Rules issued for car imports from UK post-Brexit

The road transport department announced on Tuesday the rules concerning the importation of vehicles from the UK following its EU exit.

According to the department, an M1 category vehicle – passenger car with up to eight seats not including the driver – can be registered in Cyprus provided it is up to five-years-old on the date of arrival, counting from the date it had been registered new in any country.

This does not apply to M1 vehicles already transported or imported to Cyprus from the UK, but not yet registered, or will be loaded for shipping to the Republic by Monday, February 15.

These vehicles can be registered whenever, even if its age exceeds five years.

The department said to register, an M1 vehicle must be accompanied by the original registration certificate (V5c) from the UK, a valid Cypriot MOT, an EU Whole Vehicle Type-Approval (Wvta) or Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) in Cyprus.

A UK registration certificate issued by the end of last year constitutes adequate proof that the vehicle has Wvta, provided it bears the Wvta indication. The indication on the V5c is found at point K – Type of approval number – and is in the form of e.g e4*2007/46*0186*11.

If there is no such indication, to register the vehicle, it must receive the SVA in Cyprus.

Vehicles in the M2 and M3 categories (buses) and N1, N2, and N3 cargo transporters (vans, twin cabs, trucks) are registered irrespective of age, provided they have certification proving their emissions comply with EU standards on the date the vehicle was registered in any country for the first time and they are equipped with ABS.

The UK registration certificate issued by the end of the year is again considered adequate proof as concerns emissions provided the engine is the one stated in the document. If it is a different engine, the department wants a certificate that its emissions comply with the respective EU standards.

Category L vehicles – mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles, and quad bikes – will be registered irrespective of age, provided they are accompanied by the European certificate of conformity in force on the date of its first registration. The department also accepts a copy of the certificate issued by the manufacturer or their representative.

The department also accepts the UK registration certificate issued by the end of the year, which is considered adequate proof that the vehicle has Wvta, provided the document bears the approval of the type of vehicle.