Driving abroad, exporting your car?

Question

Ok well, i got me a car, it was my friends and now hes generously given it to me. So having repaired a multitude of probs i decide to take it abroad. heres the thing.. Does it need to have tax and MOT if I'm driving it abroad with a view to leaving it abroad. Its going to my friend who will insure and register it over there... Any ideas on the legality or rather plausibility of getting away with it as legally as possible, be it bending the rules a bit.. :P

thanks

Answer 1

Where are you going with it. If it is to be permanantly based abroad, say here in France, then you need to HOLD ON TO the log book whatever Swansea say as it is needed here, you need an export permit and once you receive that the car is untaxeable in the UK.
You will need a MOT as you will insurance, Be aware nearly all UK insurances will not cover for more than a monthe or 48 days abroad. When you get to say france then go to an assurance with the log book, UK MOT and your licence and the house owner where you are staying with justuicativs on your residence, (electric bill of the owner) and theyn will give you insurance.
Now if the car is in France for over 6 months then it need to be registered here, but your licence needs to be made french after 3 months, Every time you leave the country that figure is reset.
Your insurance may play up though. Note though we have no road tax so you only pay a registration tax once. However you can repeatedly go back to the uk say for 3 or 4 days per time and not need / cannot have tax. Try to get french CT though, valid for 2 years and forget UK MOT. You may need to change headlamps, get them from a depanvit.

Answer 2

If you intend to drive it to a channel port you will need to be legal as for sure you will get stopped. you could trailer it overseas and then it depends on where you intend to go but most EU countries have common tax and roadworthyness requirements especially for imported vehicles.