How to Register an Imported Kei Truck with the DVLA

Your kei truck has landed, cleared customs and the NOVA is done — now you register it. This is the final administrative step: it gives the truck a UK identity (a V5C logbook, a plate and road tax) so it can legally drive. This guide goes deep on the registration stage specifically — the DVLA forms, the IVA, and the age-related-plate vs Q-plate question that worries most importers.

For the earlier steps (shipping, customs, NOVA), see the import guide.

Where registration fits

By now the truck is in the UK, customs-cleared, VAT and any duty paid, and you have your HMRC NOVA reference. Registration is what turns it into a road-legal UK vehicle. You can't register until the NOVA is processed (not just submitted).

The two routes: MOT or IVA

DVLA needs proof of vehicle approval before it'll register an import, and which one you need depends on age — measured from the first Japanese registration date on the shaken (not manufacture, not import date).

Over 10 years old → MOT only. A standard UK MOT (max £55) is all you need. (Every imported kei is well over the 3-year MOT threshold.)

Under 10 years old → IVA + MOT. The Individual Vehicle Approval test is a fuller DVSA inspection. For a kei truck that's basic IVA, N1 light goods, Class P (personal import) — fee ~£199 (no VAT), £40 re-test if a specific item fails, and DVSA aims to test within 20 working days (realistically 4–8 weeks in busy periods). You apply on the DVSA "IVA for vans and light goods vehicles" form and send it with the fee.

What IVA checks on a kei (and the usual fixes): lighting — a rear fog light must be fitted (JDM trucks don't have one); the speedometer must read mph (the IVA application now requires you to declare this); headlamp beam pattern (kei lights already dip left, like the UK); tyres/wheels matching spec; seat belts; brakes; windscreen/wipers; emissions against the stated Euro standard; and general structural condition. A sound kei usually passes with just the fog light and an mph speedo sorted.

The documents DVLA needs

| Document | Note | |---|---| | Form V55/5 | The form for used/previously-registered imports (V55/4 is for brand-new only). | | NOVA reference | Confirmation it's processed — DVLA won't register without it. | | Proof of approval | MOT cert (over 10 yrs); MOT + IVA cert (under 10 yrs). | | Original Japanese registration (shaken) | Proves first-registration date, VIN, engine. DVLA keeps it. | | Evidence of collection/purchase date | Usually the exporter/auction invoice. | | Customs evidence | The C88/E2 or MRN showing VAT/duty paid. | | £55 fee + first VED | Paid at registration. | | Proof of identity | Driving licence/passport + address document. |

For a significantly modified truck you may also need DVLA's built-up vehicle report (V627/1) — not needed for a standard import. Send everything to DVLA, Swansea (the address is on the V55/5).

Number plates: age-related vs Q plate

This is the bit importers worry about — so here's exactly how it works.

DVLA assigns either:

• an age-related mark — a normal plate dated to the truck's year, or
• a Q plate — issued only when age/identity can't be verified.

A Q plate only appears if there's no dating evidence (shaken missing/illegible), or the vehicle is radically rebuilt/modified from mixed-age parts (a kit-style special). It's undesirable — it depresses resale value, some insurers view it less favourably, and it carries no year information. (DVLA will never assign a plate that makes a vehicle look newer than it is.)

If you did end up with a Q plate for lack of evidence, you can later apply to have an age-related mark assigned once you obtain documentary proof of age — typically a manufacturer letter (confirming the chassis number and date) or a recognised owners'-club/marque verification. The simple rule: keep the original shaken and you'll never face this.

Once the V5C and number are issued, fit UK-spec plates (BS AU 145e — white front, yellow rear, Charles Wright font). You can't make plates until the V5C arrives.

Road tax (VED) at registration

You pay the first year's VED with the £55 fee. A kei truck sits in the light-goods band — depending on registration date and Euro status, roughly £140–£335/year, with pre-2001 classics taxed on engine size (the lowest band). Confirm your specific class with the DVLA. (Full running-cost detail in the cost guide.)

Timeline and the V5C

| Stage | Timeframe | |---|---| | DVLA receives a complete V55/5 | Day 0 | | Registration number + V5C issued | ~2–6 weeks | | Plates can be made | Only after the V5C arrives |

Common reasons DVLA rejects or delays it

| Problem | Avoid it by | |---|---| | NOVA not done / not confirmed | Complete NOVA first; include the reference | | Photocopies instead of originals | Send originals only | | Original shaken missing | Always include it (accept you won't get it back) | | No dating evidence | Include the shaken — otherwise Q-plate risk | | Sub-10-year truck, no IVA | Check the reg date; book IVA early | | VIN mismatch across documents | Shaken, IVA cert, V55/5 and insurance must match exactly | | Insurance not in force | Have specialist VIN cover before applying | | Wrong body type on V55/5 | Describe it correctly ("pickup"/"goods", or "van" for a kei van) |

Registering a kei van or camper

For a kei van (Suzuki Every, Hijet Cargo, N-VAN), the V55/5 body type should be "van"/"panel van". A van with a bed fitted is still a "van" unless you pursue motor caravan reclassification — which has been hard since 2019: DVLA wants permanent internal fixtures (bed, cooking, seating/table, storage) and external features (living-area side windows, an access door, a fixed high-top — a pop-top doesn't count — awning rail/graphics). Most kei conversions don't meet the external test, so they stay registered as a van. That's fine — you can live in it without reclassifying; just tell your insurer. (More in our van/camper guides, e.g. the Hijet Cargo and N-VAN guides.)

Frequently asked questions

How do I register an imported kei truck in the UK?

Send a completed V55/5 to DVLA with the original shaken, your NOVA reference, customs clearance evidence, proof of approval (MOT, plus IVA if under 10 years), insurance and the £55 fee — all originals. The V5C arrives in about 2–6 weeks.

Do I need an IVA for a kei truck?

Only if its first Japanese registration was within the last 10 years. Over 10 years old = MOT only.

Will I get a Q plate?

Not if you submit the original shaken — that proves the age and gets you a normal age-related plate. Q plates only happen when age/identity can't be verified, or for radically rebuilt vehicles.

What documents does the DVLA need?

V55/5, original shaken, NOVA reference, customs evidence (C88/E2), MOT (+ IVA if under 10 years), proof of purchase date, ID, and the £55 fee. Originals only for the vehicle documents.

How long does registration take?

Usually 2–6 weeks for the V5C to arrive; allow up to 8 to be safe. If nothing after 6 weeks, chase the DVLA.

What's a V55/5?

The DVLA form for registering a used/previously-registered imported vehicle — the right one for any kei import (V55/4 is for brand-new vehicles only).

Can I drive it before it's registered?

Only to a pre-booked MOT or IVA test, on VIN-based insurance. No other road use is lawful until the V5C is issued and plates are fitted.

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Want to skip all of this? UK specialists (and we) can supply kei trucks already registered and plated — see the lineup, the import guide, or get in touch.