Registering and licensing a car from the United Kingdom
Full Hungarian administration for a vehicle imported from the United Kingdom. We tell you what it costs, which papers you need and how long it takes.
What to watch out for when importing a UK car
Since Brexit the United Kingdom has been a third country, so both a customs procedure and an authority inspection are mandatory — the biggest change compared with earlier years. The V5C (logbook) is the equivalent of the registration certificate. On a right-hand-drive vehicle the headlights may need adjusting or replacing before the inspection.
Which documents are needed for a car imported from the United Kingdom?
- bilingual sales contract or original invoice
- the owner’s personal documents
- for a company, a company extract and specimen signature
A downloadable bilingual contract template. No certified translation needed.
Is customs duty payable?
Yes. Since Brexit the United Kingdom has been a third country, so both a customs procedure and origin verification are required, alongside the registration tax and duty. In a dutiable case the burden is 39.7% (duty and VAT together). An important category rule: if the case is not duty-exempt, only a vehicle above EU6b can be brought in; if it is duty-exempt, any category.
For right-hand-drive vehicles the Hungarian authority inspection is stricter — because of the beam pattern, conversion or headlight replacement is often needed to pass. Customs we sort out quickly; what stretches the lead time is origin verification, while the foreign authority replies: 30–60 days. That is not down to us.
How much does it cost to register a car from the United Kingdom?
For an average 90 kW, five-year-old passenger car the basic official cost 150,000 – 210,000 Ft , depending on whether there is a valid foreign inspection.
These are basic official fees. On top come our service fee and, for a priority case, its fee.
Precise calculation →Registration cost calculator — cars from the United Kingdom
Enter the vehicle details to see the basic official cost. We give the full quote by phone, tailored to your case.
Which procedure applies is decided by the papers, the vehicle’s characteristics and the urgency, case by case. Please call us and we will help. If you do not know, the calculator uses the highest fee.
On the second page of the Hungarian registration certificate, the V.9 field. For a foreign vehicle, look for it in the CoC or on the technical data sheet.
Supplementary official examinations▾
These come on top of the procedure fee above, depending on the vehicle’s build.
Itemised breakdown▾
These are basic official fees. On top come our service fee and, for a priority case, its fee.
An indicative estimate based on the 2026 official fee tables. The final amount payable is set by the official procedure; we give the full quote by phone.
The amounts shown on this site have been compiled to the best of our knowledge, based on official information publicly available in August 2026. The content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute a formal offer, and Alba Prémium Otthon Kft. accepts no liability for its accuracy, completeness, or currency.
I want the registration Prefer the phone: +36 70 755 5705How does it work?
You send the V5C (logbook) and the contract. We go through the customs procedure and the right-hand-drive inspection requirements, then give a fixed quote.
Inspection slot, identity check, tax office, registry office — all prioritised.
Hungarian registration certificate, vehicle title and plate.
Customs and origin verification
For this country the registration fee alone is not the whole picture, because it does not include the customs procedure. In a dutiable case the burden is 39.7% (customs duty and VAT together), and the official fee for origin verification is 14.715 Ft. The fee for the customs procedure depends on the details of the case; we can go through it precisely by phone.
We handle the customs quickly. The lead time is extended by the origin verification, while the foreign authority replies — 30–60 nap. That is not up to us.
How this differs from an EU car
Since Brexit the United Kingdom has been a third country from the European Union’s point of view. That is no formality: importing a British car falls under a customs procedure, import VAT arises, and Hungarian registration also requires official origin verification.
The vehicle is still usually a European version — the complication is procedural, not technical. There are two exceptions that really are technical: the right-hand-drive version and proving the environmental class. What follows is largely about these two.
Not a returning resident? — standard customs clearance
If the import is not linked to a change of residence, the vehicle arrives as an ordinary import: both duty and import VAT arise. For a used passenger car the duty rate is, as a main rule, 10% and import VAT 27% — together, in a simplified example, a burden of around 39.7%.
This is an example, not a price list: the actual burden depends on the vehicle’s customs origin, the customs value established and the costs included in the VAT base. With proven preferential origin, a reduced rate — even 0% — may apply.
