Beforward Japan

[Hagland-BB4]

Does anyone know the process of getting a car over from this company.
Car says shipped to southampton is £xxxx but what else is needed from there, by the looks I can see 10% duty and 20% vat
Any help is appreciated

[Merlin]

Yup I last imported via BeForward in 2023 when I got my BA8. Before that, I imported a Toyota Hiace through them in 2018. I can recommend, a seamless process both times.

• You pay the exporter (BeForward) the CIF price for roll on and roll off shipping (car price plus shipping) and shipping insurance if you want it

• Landing fees/terminal charge at the docks (I paid £95)

• Customs clearance fee (I paid £85)

• Customs duty (I paid £494)

• Import Tax to HMRC (20% of the CIF export price), the landing company will likely ask if you want them to pay HMRC on your behalf (the car won't be released until you pay/prove that the tax has been paid)

• You have to factor how you are going to get the car away from the docks.

• The car needs to pass a regular MOT before applying for UK registration (when applying for UK registration, send the DVLA the original of the export certificate). First registration is a minimum of 6-months vehicle tax plus a £55 first registration fee.

All in all, I paid a total of £1,700 on top of the CIF price between fees and import tax, but obviously import tax will be dependent on the value of the car.


For example, the white BB4 on BeForward https://www.beforward.jp/honda/prelude/ ... d/9805150/ will cost around £14,000 to buy and ship the car from Japan, pay all the fees and taxes, and pass an MOT and register it.

[Hagland-BB4]

Thanks Merlin for that info.
How did you get the car back from the docks, also did you get them to pay the tax for you.

[Merlin]

I got the landing company to pay HMRC on my behalf, and I used a local car transporter guy who has a car trailer to go and collect the car for me. I was charged £200 to get the car from Newcastle to Edinburgh, which is about a 2.5 hours drive.

[Hagland-BB4]

Ok cool, I have trade plates so I should be able to drive it away or does it have to be trailered?
What did you do about the mot and any kmh to mph conversions

[Merlin]

Sorry I don't know how the trade plates work and if the car needs to be registered. You don't have to covert to kph, only if you want to. But I have converted my BA8's auto kph to mph by swapping the whole gauge cluster to a from a UK manual.