01332 810442 Get my quote

Importing a Chevrolet Silverado to the UK

Four generations since 1999. None is over 40 years old, so the 10-year line does the work.

Get my quote See the route by age

What we know about the Chevrolet Silverado

Generations
4 generations, from 1999 to today. The name starts in 1999.
Body styles
Regular, extended or double, and crew cab, depending on the generation.
Over 40 in 2026
None. The Silverado name starts in 1999.
Needs IVA
Gen 4 (IVA). Gen 3 (IVA or MOT, by build date).
Black Chevrolet Silverado dually pickup truck parked in a yard with a van behind it.
A black Silverado dually from our own photoshoot.

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 10 years old
  • Either side of 10 years
  • Under 10 years old
  1. Gen 1 1999-2006

    Regular, extended, crew. The 2007 Classic carried it on. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. It takes an MOT.

  2. Gen 2 2007-2013

    Regular, extended, crew. Heavy-duty models ran to 2014. Over 10 years old, so it usually needs no approval. It takes an MOT.

  3. Gen 3 2014-2018

    Regular, double, crew. Heavy-duty models ran to 2019. 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.

  4. Gen 4 2019-present

    Regular, double, crew. Under 10 years old, so it needs an IVA before registration.

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.

  • Weight

    Light goods vehicles up to 3,500kg are exempt from approval over 10 years old. A goods vehicle over that weight is exempt only over 25 years old. Check the plated weight of any heavy-duty truck.

  • How HMRC classes it

    A double cab with permanent seats, seat belts and passenger fittings is treated as a car. One built mainly to carry cargo is treated as a goods vehicle. We confirm the classification before you commit.

  • 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.

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 Silverado differs.

  1. US kerbside
  2. Collect From anywhere in the USA
  3. Export filings The US paperwork a car needs to leave
  4. Ship Container or RoRo, marine insurance included
  5. Customs Our agents file the entry. NOVA within 14 days
  6. Lights Headlights, indicators, rear fog lamp and side repeaters, as the car needs
  7. Approval IVA for newer trucks, MOT for older ones, done on site
  8. DVLA plate Registered on our dealer-level DVLA account
  9. UK plates

Common questions

Does a Silverado 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 4 is an IVA truck and Gen 3 straddles the line. Gen 1 and Gen 2 are over 10 years old.

Is any Silverado old enough for the 40-year exemptions?

Not in 2026. The vehicle tax cut-off is built before 1 January 1986, and no Silverado generation here reaches back that far. The cut-off rolls forward each year, so the answer changes as the cars age.

What about older Chevrolet trucks?

This page covers the Silverado name, which starts in 1999. Earlier Chevrolet trucks carry a different name and are not covered here.

Does a heavy-duty Silverado need approval?

Light goods vehicles up to 3,500kg are exempt over 10 years old. A goods vehicle over 3,500kg is exempt only over 25 years old. We check the plated weight of the actual truck.

Keep reading

Bringing over a Chevrolet Silverado?

Tell us the year and where it is. We come back with an itemised landed cost. No deposit, no obligation.

Get my quote Call 01332 810442
Get my quote Call 01332 810442