Car registration from England
Car registration from England Cars from the UK – Regulations 2023-04-06 Cars from England are still popular among Polish and European drivers, although there have been a lot of changes in the import regulations and rules recently. As of 01/01/2021, Great Britain lost its membership status of the European Union, and therefore the registration of a car from Great Britain is the same as in the case of buying a car from other countries outside the EU. So how to register an “Englishman” in Poland? We explain below! In this article Contents: Can I register a car from England in Poland? How to register a car from England in Poland? Vehicle registration from Great Britain – formalities. Car registration from England – documents. Can I register a car from England in Poland? Registering a car from Great Britain is possible and usually does not involve any major problems. The buyer must take into account the need for several technical modifications to adapt the vehicle to the conditions of driving on the right side of the road. Importantly, since August 2015, buyers are not required to move the steering wheel and pedals from right to left . You can make such changes and the car will also be registered, but the decision is entirely up to the buyer. How to register a car from England in Poland? Before a vehicle imported from Great Britain is allowed to be registered in Poland, it must be adapted to driving conditions on Polish roads: changing the headlight setting – modifying the direction of lighting the roadway with an emphasis on the right side so as not to dazzle other road users, rear fog light – must be moved from right to left, speedometer – due to the use of a different measurement system in Great Britain, speedometers there indicate values expressed in miles, not kilometers. Before the car is registered in Poland, the device must be replaced. mirrors – the glass in the mirrors should be replaced so that the driver’s field of vision is wide enough. In addition, an imported right-hand drive car should: be registered in England for the first time before 31/12/2020, come from another European Union country, have M1 approval category or EC approval, be intended for the transport of persons, have at least 4 wheels, have a maximum of 9 seats, including the driver, be suitable for driving at a speed of at least 40 km/h. Car registration from Great Britain – formalities The process of registering an imported car is very similar to any other registration in Poland. Within a maximum of 30 days from the date of importing the car, you should go to the appropriate office, which may be the poviat office, the city office (for cities with poviat rights) or the district office, if the registration is to take place in Warsaw. In the first stage, the buyer will obtain a term registration for 30 days, after which the proper registration will take place. Within these 30 days, the authority will review the information about the vehicle and the documentation submitted. Car registration from England – documents The buyer is obliged to present a set of documents to the competent authority: application for car registration – to be downloaded from the website of the office or on site at the office, V5C registration document, confirmation of excise duty payment, confirmation of vehicle ownership – e.g. purchase and sale agreement, invoice, current technical examination, current liability insurance policy, existing license plates, proof of identity of the owner or owners (all co-owners are required to appear at the office), proof of payment of the registration fee. It is worth remembering that all documents issued in English must be translated by a sworn translator. Looking for a company you can trust? If you want to talk about cooperation – contact us! We guarantee you the highest level of service and professional advice. contact us
ABI categories – what is it?
ABI categories – what is it? Cars from the UK – Regulations 2023-04-06 ABI categories is a term that potential buyers of cars from England may have come across while browsing through used car sales offers. What are these categories and what do they mean? It is worth finding out so as not to make a fatal mistake when buying a car. What are ABI categories? What do the different categories mean? What to look for when buying an accident car from England? Related topics you may be interested in: What is SORN and when do you need it? What is V5C and what does it look like? Insurance of an “Englishman” in Poland What are ABI categories? ABI stands for Association of British Insurers, which is the UK’s leading trade association that established insurance companies. It was the insurance companies that introduced the categorisation of accident vehicles, which relates to the degree of their damage. The vehicle’s belonging to the selected ABI category determines whether the car can be registered and how it will be insured. What do the different categories mean? The following table explains the individual designations: Category: AND Development:‘scrap’ Description:Cars that have been completely destroyed, with the impossibility of repair. The only value in their case is the possible recovery of spare parts. Destined for scrap. Possibility of registration in Poland:NO Category: B Development:‘break’ Description:Accident cars damaged beyond repair, but with the possibility of obtaining spare parts. Possibility of registration in Poland:NO Category: S Development:‘structural’ Description:Cars with frame damage, but