- The UK government has published official guidance on what drivers must do before taking a vehicle out of the country for 12 months or more
- The process involves completing a section of the V5C log book and sending it to the DVLA before the vehicle leaves the UK
- People who have paid road tax may also be entitled to a refund, which the DVLA processes within a set number of weeks
The United Kingdom (UK) government has published clear guidance outlining three steps vehicle owners must complete before permanently exporting a car or any other vehicle from Britain.
The UK guidance applies to anyone planning to take a registered vehicle out of the United Kingdom for 12 months or longer, and the steps must be completed before the vehicle leaves British soil.
Source: UGC
3 steps for exporting vehicle from the UK
According to the official government website:
“You must tell DVLA if you’re taking your vehicle out of the UK, including to the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey), Isle of Man or Ireland, for 12 months or more. This is known as permanent export.”
Below are the three steps people need to know before exporting a vehicle from the United Kingdom:
- The first step requires the vehicle owner to locate the “permanent export” section within the V5C logbook, which serves as the official registration document for vehicles in the UK. The owner must fill in that section accurately and completely before doing anything else.
- The second step is to post the completed section to the DVLA’s Swansea office, addressed to SA99 1BD. The remainder of the V5C logbook should be kept by the owner, not sent to the DVLA.
- The third step applies specifically to drivers who are also relocating abroad: they must update the address on their driving license to reflect their new home.
UK: What buyers, sellers need to know
The guidance also contains an important note for anyone buying or selling a vehicle that will be taken out of the country.
The DVLA states that buyers must receive the full V5C logbook from the seller, not just the new keeper slip that is sometimes handed over in a standard private sale. Sellers are responsible for ensuring they follow the correct process during the handover.
On the matter of road tax, the guidance confirms that drivers whose vehicle tax was still active at the time of export are entitled to a refund for any remaining full months.
The statement read:
“If you’re due a refund, you’ll usually get it within 4 to 6 weeks. The refund is worked out from the date DVLA gets your ‘permanent export’ section.”
UK announces special visa for 1 foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the UK government has published details of the British National (Overseas) visa, a special immigration route open to a specific category of foreign nationals.
The BNO visa is available to British nationals (overseas) aged 18 and above, as well as children of BNO holders born on or after 1 July 1979.
Source: Legit.ng