How old can a car be to import to Cyprus?

Import agents report that used cars generally need to be under 5 years old to register, unless you're bringing them under transfer-of-residence relief. Ask the Road Transport Department before you ship.

How long does it take to import a car to Cyprus?

Allow about a month from the port. RoRo shipping from the UK takes 18–21 days, then customs clearance, the Cyprus roadworthiness test and RTD registration follow; import agents quote 2–4 weeks for that side. Customs can let you drive the car for one month on form C.104O while it decides on relief.

What do I do with my UK logbook when I export the car?

Fill in the 'permanent export' section of the V5C, send it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD, and keep the rest for registering the car in Cyprus. DVLA refunds any remaining UK vehicle tax, usually within 4–6 weeks.

Can I sell my imported car in Cyprus?

Not for 12 months after customs clearance if you imported it under relief, unless Customs approves. Selling early makes the duty and VAT payable.

Can my spouse bring a second car?

Relief covers one car per person who holds a valid driving licence, so a couple can potentially bring two if both meet the conditions.

Do I need Cyprus insurance straight away?

Yes. You need Cyprus insurance to register and tax the car. UK policies aren't designed for cars registered in Cyprus. A vetted insurance broker can quote.

Is it cheaper to import an electric car?

The customs rules are the same: relief if you qualify, otherwise 19% VAT and possibly 10% duty. Electric cars pay little or no Cyprus road tax, and import agents report no emissions-based registration charge. Check charging at your Paphos address before you ship.

Services · Transport

Import a Car to Cyprus from the UK: Duty, VAT and Registration Help

You can import a car to Cyprus from the UK without paying duty or VAT if you've owned it for 6+ months and bring it within 12 months of moving. Otherwise, expect 19% VAT and possibly 10% duty on top of about £900–1,230 shipping. A vetted customs partner can tell you which applies before you ship.

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Importing a car to Cyprus: the short version

Duty-free and VAT-free under transfer-of-residence relief if you've owned and used the car for 6+ months, lived outside the EU for 12 months, and import it within 12 months of moving.

Without relief: 19% VAT on the customs value, plus 10% duty unless you have a statement proving UK or EU origin.

Shipping: RoRo from the UK to Limassol costs about £901–1,226 and takes 18–21 days.

Check first: ask the Road Transport Department whether your car can be registered. Used cars over 5 years old are generally refused unless you're transferring residence.

Should you import a car to Cyprus at all?

Importing makes sense when three things are true: you qualify for transfer-of-residence relief, the car is fairly new, and it would cost noticeably more to buy the same car in Cyprus. Cyprus drives on the left, so your right-hand-drive UK car suits the roads.

It usually doesn't make sense when:

the car is older, because import agents report that used cars over 5 years old are generally refused registration unless you're transferring residence
you don't qualify for relief and would pay 19% VAT, and maybe 10% duty, on its value
shipping, agent and registration costs come close to the car's value

Cyprus Customs tells importers to check with the Road Transport Department before shipping that a used car from outside the EU can be registered. Do that first. A partner can make the enquiry for you, and our transport services page covers buying locally instead.

Transfer-of-residence relief: the rules

From Cyprus Customs' guide to transferring normal residence from outside the EU (December 2024).

Condition	What it means for you
Owned and used 6+ months	The car must have been yours, and used by you, for at least 6 months before you moved
12 months living outside the EU	You must have lived in the UK (or elsewhere outside the EU) for at least 12 continuous months before moving
Import within 12 months	The car must be cleared within 12 months of you setting up home in Cyprus
One car per licence holder	Relief covers one private car per person who holds a valid driving licence
No sale for 12 months	You can't sell, lend, hire out or pledge it for 12 months after clearance without Customs' approval
Form Απ. 2	The relief application, submitted at a Customs district office with proof of residence and ownership

Some older guides say you must keep the car for 3 years. The December 2024 Customs guide sets 12 months.

Import duty and VAT without relief

If you don't qualify for relief, Cyprus Customs charges:

Import duty: 0% on cars that originate in the UK or EU, if you have a statement on origin from the exporter or manufacturer. Otherwise 10% for passenger cars.
VAT: 19% on the customs value plus any duty.

The customs value is the CIF value: cost, insurance and freight. On a €20,000 car with no relief and no proof of origin, that's €2,000 duty and €4,180 VAT before shipping and registration. With a statement on origin, the duty disappears but the VAT stays.