This is the most common misunderstanding. The fact that a car has been cleared through customs does not automatically earn it a Hungarian plate. Customs clearance is about the vehicle entering free circulation in the EU in customs terms; Hungarian registration is a separate official procedure with its own technical and documentation requirements.
Euro 6 — one of the most important questions
If the case is not duty-exempt, the vehicle must have Euro 6b or an appropriate later class, and this must be supported by an official certificate.
This wording is deliberately precise and cannot be simplified. It does not mean that every Euro 6b car automatically gets a Hungarian plate — whether the particular vehicle qualifies can be said from the VIN and the official certificate, not before.
The class is a necessary but not sufficient condition. Whether a particular vehicle gets Hungarian plates is decided from the VIN and the official certificate — nobody can responsibly say so in advance without knowing the actual car.
Send us the 17-character chassis number and we will check where that particular vehicle stands.
Brand representative certificate — an important document
If the required data cannot be established from the British documents — for example the exact Euro class — a VIN-based certificate must be requested from the manufacturer or the official importer.
- chassis number (VIN)
- exact type and variant
- engine data
- emission data
- Euro classification
- type-approval data
- CO₂ data
The certificate must cover the actual vehicle, not the model. A general type description or brochure will not do: the authority accepts data tied to the VIN.
A right-hand-drive car? It does not have to be converted
A right-hand-drive version is not an obstacle in itself, and converting the steering side is not a requirement for Hungarian registration. This is the most common British misconception.
What has to be sorted is the lighting and a few extras — not rebuilding the vehicle.
What needs converting on a UK car
British vehicles are set up for driving on the left. Hungarian registration requires a state suited to driving on the right — this depends on the vehicle and its equipment and typically arises at three points: headlights, rear fog lamp, speedometer.
Headlights — left- and right-hand traffic
The headlight beam is asymmetric: a lamp designed for left-hand traffic dazzles oncoming drivers in right-hand traffic and leaves the verge in the dark.
The solution depends on the vehicle and the lamp type. Some headlights can be adjusted or worked on as needed; others require replacement. This turns on the particular lamp type, not on a general rule — so it is worth clarifying before you buy, because a pair of headlights can be a serious item.
Does the mph speedometer have to be replaced? Not necessarily
The requirement is that speed be readable in km/h. On many British vehicles the digital display can be switched to km/h, or the dial carries both units — in which case there is nothing to do.
Replacement only arises if the vehicle shows speed solely in mph and the display cannot be switched. That is rarer today than people think.
Rear fog lamp
On British vehicles the rear fog lamp is positioned for driving on the left. Hungarian registration requires a position and operation suited to driving on the right — usually a simple, cheap job, but it cannot be skipped.
Returning resident from England
Anyone moving home from the United Kingdom may, under certain conditions, import their own vehicle free of duty and VAT.
On the returning-resident route a vehicle of any environmental class may come — the Euro 6b floor applies to ordinary, non-exempt imports. This distinction decides the fate of many older cars.
Anyone moving home from outside the EU customs territory may, under certain conditions, import their own vehicle free of duty and VAT. Four separate conditions, three separate periods — and they must never be conflated:
- at least 12 months of continuous normal residence outside the EU customs territory
- the vehicle was in your possession AND use for at least 6 months at the previous residence
- the import within 12 months of transferring normal residence
- a vehicle released into free circulation duty-free cannot be transferred for 12 months
- it does not apply to trucks or commercial transport equipment
The exemption is determined by the authority, not by us — the detailed conditions, the circumstances examined by the tax authority and the legislation cited are on the returning-resident pillar page.
Customs and VAT exemption for returning residents — details →A vehicle released duty-free into free circulation may not, for 12 months. If you sell, lend, rent out or pledge it during that time, the duty and VAT become payable retrospectively.
Customs and VAT exemption ≠ technical exemption
The returning-resident customs exemption releases you from the payment obligation — not from the Hungarian technical requirements.
Anyone bringing their car home duty-free as a returning resident must still meet the headlight, fog-lamp, km/h and documentation requirements. Duty exemption and the Hungarian plate are two separate matters.
