A car import runs on documents from three places: the country you buy in, the shipment, and the border you bring it through. Registration then needs its own pack. One missing original, or one chassis number typed differently, can hold a car at the port for longer than the voyage took.
The short version
- The export certificate is the document your registration authority usually treats as the car's foreign registration.
- Every document must carry the same chassis number.
- Some countries need a permit or inspection certificate before the car sails, not after.
- Keep the whole file per car, for as long as your tax authority can review the import.
Import documents, in one paragraph
From the source country you need proof of purchase and proof the car has been deregistered for export. From the shipment you need the bill of lading and the insurance certificate. At your border you need whatever your country asks for — an inspection certificate, a permit, the customs declaration and proof that duty and taxes are paid. Each document is checked against the others, so they must agree.
Documents from the source country
- Commercial invoice — seller, buyer, the car's full description and chassis number, price and the Incoterm.
- Export or deregistration certificate — in Japan, the export certificate issued on deregistration; in the UK, the permanent-export section of the V5C is sent to DVLA and the rest of the log book travels with the car.
- Proof of payment — the bank record, not just the invoice.
- Any pre-shipment inspection certificate your country requires — see pre-shipment inspection.
- Any cleaning certificate — see biosecurity cleaning.
- Origin evidence, only if you will claim a preferential duty rate.
Each source market has its own detail: see Japan, the UK, the UAE, India, Thailand and Australia.
Documents from the shipment
- Bill of lading — original, telex release or sea waybill. See the bill of lading explained.
- Insurance certificate or policy — see marine insurance.
- Freight invoice, where the freight is not already in a CIF price — customs adds it to the value.
Documents at your border
Choose the country you import to for the documents its own authorities list.
| Country | Documents at the border |
|---|---|
| NOVA needs the customs declaration reference, proof of price and an official document confirming the VIN. | |
| Registration needs proof of the customs clearance and VAT position, the foreign registration document and proof of ownership. | |
| Transport Malta's documents list for a used import includes the SVA certificate, the foreign registration document and the customs clearance. | |
| Registration needs the MOT certificate, the CO₂ certificate, the previous country's registration document and, for a left-hand-drive car, the SVA approval. | |
| KRA lists the original commercial invoice, the cancelled foreign logbook, the original bill of lading, the inspection certificate and the importer's PIN. | |
| Expect the bill of lading, the commercial invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the TBS inspection result. | |
| Clearance needs the export certificate for the vehicle and its Certificate of Roadworthiness, alongside the bill of lading and invoice. | |
| Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the evidence MRA needs to value the car. | |
| The Trade Board import permit, the pre-shipment inspection certificate, the bill of lading, the invoice and the export or deregistration certificate. | |
| The import licence, the bill of lading, the invoice and the export or deregistration certificate. | |
| Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the evidence the entry certifier needs to confirm the car meets the standards. | |
| Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and, for a licensed import, the licence and its supporting reports. |
Choose a country for its full rules and the official sources, checked 27 October 2026.
Documents at the border · United Kingdom
NOVA needs the customs declaration reference, proof of price and an official document confirming the VIN.
- The import declaration (C88 and E2) or its Movement Reference Number (MRN).
- The invoice or bill of sale, if the car was bought in the last six months.
- An official document confirming the VIN or chassis number, such as the export certificate.
- For DVLA: the original foreign registration document, the approval certificate if one was needed, and an MOT certificate if the car is over three years old.
Licences and permits · United Kingdom
No import licence is needed for a car, but a business importing stock needs a GB EORI number.
- GOV.UK exempts only goods that are both uncontrolled and for personal use from the EORI requirement, so a dealer importing to sell needs one.
Sources for United Kingdom, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importing vehicles into the UK: telling HMRC (NOVA) — GOV.UK
- Vehicle registration: new registrations — GOV.UK (DVLA)
- Get an EORI number — GOV.UK
Documents at the border · Ireland
Registration needs proof of the customs clearance and VAT position, the foreign registration document and proof of ownership.
- Citizens Information lists the documents the NCTS asks for when the car is presented for registration.
Licences and permits · Ireland
No import licence is needed for a car; the import is declared to Revenue and the car registered through the NCTS.
Sources for Ireland, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importing a vehicle into Ireland — Citizens Information
- Vehicle Registration Tax Manual, Section 1 Part A — Revenue
- Importing vehicles and duty-free allowances — Revenue
Documents at the border · Malta
Transport Malta's documents list for a used import includes the SVA certificate, the foreign registration document and the customs clearance.
Licences and permits · Malta
No separate import licence for a car was found in Transport Malta's guidance; the SVA certificate and customs clearance are the gates.
