An import is a perfectly ordinary vehicle with one significant difference: the years before it arrived are invisible to every British register. The DVLA record begins when the car was registered here, the MOT series begins with its first British test, and whatever happened to it abroad is a matter for the paperwork that came with it. That gap is the whole of the import question.
How to check if car is imported
The V5C shows whether the vehicle was imported, and a history check returns an import marker. Two other patterns give it away before you get that far: a date of first registration in the UK that is much later than the year of manufacture, and an MOT history that starts several years into the car's life. A model that was never officially sold here, or one with instrument markings, lighting or specification that differ from the British version, is a third clue you can see at the viewing.
Parallel, grey and personal imports
A parallel import is a model sold in Britain, bought new elsewhere in Europe and brought here, and it is usually near identical to the domestic car. A grey import is a model never officially sold here, often from Japan, and it can differ in specification, in parts availability and in how it was maintained. A personal import is a car somebody owned abroad and brought with them when they moved. The three carry very different risks and are all labelled import on the record.
What it does to value and insurance
Imports generally sell for less than the equivalent domestic car, because the buyer pool is smaller and the history is shorter. Insurance can be more expensive or harder to place, particularly for a grey import whose specification does not map onto the rating tables. Parts for a model never sold here can be slow and costly, and some manufacturer warranties and goodwill schemes do not apply. None of that is a reason to avoid one, and all of it is a reason to price it as what it is.
The check that actually matters on an import
Because the foreign history is invisible, the physical evidence carries more weight than usual. Read the VIN and confirm the country of manufacture from its first characters. Look hard for repair evidence, because a write-off abroad leaves no marker here. Ask for the import paperwork and the foreign registration document, and check the mileage on them against the British MOT series. A missing pre import history is normal; a seller who cannot produce any import paperwork at all is not.
Questions people ask about import car check
How do I check if a car is imported?
The V5C records import status and a paid history check returns an import marker. A first UK registration date much later than the year of manufacture is the other common giveaway.
Does an imported car have an MOT history?
Only from its first British test. Everything before it arrived is outside the DVSA record, which is why an import often shows a short series on an older car.
Is an import worth less than a UK car?
Usually, because the buyer pool is smaller and the history is shorter. Grey imports of models never sold here can also be harder to insure and slower to get parts for.
Can a car written off abroad show as clear here?
Yes, because British databases hold British insurance decisions. That is the main practical risk on an import, and it is why the physical inspection matters more than usual.