Importing a Harley-Davidson to the UK
Four families include bikes built before 1986, which may qualify for the 40-year exemptions. The rest follow the age rules.
What we know about the bikes
- Families
- 6 families, from 1957 to today. Years are for the main families, which overlap.
- Body styles
- Lightweight cruisers, dressers and tourers, big-twin cruisers and mid-weight cruisers, by family.
- Over 40 in 2026
- Pre-1986 builds in the Sportster, Electra Glide and Touring, Super Glide and FX, and Softail (1984-85) families.
- Needs MSVA
- Dyna and Street (MSVA if under 10 years old).
- Official UK sale
- Yes. Warr's of London was the UK concessionaire from the 1940s to the early 1970s, and Harley-Davidson Europe Ltd serves the UK today.
Which test, by age
The year of the individual car decides the test, not the badge. Each bar is a family. 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).
- Early builds over 40
- Either side of 10 years
- Sportster 1957-present
Sportster: 1957-present, early builds over 40.
Lightweight cruiser. Bikes built before 1 January 1986 may qualify for the 40-year exemptions. We confirm how they apply to a given bike before you buy. Later bikes need MSVA if they are under 10 years old.
- Electra Glide and Touring 1965-present
Electra Glide and Touring: 1965-present, early builds over 40.
Dresser and tourer. The Touring family runs from 1980. Pre-1986 bikes may qualify for the 40-year exemptions. We confirm how they apply to a given bike. Later bikes need MSVA if they are under 10 years old.
- Super Glide and FX 1971-present
Super Glide and FX: 1971-present, early builds over 40.
Cruiser. The Low Rider arrived in 1977. Pre-1986 bikes may qualify for the 40-year exemptions. We confirm how they apply to a given bike. Later bikes need MSVA if they are under 10 years old.
- Softail 1984-present
Softail: 1984-present, early builds over 40.
Big-twin cruiser. Only the 1984-85 builds are over 40. Only 1984-85 builds may qualify for the 40-year exemptions. Later bikes need MSVA if they are under 10 years old.
- Dyna 1991-2017
Dyna: 1991-2017, either side of 10 years.
Cruiser. Either side of the 10-year line. MSVA is open only to bikes under 10 years old, so the build date decides. For older bikes we confirm the route before you buy.
- Street 2014-present
Street: 2014-present, either side of 10 years.
Mid-weight cruiser. Either side of the 10-year line. MSVA is open only to bikes under 10 years old, so the build date decides. For older bikes we confirm the route before you buy.
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
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Title and bill of sale
You need the US title and a bill of sale. DVLA wants the original registration certificate to show when the bike was made.
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Approval by age
Motorbikes use MSVA, which is open only to bikes under 10 years old. For anything older we confirm the route before you buy.
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Lighting and the speedometer
The usual work is the headlight and, on some bikes, the speedometer. Partial MSVA checks the dipped beam pattern, the speedometer and the mirror position.
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Duty and VAT
Motorcycles with engines over 250cc pay 6% duty. VAT at 20% is charged on the value, shipping and duty. Anything with a larger engine than 48cc also needs a NOVA notification.
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 bike. The lighting and approval stops are where the bike 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
- Lighting The headlight, and on some bikes the speedometer
- Approval MSVA where needed, done on site
- DVLA plate Registered on our dealer-level DVLA account
- UK plates
Common questions
What approval does a Harley-Davidson need?
Motorbikes use MSVA (Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval), which is open only to bikes under 10 years old. For older bikes the official position is less clear, so we confirm the route before you buy.
Which Harleys are over 40 years old?
Bikes built before 1 January 1986 may qualify, across the Sportster, Electra Glide, Super Glide and FX families, plus 1984-85 Softails. The test runs on the individual bike's build date. We confirm how the exemptions apply to a bike before you buy.
What duty does a Harley pay?
Motorcycles with engines over 250cc pay 6% import duty. VAT at 20% is then charged on the value, shipping and duty. Bikes with an engine over 48cc need a NOVA notification within 14 days of arrival.
Was Harley-Davidson sold officially in the UK?
Yes. Warr's of London was the UK concessionaire from the 1940s to the early 1970s, and the first new civilian bikes were imported direct from Milwaukee in 1956. Harley-Davidson Europe Ltd serves the UK today.
Keep reading
- Motorbikes
The wider picture for motorbikes: tax, approval and the models we quote for.
- IVA or MOT?
Which test your American car takes, and what each involves.
- UK customs, duty and VAT
NOVA, the 10% duty, the 20% VAT and the historic vehicle rate.
- All the models
The same age lines for every model we cover, side by side.
Bringing over a Harley-Davidson?
Tell us the year and where it is. We come back with an itemised landed cost. No deposit, no obligation.