Importing a Left-Hand-Drive Car to the UK: The IVA Route Explained
Unlike some markets, the UK has a real legal pathway for registering left-hand-drive imports — the DVSA's Individual Vehicle Approval scheme. Here's how it works alongside MG and BYD's official UK presence.
The UK is a genuinely different case among the markets DriveSino serves: a left-hand-drive (LHD) vehicle imported from China's domestic market can be legally registered here, through the DVSA's Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) scheme — the same route enthusiasts already use for LHD European and Japanese imports.
How IVA Works
IVA is an inspection process for vehicles that don't already have full UK or EU type approval. It's a real, established DVSA process with its own fee and technical requirements — not a workaround, but a genuine extra step and cost beyond standard shipping and duty.
How This Differs from MG and BYD's Official UK Presence
MG already sells an official, right-hand-drive lineup through its own UK dealer network, and BYD is growing fast alongside it. DriveSino isn't that channel — we source LHD vehicles directly from China's domestic market, a different option for buyers who are fine with LHD and the IVA process, sometimes at a real price advantage over the official dealer route.
Cost to Import
Freight from China to the UK (Southampton, Tilbury, or Liverpool) starts at $5,280 USD, 30–43 days transit. The UK applies 10% import duty and 20% VAT, plus the separate IVA inspection fee. See our full UK import guide for the complete process, or browse current inventory.