Common misconceptions
„A UK car has to be converted to left-hand drive.”
NO — Converting the steering side is not a requirement for Hungarian registration. Right-hand drive alone is not an obstacle.
„The car is from 2019, so Euro 6.”
NOT NECESSARILY — The year of manufacture is not the same as the classification. Identical vehicles built in the same year can be registered with different classes. The model year proves nothing.
„The advert says Euro 6, so that is what it is.”
NOT NECESSARILY — An advert is not official data. In the Hungarian procedure the official, VIN-based certificate is what counts — the seller’s good-faith claim does not replace it.
„If the classification is not in the papers, there is no way round it.”
NO — If the British documents do not show it, a VIN-based certificate can be requested from the manufacturer or the official brand representative. That works in most cases.
„Every UK car needs its lamps replaced.”
NOT NECESSARILY — Some headlights can be adjusted or modified as needed. Whether replacement is required depends on the specific lamp type.
„The mph speedometer always has to be replaced.”
NOT NECESSARILY — The requirement is readability in km/h. On many vehicles the display can be switched, or the scale is dual anyway.
„Once cleared through customs, it can be registered.”
NO — Customs clearance is about the vehicle entering free circulation in the European Union in customs terms. Hungarian registration is a separate official procedure from that, with its own technical and documentation requirements.
What to check before buying
- the VIN — without it nothing can be said with certainty
- having the V5C and the “new keeper slip” (the detachable corner of the booklet)
- the emission class, and whether there is official proof of it — or whether it can be obtained
- headlight type: adjustable or to be replaced
- whether the speedometer can be switched to km/h
- the position of the rear fog lamp
- proving the purchase price for the customs value
The process, simply — two routes
STANDARD IMPORT RETURNING RESIDENT purchase in the United Kingdom your own existing vehicle ↓ ↓ proof of Euro class proof of the conditions (Euro 6b or later) ↓ ↓ clearance free of duty and VAT transport ↓ ↓ (no Euro category limit) clearance, duty + import VAT ↓ ↓ origin verification origin verification ↓ ↓ technical conformity technical conformity ↓ (headlights, fog lamp, km/h) registration ↓ ↓ registration Hungarian registration + plate ↓ Hungarian registration certificate + plate
Send us the VIN and the documents — before you buy
From the 17-character VIN and photos of the papers we can tell you before you buy what lies ahead: whether duty is payable, whether conversion is needed, and what the expected total cost of getting it on the road in Hungary is. Asked afterwards, it is a far more expensive question.
Frequently asked questions about cars from the United Kingdom
Why are both customs clearance and an authority inspection needed?
Because since Brexit the United Kingdom is a third country for the EU — both procedures are mandatory, not just one.
What is a V5C?
The British registration certificate (logbook), proving the keeper and the vehicle data.
Do the headlights have to be converted?
For a right-hand-drive vehicle, often yes, because the beam direction is optimised for left-hand traffic. It is best sorted before the inspection.
How long does registering a UK car take?
Because of the customs procedure and the stricter inspection it usually takes longer than for EU countries.
Bringing home a car from the United Kingdom?
Send us photos of the documents and we will give a fixed quote within 24 hours.
What we handle for a car imported from the United Kingdom
Registering and licensing a car from the United Kingdom is one single process with us: from the import to the Hungarian plate we handle every step.
The whole registration process: identity check, official procedure, government office.
Details →First Hungarian registration: moving a car from the United Kingdom onto Hungarian plates.
Details →Car sourcing, on-site inspection and transport home, if you need help buying as well.
Details →Registration inspection or full technical inspection — with the authority’s 2026 fees.
Details →A downloadable bilingual contract template — no certified translation needed.
Details →Customs and VAT exemption when moving home: the conditions, the deadlines and the full process.
Details →Calculating the registration tax and the whole tax office process, including age-based depreciation.
Details →If you do not want to wait 2–3 months for an inspection slot.
Details →Obtaining and replacing the certificate of conformity if the vehicle has none.
Details →Customs duty and VAT, origin verification, customs decision — full customs service.
Details →