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Imported Car Check by Registration

Find out whether a car was imported into the UK, or recorded as exported, before you buy it. Enter the registration and a DealerPricing history check shows the import and export markers and the date of first UK registration, alongside finance, stolen, write-off and mileage checks. £3.99 one-off, results in seconds.

See a sample report
One-off price
£3.99
Subscriber price
£2.50
Result in
Seconds
Account needed
No

What the imported car check shows

The report reads the DVLA record and shows two separate markers, with a clear result for a UK car:

  • Imported: the car was first registered abroad and later registered with the DVLA. A UK car shows "UK vehicle".
  • Exported: the DVLA has been told the car left the UK permanently. A car still here shows "Not exported".
  • The date of first registration in the UK, to compare with the year the car was built
  • The other checks on the same report: outstanding finance, police and insurer stolen markers, write-off category, keepers, plate and colour changes and MOT mileage

What an import means for you as a buyer

An imported car is not a bad car. Plenty are legitimate personal imports, or Japanese grey imports with a high specification. The practical differences are insurance (some insurers charge more or will not quote), parts and servicing for models never sold here, and resale value.

The check that matters most on an import is the mileage. Early MOT readings on a car imported from Japan or Europe may have been taken in kilometres, and history from before it reached the UK is not on UK records, so ask for the export certificate and any service records from abroad.

Why an export marker is a warning

When a car is recorded as exported, its UK record is closed. It cannot be taxed, the MOT history stops, and insurers may refuse cover. A car for sale in the UK with an export marker has either come back and needs re-registering, or the marker is hiding something, such as a car reported as gone abroad while still on finance.

If the report shows an export marker, ask the seller for the paperwork that shows the car was re-registered. If they cannot show it, do not buy.

What the check cannot tell you

UK records start when the car was registered here. Accidents, write-offs or finance from another country are not on UK databases, so for an import the report covers its UK life only. That is why the paperwork from abroad matters.

How to run an imported car check on DealerPricing

From registration number to a downloadable report in about two minutes.

  1. 1

    Enter the registration

    Type the UK registration number. We confirm the make, colour and year with DVLA first, free, so you can see you have the right vehicle.

  2. 2

    Enter your email

    The report is emailed to you as well as shown on screen. Subscribers skip this step.

  3. 3

    Pay £3.99

    One-off card payment at a secure checkout. No account, no subscription. Subscribers pay £2.50 from their account balance.

  4. 4

    Read the report

    Every section shows a clear pass or a warning. Download the PDF, and open the report again free for 6 months.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a car is imported?

Run a vehicle history check on the registration. It shows an Imported marker if the car was first registered outside the UK, with the date of first UK registration. A DealerPricing check costs £3.99 and needs no account.

Can I check if a car is imported for free?

Partly. The free DVLA record shows the date of first registration and an export flag, and a first UK registration years after the car was built usually means an import. A history check states the import and export markers directly and adds finance, stolen and write-off checks.

Is a grey import a problem?

Not in itself. The questions are insurance cost, parts for models not sold in the UK, and whether early mileages were recorded in kilometres. Price the car against other imports, not against UK cars.

What does it mean if a car shows as exported?

The DVLA was told it left the UK permanently and closed its record. It cannot be taxed or used here until it is re-registered. Ask for proof of re-registration, and walk away if there is none.

Are cars from Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland imports?

Northern Ireland cars are UK vehicles. Cars from the Republic of Ireland are imports and must be registered with the DVLA before they are used in Great Britain.

What else does the report include?

Outstanding finance, police and insurer stolen markers, write-off category, scrapped marker, previous keepers, plate and colour changes, mileage against MOT records and full MOT history.

See also

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