still with the possibility of repair and further use. Possibility of registration in Poland:YES Category: N Development:‘non-structural’ Description:Previous category D – accident cars, the structure of which was not damaged. Possibility of registration in Poland:YES What to look for when buying an accident car from England? Knowing the ABI category is essential if you are looking for a used or salvage car. Be especially vigilant about these vehicles and gather as much information as possible: vehicle history accident photos detailed description of accident damage access to the documentation of the insurance company what parts were replaced as part of the repair after the accident where the repairs were made – is there documentation that confirms the list of work performed? If the car is to be used after purchase, it is a good idea to hire an inspector on site who will confirm the declared technical condition of the vehicle. Admittedly, this is an additional cost, but in the case of very attractive offers it always pays off. Looking for a company you can trust? If you want to talk about cooperation – contact us! We guarantee you the highest level of service and professional advice. contact us
Insurance of an “Englishman” in Poland
Insurance of an “Englishman” in Poland Cars from the UK – Regulations, Documents, Finances 2023-04-06 Although often the reason for importing a car from Great Britain to Poland is the desire to obtain parts, this is not a rule. Cars with the steering wheel on the right side may have their avid supporters who like to drive them also on continental roads, regardless of any complications and inconveniences. Like any vehicle, such a car requires insurance and registration to be allowed to drive. What does “Englishman’s” insurance look like in practice and what costs can be expected? How to insure the “Englishman”? How much does UK car insurance cost? Why is civil liability insurance more expensive? You will find all the answers below. We invite you to read! You may also be interested in: ABI categories – what is it? What is SORN and when do you need it? What is V5C and what does it look like? How To Insure The “Englishman”? The condition for obtaining a Polish registration number for a car imported from the British Isles is the introduction of several modifications to the vehicle’s construction (read also: Registration of a car from England in Poland). Exactly the same changes are expected by insurance companies before they agree to conclude an OC or AC policy. Modifications do not interfere with the construction of the car and in the case of popular models they do not cost more than PLN 2,000. More will have to be invested in modifications if they concern more expensive, new or niche cars. What modifications are we talking about: headlight adjustment replacement of cartridges in the mirrors relocation of the rear fog lamp to the left side speedometer replacement As you can see, the information about the need to move the steering wheel from the right to the left side is missing from the above list – because it has not been done since 2015. After completing the above works, no company will refuse to insure your “Englishman”. How much does “Englishman” insurance cost in Poland? Concluding an insurance policy for a car from England looks exactly the same as for a car bought in Poland. The most advantageous offer can be found at the intermediary’s office, via the hotline or by contacting selected companies directly. There are even legends about the costs of such insurance – some sources say that the policy can be 300% more expensive, others that not necessarily. Where is the truth? It is difficult to clearly determine how much the policy costs and how much more expensive it is between the imported and native car, because many variables are taken into account here. Technical data of the vehicle, place of registration, experience and age of the driver – these are selected factors that affect the cost of insurance. Some examples of offers are presented below: Toyota Yaris – Diesel – 1.3 engine: standard OC PLN 400 / OC “Englishman” 713 PLN. Audi A3 – Petrol – 2.0 engine: standard liability insurance PLN 469 / civil liability insurance PLN 821 Honda Civic – Petrol – 1.4 engine: standard OC PLN 410 / OC “Englishman” PLN 687. The calculations provided come from the Mubi comparison website from January 2022. The hypothetical driver here is a man aged 37, who has had a driving license for 17 years and has not reported any damage in the past year. What are the differences in the rates offered, depending on the vehicle registration address? Cheapest offers: Offers in Poznań: from PLN 383 Offers in Warsaw: from PLN 391 Offers in Lublin: PLN 390 Offers in Starogard Gdański: PLN 395 Why is civil liability insurance more expensive? From the point of view of the insurer, the design of the car imported from Great Britain affects the level of safety of the driver and passengers. If the buyer does not decide to switch the steering wheel from right to left, then many maneuvers will be difficult. The first one that will probably come to your mind is overtaking – which is also risky for continental cars. Nevertheless, the costs of the policy are proportionate, as always – cheaper, older, smaller cars can still be insured at a relatively low cost. Looking for a company you can trust? If you want to talk about cooperation – contact us! We guarantee you the highest level of service and professional advice. contact us
What is SORN and when do you need it?
