# Selling Your UK Car To A Greek National



## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

Hello to all the Expatforum'ians, I have joined your ranks. 

I travel out of the UK a lot to various parts of the World. I am an Expat in the sense that I stay, live and work in foreign lands for 6-18 months at a time, then get posted elsewhere. I still have itchy feet. But, as my girlfriend says _'it's not about you'_.... so I'll crack on...

I would like to get your opinion on a task I have been set.

I have to buy, fix-up, and load with spares an old Land Rover, here in the UK, and drive it to Greece where it will be sold to my Greek friend. Just for the record, the film "Get Him to the Greek" has nothing to do with this story - blind coincidence. He is buying it off me, he'll get a receipt and the UK V5 will be transferred in his name. I then sit on the beach for a couple of days then Easy Jet-it home.

As I understand it:

1) If I were to be relocating to Greece with this vehicle I would need to show the Greek authorities the relevant ''I'm moving to Greece with my Land Rover documentation'', bearing in mind I should have owned the Land Rover for a minimum of six months prior to rocking up..

2) The Land Rover would be allowed to stay in Greece for six months. I would have to leave for a while, the Land Rover would be held in a Police car park (or similar) until my authorised return after 'x' days out of the country.. 

So:
1) What do I (me) need to take with regard to paperwork if I'm going, staying and coming back?

2) What does he (Greek friend) need to do to buy it off me legally with regard to paperwork?

3) Whilst I'm over there what do we both: need to do? need to see? need not to do? 
4) What will be MY cost here in the UK for selling it in GREECE?

5) What will be HIS cost, after the 6 months 'foreign vehicle in Greece visa waiver', in GREECE?

I could go on, but I sense I'm taking liberties on my first outing here.

Thanks in advance.

Miles..(away)


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Your task will not be easy. To start with even if you did go to the Greek Embassy in London and arrange all the necessary papers stating you were moving to Greece to live (see my previous posts on importing a car tax free), you would not be able to sell the car for five years (well you can but then you pay the ""import"" tax).
Your best bet would be to ""technically"" sell it to your friend in the UK, let him plan the export from the UK via the DVLA and sort the import papers out with Greek customs. It will definitely be worth him getting a ball park figure of these costs from customs first though........it can be expensive


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## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

*Selling Your UK Car To A Greek National Reply to Thread*

Thank you 'The Grocer'..

I will go to the Greek Embassy next week in London to see what I need to do. Good plan.

With regard to the date when I'm driving out there: It is a concrete date due to work leave and and International flight - it's all been pre-booked and we can't really afford to change it.

Do you think it would be possible, after visiting the Embassy, to termporarily 'leave' the vehicle on my friend's land in Greece, in a shed, off the main road etc, complete the two week holiday and then return?

It would give us the six months to sort things out. It has been agreed that he would pay the import / export taxes for it. It is a 1960's classic car so fingers crossed it wouldn't be too extortionate. 

If push came to shove I could always drive it back later in the year, sell it here in the UK and give him what he paid me for it, so he could source a similar Greek registered vehicle.

I'll call the Embassy on Monday or visit them next week.

Thank you for your help. I'll check out your post now too.

Regards


Miles..(away)


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Hi again,

OK, if you (your friend) intends to pay the import taxes the whole situation changes and truthfully things become allot easier. If you were trying to get the vehicle in "tax free" timing and documentation from the Greek Embassy & Customs is critical as my previous post explains. So when you have finished using the car and sell it you can do so the same as in the UK. Your friend will then apply to DVLA and notify them of the permanent export. 
You (as the owner) can keep the car in Greece legally and use it for up to six months (it has to have UK road tax, insurance & MOT of course), after that it should leave the country or left in a secure Customs yard (I do NOT recommend). However.....you can apply to Customs to have this time period extended under special circumstances, I do not have information on this, perhaps someone else may pick up this thread and advise..............


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## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

Thanks AGAIN to The Grocer

I'm wondering if we're the only two nutters here who have had similar silly ideas about motorised transport in Greece.

I have read your posts and other similar posts here. They mostly cover the topic of buying a Geek vehicle from a Greek OR importing a vehicle to Greece for THEIR own use.. Neither of the above apply to me.

I would need to know in un-joined-up thinking the process of importing a UK vehicle to Greece so that a GREEK can 'buy' it off me legally. So please humour me:

1. I take the vehicle to Greece. It's under my ownership even though I used his money.

2. I 'sell' it to him in Greece; We fill out the DVLA V5 document; He contacts the DVLA in the UK; I contact the DVLA in the UK to say I've sold it to him;I sit on the beach. Beer. 

3. He deals with the DVLA; (I deal with the DVLA - if required); He pays the import duty to the Greek Government; (I pay the Greek Government?)

