Type approval

Non-type approved vehicles less than 10 years old that are personally imported are required to pass a Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test before they can be registered for use on the road in Northern Ireland.

Personal Imports

To qualify as a Personal Import [PI], each of the following conditions must be met:

• the vehicle has been imported by a person entering the United Kingdom(UK)
• the person had, at the time the vehicle was imported, been normally resident in a country other than the UK for a continuous period of at least 12 months
• the person intends to become normally resident in the UK
• the vehicle has been in the possession of that person and used by him in the country where he has normally been resident for a period of at least 6 months before its importation, and
• the vehicle is intended for his personal or household use in the UK

For a vehicle to qualify as a personal import, the IVA application must be supported by original documentation confirming that the applicant complies with the above criteria.

• Individual Vehicle Approval
• Personal import - list of acceptable documentation

An original HM Revenue and Customs form C&E 388 may be acceptable for this purpose.

Personally imported vehicles over 4 years old, that meet the above criteria, will also be subject to the MOT test.

• The Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) scheme

More Useful Links

• What is the MOT scheme?
• Individual vehicle approval test fees