Where a car was built matters, not where you bought it. A German-built car bought in the UK doesn't automatically qualify as UK-origin; ask the manufacturer or dealer for the paperwork.

Family car on a quiet mountain road through vineyards above Paphos at golden hour — Right-hand-drive UK cars suit Cyprus roads, where traffic keeps left.

What a UK car import typically costs

One-off costs for a family car, 2026. Your car's value, origin and emissions change the totals.

Import duty0% with relief or UK origin proof; 10% otherwise (€20k car)

€0–2,000

Import VAT0% with relief; 19% otherwise (€20k car)

€0–4,180

RoRo shipping, UK to LimassolAbout £901–1,226, 18–21 days

€1,050–1,430

Container shipping (alternative)About £1,036–1,296

€1,210–1,520

Port and clearing agent fees

€390–520

RTD registration and platesPlus any emissions-based registration charge

€150–250

Cyprus MOT

€35–45

Total one-off

€2,835 – €9,945

Duty and VAT from Cyprus Customs. Shipping and agent costs from UK shipping and Cyprus import agents; sterling converted at roughly €1.17. Ask the RTD for the registration charge on your specific car.

Worked example: importing a €20,000 car from the UK

Same car, three situations. Shipping, agent and registration costs use the midpoints of the ranges above; VAT is charged on the customs value, which includes freight.

Cost	With transfer-of-residence relief	No relief, UK-built with origin statement	No relief, built outside the UK/EU
RoRo shipping	€1,240	€1,240	€1,240
Import duty	€0	€0	€2,124 (10% of €21,240)
Import VAT at 19%	€0	€4,036	€4,439
Port and agent fees	€455	€455	€455
Registration, plates and MOT	€240	€240	€240
Total on top of the car	About €1,935	About €5,971	About €8,498

Illustration only. Customs values the car itself; ask a partner for a quote on your actual car. Any emissions-based registration charge from the RTD is extra. Sterling shipping costs converted at roughly €1.17.

Myth

Myth: "Buy a new car VAT-free in the UK, then ship it over"

Reality

Some UK dealers sell cars for export without UK VAT. That doesn't make the car tax-free in Cyprus. You haven't owned it for 6 months, so transfer-of-residence relief doesn't apply, and Cyprus Customs charges 19% VAT on arrival. It can still work out cheaper; just compare the Cyprus-VAT price with buying the same car in Paphos.

How the car import works

1
Check registration and relief
Before you ship
The partner asks the Road Transport Department whether your car can be registered, and checks your relief eligibility and origin paperwork.
2
Ship the car
18–21 days by RoRo
You book RoRo or container shipping to Limassol. Bring the V5C logbook, purchase invoice and insurance certificate.
3
Apply for relief and clear customs
On arrival
The partner submits form Απ. 2 with proof of your residence and ownership. Customs can let you drive the car for one month on form C.104O while it decides.
4
MOT and CO₂ certificate
After clearance
The car passes a Cyprus roadworthiness test and the RTD issues a CO₂ emissions certificate. Cars without EU type approval may need single vehicle approval.
5
Register, insure and tax
A few days
The RTD registers the car and issues Cyprus plates. You then buy Cyprus insurance and pay road tax. Road tax and MOT rules are in our driving in Cyprus guide.

What our car import partners do, and what it costs

We introduce you to a vetted Paphos customs and registration partner. They check eligibility, prepare the relief application, clear the car through customs and take it through RTD registration. You book shipping, or they can point you to shippers.

The introduction is free. If you use the partner, they pay Paphos Advisor a referral fee; see our referral disclosure. Their own fee is quoted in writing before any work starts. Duty, VAT, shipping and RTD fees are paid at cost.

Car parked on the gravel drive of a stone villa near Tala — A car at home in Tala.

One rule from GOV.UK to remember: you can't import a car into the Republic of Cyprus through the north. The authorities may seize it.

The 12-month relief window starts when you set up home here, so plan the car alongside everything else in your first 90 days and your move timeline.

Free estimate

Find out if your car qualifies before you pay for shipping

Send us the make, age, where it was built and your move date. A vetted customs partner will check relief, registration and the likely total.

Check my car's import costs All transport help

Car import at a glance

12 months

Window to import under transfer-of-residence relief

19%

Import VAT without relief

18–21 days

RoRo shipping time, UK to Cyprus

€0

Cost of our introduction

Car import partners

Vetted customs and registration specialists in Paphos.