4. I finish my holiday; Go home; Get arrested for import tax evasion? 

The great thing is that it, by the time I get to Greece, will have 11 months MOT and 11 months Tax (Tax Free as Pre 72/73) and it'll cost me £30-40 classic car insurance (plus European cover) so it will be able to stay in Greece for the full 6 months. 

We both know he'll have to pay the import duty - just hope it's not too much. At the moment I am converting it to LHD, great fun, no, really I love it. The drive down will be awesome - I'm the greatest friend on the planet. haha

Thanks again The Grocer (pre-emptive thanks)

Miles..(away)


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Hi there,

Even though you sell it to him "in Greece" I seriously recommend you "theoretically" sell it to him in the UK (ie hence the DVLA notification to export will fit in with his Greek address). 
If it were me I would bring it into Greece, and back date the "sale" to a day before the actual entry to Greece.

from DVLA guidelines.......
_You should fill in sections 6 and 10 with the new keeper’s name and address. Both you and the new keeper (buyer) must sign and date the declaration in section 8. Give the whole V5C to the new keeper to aid registration abroad.You should then send a signed letter to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AG giving the vehicle’s registration number, the make and model of the vehicle, the date of sale or transfer, and the name and address of the new keeper.
Once they know about the change of keeper, you should receive an acknowledgement letter to confirm that you are no longer responsible for the vehicle.
_

I am uncertain, but I bet he will have to prove the date of entry into Greece, and if it is like personal importation he must go to the Customs Offices within 30 days....
If you come by ferry the ferry ticket is the proof of entry, if not have it recorded at the boarder (although I do not know how this will work). The fact tickets etc. are in your name does not really matter you could have been paid to drive it across for him as far as Customs are concerned.

If it were intending to keep the vehicle for your own use within the 6 month period it will I think complicate matters. Better perhaps to agree with the purchaser that he allow you to use "his" vehicle. Insurance over here covers the vehicle not the driver so cost is the same.

You will have NO duty to pay if he imports it....

Hope this helps, I would be interested in the outcome when you finish!!

regards


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## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

Hey The Grocer

I'm going to illustrate the parts I UNDERSTAND 



The Grocer said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Even though you sell it to him "in Greece" I seriously recommend you "theoretically" sell it to him in the UK (ie hence the DVLA notification to export will fit in with his Greek address). UNDERSTOOD - BUT do I need to take the V5 signed by both parties to Greece? OR rock up with a back dated pre-Greek-entry-date V5, signed by me (seller) to show at the Border. Problem is, he is in Greece and won't be in the UK to sign it before I drive the V5 to Greece. OR don't sign any of it until I meet him, making sure the 'sold' date is pre-Greek-entry date.
> If it were me I would bring it into Greece, and back date the "sale" to a day before the actual entry to Greece. UNDERSTOOD - See above.
> ...


This whole process needs to be written out clearly for others I think!

Thanks!

Miles..(away)


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Hi there,

You MUST travel with the V5 and all insurance IN YOUR NAME, if you do not it will complicate things. (if it were in another name you would require consent papers etc.)

Do all the signatures in Greece on the V5 and I would suggest you backdate to a date just before the vehicle entered Greece. Unfortunately your buyer will have to wait for the "export form" to arrive from DVLA before he can go to customs, alternatively it could be worth taking photocopies of the V5, writing out a backdated sales receipt and if customs are helpful they may accept that.........it really depends on the person on duty on the day!!! Typical in Greece.......


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## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

Morning Grocer, I'll have a pound of apples this morning....

I now officially understand. You've been great. I hope we keep in touch as I would like to buy you a beer in Greece. 

I'm sure I'll have more questions for you later, but for now I have to deal with an Ebay seller who double sold the vehicle I'm buying.. You don't have a spare chopping board do you?!

Best Regards


Miles..(away)


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## Miles..(away) (Feb 5, 2011)

*... On my way.. to the Med..*

Hey Monsieur Grocer

It's been a long time.

I'm arriving in Greece next week armed with the V5, insurance, IDL, passport and ferry tickets. The V5 will be signed 'pre' entry.

I spoke to the DVLA and they corroborate the 'theory' behind the Export tear-off on the V5. 

The gentleman concerned in Greece will have to get it licenced, taxed and Greek MOT'd within 30 days. I'm guessing the tax / import tax / duty would be minimal as the car is 40 years old and worth monetarily nothing but it is legendarily priceless.

Have I missed anything? Probably, the small print.

What's the weather like?

Cheers

Miles..(away)


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Miles..(away) said:


> Hey Monsieur Grocer
> 
> It's been a long time.
> 
> ...


Greetings,
Just seen your message I have been in Italy for a few days. Hope all goes well for you, weather dry, cloudy but warm ave. 24 C. Italy on the other hand around Taranto was much hotter........


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## Chloerose (May 16, 2011)

Just quickly I had a car that was 20 years old and they wanted thousands of euros for Greek plates it was ridiculous. We scrapped it in the end. They worked out the price from when it was new


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