Importing a Chevrolet Camaro to the UK
Six generations, with a gap in the middle. Two are over 40 years old, and early Gen 3 cars qualify.
What we know about the Chevrolet Camaro
- Generations
- 6 generations, from 1967 to today
- Body styles
- Coupe, hatchback and convertible, depending on the generation.
- Over 40 in 2026
- Gen 1 and Gen 2 in full, plus 1982-85 builds from Gen 3.
- Needs IVA
- Gen 6 (IVA or MOT, by build date).
- Official UK sale
- The fifth generation went on sale in the UK from early 2012, in left-hand drive only and in limited numbers.
Which test, by age
The year of the individual car decides the test, not the badge. Each bar is a generation. The dashed lines mark a build date before 1986 (the 2026 vehicle tax cut-off for the 40-year exemptions) and 2016 (the 10-year line between needing approval and not).
- Over 40 years old
- Early builds over 40
- Over 10 years old
- Either side of 10 years
- Gen 1 1967-1969
Gen 1: 1967-1969, over 40 years old.
Coupe, convertible. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. Built before 1 January 1986, so it may be exempt from MOT and vehicle tax if it is unchanged.
- Gen 2 1970-1981
Gen 2: 1970-1981, over 40 years old.
Coupe. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. Built before 1 January 1986, so it may be exempt from MOT and vehicle tax if it is unchanged.
- Gen 3 1982-1992
Gen 3: 1982-1992, early builds over 40.
Coupe, hatchback, convertible from 1987. Over 40 for 1982-85 builds only. Over 10 years old, so usually no approval. Cars built before 1 January 1986 may be exempt from MOT and vehicle tax. Later cars take an MOT.
- Gen 4 1993-2002
Gen 4: 1993-2002, over 10 years old.
Coupe (T-top option), convertible. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. It takes an MOT.
- Gen 5 2010-2015
Gen 5: 2010-2015, over 10 years old.
Coupe, convertible. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. It takes an MOT.
- Gen 6 2016-2024
Gen 6: 2016-2024, either side of 10 years.
Coupe, convertible. Production ended in December 2023. Sits on the 10-year line. Older examples take an MOT, newer ones need an IVA. The build date decides, so we read it off the paperwork first.
Written for 2026. Both lines roll forward each year, so more cars come into range as they age. The 40-year exemptions also need the vehicle to be unchanged.
What to check before you buy
-
The title and the build date
DVLA wants the original US registration certificate to show when the car was made, and keeps it. The 10-year and 40-year tests run on the individual car, so read the build date off the title, not the advert.
-
Which generation it is
Gen 3 straddles the 40-year line. Gen 6 starts on the 10-year line, so the build date decides between IVA and MOT.
-
Lighting
The usual US work is headlights that dip the right way for UK roads, amber indicators, a rear fog lamp and side repeaters. Newer cars cost more to convert than older ones.
-
A clean title
We import clean-title vehicles only. A salvage or rebuilt brand on the title is a reason to walk away.
The test follows the car's own date, not its generation. gov.uk, vehicle approval and historic vehicles
What usually needs doing
The route is the same for every model. The lighting and approval stops are where the Chevrolet Camaro differs.
- US kerbside
- Collect From anywhere in the USA
- Export filings The US paperwork a car needs to leave
- Ship Container or RoRo, marine insurance included
- Customs Our agents file the entry. NOVA within 14 days
- Lights Headlights, indicators, rear fog lamp and side repeaters, as the car needs
- Approval IVA for newer cars, MOT for older ones, done on site
- DVLA plate Registered on our dealer-level DVLA account
- UK plates
Common questions
Does a Camaro need an IVA to be registered in the UK?
It depends on the age of the car, not the badge. Under 10 years old means an IVA. A car over 10 years old usually needs no approval to be registered. Gen 6 sits on the line, so the build date decides. Gens 4 and 5 are over 10 years old.
Which Camaro cars are over 40 years old?
Gen 1 and Gen 2 are, and so are 1982-85 builds from Gen 3. The test applies to the individual car's build or first registration date, not to the generation. For vehicle tax in 2026, the cut-off is built before 1 January 1986. The MOT exemption uses its own rolling 40-year date, and the car must be unchanged.
Was the Camaro ever sold new in the UK?
The fifth generation was, from early 2012, in left-hand drive only and in limited numbers. A planned right-hand-drive programme was dropped. The sixth generation was sold in Europe until 31 August 2019.
Why is there no Camaro between 2002 and 2010?
The list of generations skips those years: Gen 4 ends in 2002 and Gen 5 starts in 2010. Whatever year the car in the advert says, we check it against the title.
Keep reading
- Muscle cars
The wider picture for muscle cars: tax, approval and the models we quote for.
- IVA or MOT?
Which test your American car takes, and what each involves.
- Buying a car in the USA
Title, history and condition checks to make before you pay.
- All the models
The same age lines for every model we cover, side by side.
Bringing over a Chevrolet Camaro?
Tell us the year and where it is. We come back with an itemised landed cost. No deposit, no obligation.