Licensed and regulated

Registered with the right Cyprus body — Bar Association, ICPAC, CySEC or the Estate Agents Council.

Fluent with UK clients

They know HMRC, UK pensions and how British clients expect to be kept in the loop.

Vetted in person

I’ve worked with them or checked their work with people I trust. No paid listings.

Fees disclosed

If a partner pays a referral fee, I tell you before the introduction.

Partner profiles are shared privately, matched to your situation.

Request an introduction

Car import questions

With transfer-of-residence relief, mainly shipping (about £901–1,226 by RoRo), €390–520 in port and agent fees, and RTD registration. Without relief, add 19% VAT and, if the car isn't UK- or EU-origin, 10% duty.

Free quotes

Get a car import estimate

Tell us the car's make, model, year and your move date. Up to 3 vetted customs and shipping partners check relief and registration, then quote you in writing.

Relief and registration checked before you ship
Customs clearance and RTD registration handled
Free introduction, written quote first

Founder-led. Replies within one working day.

Sources checked for this page

1.Cyprus Customs and Excise — Guide: Transfer of normal residence from outside the EU (Dec 2024)Government
2.Cyprus Customs and Excise — Vehicles from outside the EU under reliefGovernment
3.Cyprus Customs and Excise — Vehicles from the United KingdomGovernment
4.GOV.UK — Living in Cyprus (updated 5 February 2026)Government
5.Autoshippers — Cyprus car shipping guide (shipping costs)Professional
6.GOV.UK — Taking a vehicle out of the UK (permanent export)Government
7.Cyprus Consult — Importing a car to Cyprus: info and prices 2026 (EORI, timelines)Experience

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

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Import a Car to Cyprus from the UK: Duty, VAT and Registration Help

Should you import a car to Cyprus at all?

Transfer-of-residence relief: the rules

Import duty and VAT without relief

What a UK car import typically costs

Worked example: importing a €20,000 car from the UK

How the car import works

Check registration and relief

Ship the car

Apply for relief and clear customs

MOT and CO₂ certificate

Register, insure and tax

Car import document checklist

What our car import partners do, and what it costs

Car import at a glance

Car import partners

Car import questions

Get a car import estimate

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

Should you import a car to Cyprus at all?

Transfer-of-residence relief: the rules

Import duty and VAT without relief

What a UK car import typically costs

Worked example: importing a €20,000 car from the UK

How the car import works

Check registration and relief

Ship the car

Apply for relief and clear customs

MOT and CO₂ certificate

Register, insure and tax

Car import document checklist

What our car import partners do, and what it costs

Car import at a glance

Car import partners

Car import questions

Get a car import estimate

Import a Car to Cyprus from the UK: Duty, VAT and Registration Help

Should you import a car to Cyprus at all?

Transfer-of-residence relief: the rules

Import duty and VAT without relief

What a UK car import typically costs

Worked example: importing a €20,000 car from the UK

How the car import works

Check registration and relief

Ship the car

Apply for relief and clear customs

MOT and CO₂ certificate

Register, insure and tax

Car import document checklist

What our car import partners do, and what it costs

Car import at a glance

Car import partners

Car import questions

How much does it cost to import a car to Cyprus from the UK?

How old can a car be to import to Cyprus?

How long does it take to import a car to Cyprus?

What do I do with my UK logbook when I export the car?

Can I sell my imported car in Cyprus?

Can my spouse bring a second car?

Do I need Cyprus insurance straight away?

Is it cheaper to import an electric car?

Get a car import estimate

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

Should you import a car to Cyprus at all?

Transfer-of-residence relief: the rules

Import duty and VAT without relief

What a UK car import typically costs

Worked example: importing a €20,000 car from the UK

How the car import works

Check registration and relief

Ship the car

Apply for relief and clear customs

MOT and CO₂ certificate

Register, insure and tax

Car import document checklist

What our car import partners do, and what it costs

Car import at a glance

Car import partners

Car import questions

How much does it cost to import a car to Cyprus from the UK?

How old can a car be to import to Cyprus?

How long does it take to import a car to Cyprus?

What do I do with my UK logbook when I export the car?

Can I sell my imported car in Cyprus?

Can my spouse bring a second car?

Do I need Cyprus insurance straight away?

Is it cheaper to import an electric car?

Get a car import estimate