Thread: Can I import a car from Uk without owning it for 1 year??

Not as a personal import no.

They will make you prove ownership and use for 12 months.

You could bring it out for a 12 month period, say for a trip, but it would need to be set back.

It is probably possible, but there would be no concessions made. You would at a minimum have to pay import duty(20% I think?) and GST (including on the import duty) and you probably would have to show it complied with ADRs before importing it at a guess. A look round Customs website should find details.

It is definitely discouraged, to prevent a grey market trade in low mileage second hand cars from Japan, which is seen as a detriment to the Australian car manufacturing industry.

John

Yes you can but you will pay, pay, pay, pay.

Own it for a year and your government taxes are much less.

Garry

Originally Posted by Collette

Can I import a car from UK or Ireland to Perth if I dont have it for a year. Any way at all?? What will I be lookin at to pay?
Why do they do this anyways its stupid to be honest!

i did look into this a few months back and remember reading something about the 12 month rule does not apply if the vehicle is over 14 years old.... was going to follow this up then i found a 110 down the road from me...... a lot easier !

Could you store it in Sth Ireland for 1yr, thus avoiding UK taxes, the import to Oz avoiding our tax?

I've recently imported my Defender from the UK and found that the checks on ownership were tight. You need the registration documents in your name to prove the one year ownership, not just a receipt. Not heard anything about the over 14 years bit but mine is 15 years old and I still had to prove ownership.

Also, be prepared to be stitched up when it arrives in Australia. I was charged additional clearance fees because there were spares in the vehicle, then it was another $650 for steam cleaning (they claimed that nearly all vehicles needed it) which just wasn't done. After that there's fees for a compliance plate, safety check plate (real joke that one after having experience of the UK's MOT) then first registration, etc. It seems to go on for ever.

Best of luck.

it may be possible to buy a container load of car parts and import them over - pay the tax on them, then get in an engineer and build your own car from the parts you just shipped over

Originally Posted by taff

it may be possible to buy a container load of car parts and import them over - pay the tax on them, then get in an engineer and build your own car from the parts you just shipped over

Don't go there, been there with a bike