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Do you own a motorcycle that is over 10 years old? Unsure about how to register your motorcycle in the UK? Looking for information on registering an older motorcycle in EU countries such as France, Spain and The Netherlands?

This blog post will cover all you need to know about registering your older motorcycle. You will discover the process of registering in the UK, Spain, France, and The Netherlands.

Want to know what a car registration is? Need to read more about the DVLA? Looking for information about importing a vehicle into France, Spain, or The Netherlands? Click these links to find out more!

Registering an Older Motorcycle in the UK

When you buy a motorcycle in the UK, you will need to register as the owner of that vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA.) You will also need to register the motorcycle with the DVLA if you have imported it into the country, or have built the vehicle yourself.

If you are looking to register a used motorcycle, the seller of the bike will need to register that the vehicle has been sold to you with the DVLA. That can be done here. The seller should then fill out the green “new keeper” form and give that to you, then they should destroy their VC5 registration for the vehicle. The DVLA will update the vehicle record immediately and you (the new owner) will receive a new VC5 registration in the post within 3 to 5 days.

For information on how to register by post, or what to do if you do not have a VC5 certificate for your vehicle, click here.

If your motorcycle is over 20 years old, it may be classed as a classic motorcycle. In that case you should follow the steps for registering a classic or historic motorcycle here:

If you own a motorcycle that has not been taxed since 1983, there is a possibility that it is not registered with the DVLA. If this is the case, you should follow the instructions above or on the GOV.UK website on how to register a vehicle with the DVLA for the first time.

In some cases, you may wish to register an old vehicle under its original or historic registration number. This may be because it has never been registered with the DVLA before, or because your vehicle has a historic / age-related registration plate.

In order to register a classic motorcycle with its historic registration number, you will need to follow the steps on the New Registration page of the GOV.UK website, and then:

  • Fill in an application to register a vehicle under its original registration number (form V765)
  • Have the V765 endorsed by a classic vehicle owners’ club
  • Provide a recent photo of the vehicle and documentary evidence that links it to the original number, for example the original log book

You should then send the forms and additional information to:
K and R DVLA
SA99 1ZZ

After you have applied, the DVLA will issue you with a VC5 Certificate / Log Book for your vehicle and give you either:

  • The original registration number for the vehicle
  • An age appropriate registration number for the vehicle

Registering an Older Motorcycle France

When importing and registering an older motorcycle into France, you may need to obtain a Carte Grise or a ‘certificate d’immatriculation.’ The Carte Grise is the official document that is received once the registration of your vehicle in France is complete. It is always issued by French competent registration authorities.

For more information on Carte Grise and how to export a vehicle from one country into France click here.

Registration in Spain, The Netherlands and more.

You will always need to register your vehicle with the local authorities within the country you are intending to import your vehicle into or drive your vehicle

The registration process of an imported vehicle differs in individual EU countries. More information on registration in a specific country can be found at the following websites:

Country Name of institution
GERMANY TÜV
AUSTRIA Bundesanstalt für Verkehr
BELGIUM Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer
BULGARIA Информация за регистрация и промяна в регистрацията на ПС
CYPRUS Road Transport Department
CROATIA Srdešni državni portal
DENMARK Registreringsafgift for køretøjer
SLOVAKIA Ústredný portál verejnej správy – Prihlasovanie vozidiel
SLOVENIA State Portal of the Republic of Slovenia
SPAIN Dirección General de Tráfico
ESTONIA Maanteeameti Liiklusregistri Bürood
FINLAND TraFi
FRANCE Service – Public.fr
GREECE Μεταφορές
GUERNESEY The official website for the States of Guernsey
HUNGARY KEK KH
IRELAND Department of Transport

 

Country Name of institution
ICELAND island.is
ITALY Direzione Generale per la Motorizzazione
JERSEY Registering your vehicle in Jersey
LATVIA Ceļu Satiksmes Drošíbas Direkcija
LICHTENSTEIN Motorfahrzeugkontrol – Landesverwaltung
LITHUANIA Regitra
LUXEMBOURG Société Nationale de Contrôle Technique
MALTA Registration and Licensing Malta
NORWAY First-time registration in Norway
THE NETHERLANDS RDW
POLAND Procedure of car registration
PORTUGAL Instituto do Registos et Notariado
UNITED KINGDOM VCA Offices
CZECH REPUBLIC Registrace vozidel – MD ČR
ROMANIA Directia Regim Permise de Conducere si Inmatriculare a Vehiculelor
SWEDEN Swedish Import Agency – Importing vehicles
SWITZERLAND Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung EZV

What Else Do I Need to Register My Motorcycle?

It is likely that in order to register your motorcycle in an EU country, you will need to show a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle. A European Certificate of Conformity declares that a vehicle is compliant with EU transport regulations and is only available for motorbikes manufactured after 2004. If you buy a motorcycle abroad and want to register it, most EU countries require a Certificate of Conformity.

EUROCOC is the European market leader in Certificate of Conformity mediation for motorcycles and has been since 2008. If you need a Certificate of Conformity for your motorbike when travelling or relocating abroad, then you are in the right place.

We can help you to obtain a COC for your motorbike in a simple, hassle free way. Simply click here to obtain your COC now. EUROCOC can help you to get a Certificate of Conformity for 18 brands of motorcycles. With Trustpilot reviews of 4.7 / 5 stars, you can be confident that EUROCOC is the right choice to help you get a COC for your motorcycle. Grab your COC here.