HMRC Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA)
The Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) scheme records the notification and tax status of vehicles brought into the United Kingdom. It is administered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), separately from registration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Classic Lambrettas are not automatically exempt simply because they are old, qualify for historic vehicle tax, or do not require an MOT.
NOVA guidance assistant
Use this short guide to find the most relevant HMRC instructions. It cannot check whether a NOVA record exists, determine tax liability or resolve historic import cases.
For official guidance, see GOV.UK: Telling HMRC.
Need help with the wider registration process? Open the Lambretta Registration Roadmap.
When must HMRC be notified?
Under the current rules, HMRC must normally be notified within 14 days of a vehicle being brought permanently into the UK. The procedure depends on where it is imported from, whether it enters Great Britain or Northern Ireland, and whether the importer is VAT registered.
HMRC states that a vehicle with an engine capacity of 48cc or less (or an electric vehicle of 7.2kW or less) may be registered without first notifying HMRC. Other specific arrangements and exemptions may apply; temporary imports and vehicles from the Isle of Man have separate rules.
Read HMRC's current notification guidance on GOV.UK.
Customs clearance, import taxes and NOVA are different matters
Customs import declaration: this records the vehicle's import through customs. Where a vehicle is shipped into Great Britain, HMRC requires a shipping company or customs agent to make the declaration.
Import VAT and customs duty: any amount payable depends on the circumstances of the import and any applicable relief. A classic vehicle's age does not, by itself, establish that no tax is payable.
NOVA notification: HMRC records the vehicle's arrival and confirms when its NOVA application has been processed. Any import taxes due must be paid before HMRC's CARS team can make the NOVA declaration.
Read HMRC's customs import declaration guidance.
Who makes the NOVA notification?
VAT-registered businesses: HMRC directs these businesses to its online NOVA service, normally within 14 days.
Private individuals and non-VAT-registered businesses: where the vehicle is shipped, a shipping company or customs agent may make the NOVA declaration, or HMRC's CARS team may do so on the importer's behalf. Where the individual brings the vehicle into the UK themselves, HMRC instructs them to contact the CARS team. HMRC will advise on any duty, VAT or reliefs and the necessary next steps.
Where a customs import declaration is required, this is a separate process and an agent may be necessary even though the CARS team handles the NOVA notification.
Documents HMRC may require
For a vehicle shipped into Great Britain, HMRC's published NOVA guidance lists customs documents (C88 and E2, or a Movement Reference Number), a recent purchase invoice or bill of sale, or an in-person UK valuation if bought more than six months previously, together with an official document confirming the vehicle's VIN or chassis number.
Requirements vary by circumstances. Owners should follow the current HMRC instructions rather than assuming that a dating certificate or historical authentication letter replaces customs paperwork.
Previously imported Lambrettas with missing NOVA records
Some owners purchase scooters already in the UK and later discover that there is no confirmed NOVA record, or that the original import documents cannot be found. This does not, by itself, establish when the vehicle entered the country or whether customs formalities were completed.
Owners should gather whatever evidence is available of the vehicle's identity, purchase and import history, and seek case-specific guidance from HMRC before making declarations or arranging payment. The British Lambretta Archive cannot determine whether any retrospective notification, customs declaration or tax is required.
Historic imports: a Lambretta brought into Britain in the 1960s is not the same case as a 1960s Lambretta imported in 2024. The Archive has asked HMRC to clarify how vehicles imported before the NOVA scheme, or vehicles with an unknown original importer, should be handled.
Older NOVA1 paper forms
Copies of the HMRC NOVA1 paper form dated April 2013 (HMRC 04/13) still circulate within the classic scooter community. These reflect older procedures and postal details and should not be treated as universal current application instructions.
HMRC still refers to a NOVA1 form in certain circumstances, but applicants should obtain the appropriate current instructions directly from HMRC rather than relying on an archived PDF.
NOVA and DVLA registration
For vehicles subject to NOVA, HMRC must have processed the notification before DVLA can complete first UK registration, including an application for an age-related registration mark. NOVA does not authenticate the vehicle, establish its manufacture date or guarantee entitlement to a particular registration number.
The DVLA V765 scheme concerns retention or recovery of an original UK registration number. It is distinct from the normal first-registration procedure for a newly imported vehicle; a V765 application should not automatically be assumed to require a new NOVA declaration.
The role of the British Lambretta Archive
The British Lambretta Archive does not submit NOVA or customs declarations, assess import VAT or duty, or issue HMRC clearance. We provide historical vehicle identification and dating research and explain how those matters relate to registration.
HMRC clarification requested
Interim guidance update — 12 October 2026. The British Lambretta Archive has contacted HMRC's CARS team requesting written clarification about previously imported vehicles, missing customs paperwork, unidentified original importers, historic imports predating NOVA and the use of older paper forms. We will review this page when substantive clarification is received.
For current instructions, consult GOV.UK. HMRC lists the CARS team email address as ecsm.nchcars@hmrc.gov.uk.
This page is general guidance, not a determination of any individual's customs or tax liability. HMRC and DVLA requirements may change; the official government guidance takes precedence.