to own it for 6 months before you import it!

 

phew.....Thanks once again Frank, see ya tomorrow.

 

yeah ok mate