Sources for Malta, checked 27 October 2026:
Documents at the border · Cyprus
Registration needs the MOT certificate, the CO₂ certificate, the previous country's registration document and, for a left-hand-drive car, the SVA approval.
Licences and permits · Cyprus
Customs recommends contacting the Road Transport Department before importing, to confirm the car can be registered in Cyprus.
Sources for Cyprus, checked 27 October 2026:
- Running and growing your business — registering a vehicle — Business in Cyprus (Government of Cyprus)
- Vehicles from countries outside the European Union — on payment of import duty and VAT — Cyprus Customs & Excise Department
- Road Transport Department — Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works
Documents at the border · Kenya
KRA lists the original commercial invoice, the cancelled foreign logbook, the original bill of lading, the inspection certificate and the importer's PIN.
- The logbook must be the original from the country of export, cancelled there — the deregistration or export certificate.
Licences and permits · Kenya
No separate import licence is required; the importer needs a KRA PIN, or a certificate of incorporation for a company.
Sources for Kenya, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importation procedure for motor vehicles — Kenya Revenue Authority
Documents at the border · Tanzania
Expect the bill of lading, the commercial invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the TBS inspection result.
Licences and permits · Tanzania
No separate import licence for a car was found in TRA's guidance; the TBS certificate and TRA's assessment are the gates.
Sources for Tanzania, checked 27 October 2026:
Documents at the border · Uganda
Clearance needs the export certificate for the vehicle and its Certificate of Roadworthiness, alongside the bill of lading and invoice.
Licences and permits · Uganda
No separate import licence for a car was found; the UNBS certificate and URA's assessment are the gates.
Sources for Uganda, checked 27 October 2026:
- The UNBS (Inspection and Clearance) Regulations, 2022 — Uganda National Bureau of Standards
- Uganda Revenue Authority — URA
Documents at the border · Mauritius
Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the evidence MRA needs to value the car.
Licences and permits · Mauritius
MRA's motor-vehicles page does not cover import permits; confirm with the Mauritian authorities whether your vehicle needs one before it ships.
Sources for Mauritius, checked 27 October 2026:
- Customs — motor vehicles — Mauritius Revenue Authority
Documents at the border · Jamaica
The Trade Board import permit, the pre-shipment inspection certificate, the bill of lading, the invoice and the export or deregistration certificate.
Licences and permits · Jamaica
An import permit from the Trade Board is required, and it must be obtained before the vehicle arrives in Jamaica.
- Certified dealers have no quantity limit for vehicles imported for resale.
- Individuals and non-dealer companies are limited in how many vehicles they may import every three years.
Sources for Jamaica, checked 27 October 2026:
- Motor vehicle — general information — Trade Board Limited
- Pre-shipment inspection criteria (February 2023) — Trade Board Limited
Documents at the border · Trinidad and Tobago
The import licence, the bill of lading, the invoice and the export or deregistration certificate.
Licences and permits · Trinidad and Tobago
A licence from the Trade Licence Unit is required to import a used right-hand-drive vehicle, and dealer volumes are governed by quota rules.
Sources for Trinidad and Tobago, checked 27 October 2026:
- Trade Licence Unit — Ministry of Trade, Investment & Tourism
- Declaration for licence to import a used right-hand-drive vehicle — Ministry of Trade, Investment & Tourism
Documents at the border · New Zealand
Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and the evidence the entry certifier needs to confirm the car meets the standards.
Licences and permits · New Zealand
No import licence is needed; the gates are border inspection, biosecurity clearance and entry certification.
Sources for New Zealand, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importing a used vehicle — NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
- Step 4: Entry certification — NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
Documents at the border · Sri Lanka
Expect the bill of lading, the invoice, the export or deregistration certificate and, for a licensed import, the licence and its supporting reports.
Licences and permits · Sri Lanka
An Import Control Licence is needed for a vehicle over the maximum age limit, and for licensed imports the guidelines require a letter of credit.
Sources for Sri Lanka, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importation of a used motor vehicle under import control licence — Department of Import and Export Control
- Sri Lanka Customs — Sri Lanka Customs
- Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2025 — Ministry of Finance, Sri Lanka
The registration pack
- Proof the car was cleared and its duty and taxes paid.
- The original foreign registration or export certificate.
- Any approval or roadworthiness certificate — in the UK, vehicle approval for a car under 10 years old and an MOT if over three.
- The registration application and fee.
The steps are in registering imported cars for resale.
Keeping the file
Keep every document per car, not per shipment, and keep originals where the authority asks for them. Retention periods are set by your tax authority; where a preferential duty rate was claimed under the UK–Japan agreement, for example, the importer must keep the statement on origin for at least three years. A clean file is also the evidence you will need if a buyer questions the car's history. With the document route clear, you can send a dealer inquiry. For the whole process, read the dealer's guide to sourcing cars overseas.