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Motoring
Taking a vehicle out of the UK permanently or temporarily
You’ll need to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when you are taking your vehicle out of the country on a permanent basis. If you are taking your vehicle or a hired vehicle on a temporary basis, you must take the appropriate documentation with you.
Taking your vehicle abroad for more than 12 months (permanent export)
You can tell DVLA if you’re taking your vehicle out of Great Britain (GB) permanently by filling in the purple section (V5C/4) of your registration certificate. Send this to DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BD. Take the remainder of your registration certificate with you, as you may need to hand this over to the relevant authority when the vehicle is registered abroad.
If you don’t have a registration certificate you’ll need to get a certificate of permanent export (V561). Download and complete the ‘Application for certificate or permanent export’ - form V756 and send to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AG.
- Download the 'Application for certificate of permanent export' - form V756 (PDF, 154K)
- Help with PDF files
You only need to fill in the change of address section on your V5C (moving from GB to NI) and send to a DVA Local Office, or your V5CNI (moving from NI to GB) and send to a DVLA Local Office as your vehicle is staying in the United Kingdom.
The form V561 is no longer applicable when vehicles are moving between GB and NI.
Taking your vehicle abroad for less than 12 months (temporary export)
You’ll need your registration certificate, if you’re taking your vehicle out of the country for less than 12 months. If you don’t have one, you can get it replaced by phoning DVLA or apply for one by post.
The registration certificate may take up to four weeks to arrive. If you need to travel during this time you will need to apply for a temporary registration certificate (V379), available from a DVLA local office. You'll need to provide proof of ID and there is a fee for this service.
You should make sure that you meet any international and national conditions for licensing and taxation.
Taking a hired vehicle temporarily abroad
The registration certificate for a leased, hired or rented vehicle will normally be held securely by the company that supplied the vehicle. When travelling abroad it’s important that you’re able to show you’re allowed to use the vehicle. The Vehicle on Hire certificate (VE 103) is available as evidence of this. The certificate, which is subject to a small administrative fee, may be obtained from the following organisations:
- AA - Automobile Association
- RAC - Royal Automobile Association
- Green Flag
- RHA - Road Haulage Association
- BVRLA - British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association
- FTA - Fleet Transport Association
In this section...
- Components inspected during a single vehicle approval
- HM Revenue and Customs forms required to register an imported vehicle
- Registering an imported vehicle
- Temporarily importing a vehicle
- What is the Single Vehicle Approval scheme?
See also...
Do it online
Useful contacts
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) contacts
- Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) contacts