HMRC Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA)
The Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) scheme is an HMRC system used to record the VAT and customs status of vehicles entering the United Kingdom. It applies to cars, motorcycles, scooters and commercial vehicles, including historic and classic vehicles.
NOVA is an HMRC requirement, not a DVLA process. However, DVLA will not register a vehicle unless HMRC has confirmed its NOVA status.
When is NOVA required?
A NOVA notification is required when a vehicle has been imported into the UK from abroad, including from EU countries. This applies regardless of the vehicle’s age, value, or historic status.
Even vehicles that are over 40 years old, MOT exempt, or eligible for Historic Vehicle tax class must still have a NOVA record if they have entered the UK from overseas.
What NOVA does – and does not – cover
NOVA confirms to HMRC and DVLA whether any VAT or import duty is due on a vehicle. Once HMRC are satisfied, the NOVA status is recorded electronically and DVLA are notified.
NOVA does not confirm:
• the identity of a vehicle
• the date of manufacture
• eligibility for an age-related registration
• entitlement to an original registration number
Those matters are dealt with separately as part of the DVLA registration process and, where required, by recognised owners’ clubs such as the British Lambretta Archive.
Who submits a NOVA notification?
NOVA is usually submitted online by the importer, dealer, shipping agent, or customs agent via HMRC’s NOVA service using a Government Gateway account.
Once submitted, HMRC will either confirm that no VAT is due or assess VAT or duty where applicable. DVLA will only proceed with registration once this clearance has been recorded.
NOVA and DVLA registration
For imported vehicles, NOVA clearance normally comes before any DVLA application, whether that application is for:
• first UK registration (V55)
• an age-related registration
• retention or recovery of an original registration under the DVLA V765 scheme
If NOVA has not been completed, DVLA will pause or reject the registration application until HMRC confirmation is received.
The role of the British Lambretta Archive
The British Lambretta Archive does not submit NOVA declarations and cannot assess VAT or customs duty. NOVA is strictly an HMRC process.
What we can do is help you understand where NOVA fits into the overall registration process and ensure that identity and dating evidence is correct once HMRC clearance has been obtained.
HMRC and DVLA requirements may change. This page provides general guidance on the NOVA scheme and how it relates to vehicle registration.