How to Import a Kei Truck to the UK, Step by Step

Importing a kei truck is not hard. It is just a sequence of steps, and most people fall down because they skip one. Here is the order that works.

1. Source the truck

Most kei trucks come out of Japanese auctions. You bid on an auction sheet that grades the vehicle, then it heads to port. You can do this yourself through an exporter, or we can source one for you and handle the grading so you do not buy a rotten chassis blind.

2. Ship it

Trucks travel by roll-on roll-off or in a shared container, usually out of Yokohama. Budget around 60 days door to port. Sea freight to the UK typically lands at Southampton.

3. Clear customs and pay duty

On arrival you pay import duty and VAT. For a light commercial vehicle that is currently 10% duty plus 20% VAT on the total landed value. Keep every invoice. HMRC will want them.

4. Type approval

A vehicle under a certain age needs Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). Older vehicles over the historic threshold can take a simpler route. This is the step people underestimate, so plan for it before the truck lands, not after.

5. Register with the DVLA

With approval done, you submit the paperwork to the DVLA, pay the first registration fee, and get your plate. Tax it, insure it, and it is road legal.

What it actually costs

The truck itself, shipping, duty, VAT, approval and registration all add up. A clean, sorted truck on a UK plate usually costs more than the auction price suggests once everything is paid. That is normal. Budget for the whole chain, not just the headline figure.

Want the headache handled? Tell us what you are after and we will source, certify and register one for you.