What is SORN and when do you need it? Cars from the UK – Regulations, Documents 2023-04-06 SORN is one of those principles that have no equivalent in Polish law. When buying a car in the UK, you can come across such a term, which is why we will explain what it means, who it applies to and when it is necessary to report the car to SORN. What will you learn from this article? What is SORN? When is it necessary to report a vehicle to SORN? How to de-register a car? Also read: Car registration from England Insurance of an “Englishman” in Poland ABI categories – what is it? What is SORN? The term is an abbreviation for ‘Statutory Off Road Notification’, i.e. a statement about the exclusion of a vehicle from traffic – for example a passenger car or van. By making this declaration, you are telling the DVLA that your car: is not and will not be used in the near future, is parked on private property – e.g. in a driveway or in a garage, A prerequisite for registering a car as SORN is parking it off public roads. For what purpose can such a declaration be made? Most often to avoid having to pay tax and insurance for a car that is not used . Moreover, if you have already paid the tax, you will receive a refund for each full unused month. However, you should remember to tax the car again before it gets back on the road. The exception is when you have to complete formalities such as technical inspection or another mandatory type of fitness test (e.g. ordered by the manufacturer). When is SORN necessary? In certain circumstances, deregistering your vehicle is not only a good idea, but a necessity: the car is not taxed, the car has not been insured – even if the break in insurance is short and occurred, for example, due to a delay in renewing the policy, you intend to dismantle the car for parts before it is scrapped, you buy a car that you will not use and you will park it away from the public road. Buying a car from SORN It should be emphasized that SORN does not pass from one vehicle owner to another (buyer). So if you buy a car that has been deregistered and you also do not intend to use it temporarily, you must register it as SORN. How to deregister a car? The procedure for deregistering an unused vehicle is very simple. The form can be completed and sent online at sorn.service.gov.uk. It is worth making sure that the user details shown on the V5C document are up to date, because the office will use them to send the tax refund. If necessary, you can update the address here: https://www.gov.uk/change-address-v5c. To apply, you need basic information about the vehicle, such as the 16-digit V11 number. By post – if you intend to register a car registered in a name other than your name, you must send this statement to the DVLA by post. Form V890 (downloadable from gov.uk) is appropriate. By phone – there is a 24-hour line on 0300 123 4321. When will the notification take effect? You have the option to deregister the vehicle immediately or from the first day of the following month. Looking for a company you can trust? If you want to talk about cooperation – contact us! We guarantee you the highest level of service and professional advice. contact us
Driving “Englishman” in Poland
Driving “Englishman” in Poland Cars from the UK – Regulations, Guide 2023-04-06 For some, a higher standard at a better price, for others a unique, rare model. There can be as many motivations to buy a car from Great Britain as there are drivers. Some return to Poland with their cars after years spent in emigration, others decide to buy and import with the help of professional companies. There are quite a lot of “English” enthusiasts and not all of them consider the steering wheel spacer to be an absolute necessity. Do you have to do it? Let’s take a look at what the drivers themselves think about it. In this article you will learn: Do you have to do a spacer between the pedals and the steering wheel? Do you need to insure a car from England? How is “English” handled? A car from Great Britain and the work of a driver Handlebar spacer and regulations Until August 2015, a car buyer from England had to make changes to the vehicle design so that the steering wheel and pedals were on the left side of the car. Otherwise, insurance companies could not provide a policy for such a vehicle. So it was equal to excluding it from use (although not completely, which will be discussed in more detail later in the article). However, the regulations have changed, so now you do not need to move the steering wheel or change the position of the pedals. Drivers can buy and use a car from Great Britain on Polish roads, without fear of consequences or unpleasantness from the law. UK car and insurance We have already written about what procedures apply when buying a car policy from England here: “Englishman’s” insurance . It is worth emphasizing, however, that changing the registration and insurance company is not necessary, although certain conditions must be met. What are the conditions? Of course, current technical examinations, registration and policy completed in the British Isles. So the car is registered, it is also insured with a third-party liability policy, but they are still British plates and a British company. As you can easily guess, this is a convenient solution, but it will not always be good due to the large differences in the cost of maintaining a vehicle in England and Poland. If you live in Great Britain and visit Poland as part of your holiday – you do not have to worry about registration and insurance. How to drive a car from England? We already know that from the point of view of regulations, it is not necessary to change the side of the steering wheel and pedals from right to left. But is such a car comfortable to drive and, above all, is it safe? If we take a closer look at the opinions of the drivers themselves, we will notice that there is no unanimity here. Opinions are divided especially in the case of maneuvers such as overtaking other vehicles or collecting parking tickets from machines. In both situations, the infrastructure favors cars of the European type, which is associated with certain inconveniences. Overtaking requires greater distance and caution, especially if the driver is not supported by a passenger sitting next to him on the left. However, this is not an impossible maneuver, and some drivers even consider it safer this way. How is this possible? Less comfort when overtaking is an effective stimulus, discouraging this manoeuvre. Drivers decide to take their foot off the accelerator and calmly follow the slower vehicle. Drivers notice that the biggest inconvenience in driving a car with the steering wheel on the right side is the moment of collecting the ticket – at the entrance to the motorway or in the car park with an automatic payment system. If the driver is traveling alone, he or she must get out of the car and walk around it, or exercise to reach the machine from the passenger seat. What about other traffic situations? In principle, there is not much difference whether you drive a European car or not. Moving around cities or beyond them is no different, it only requires mastering the operation of the car. “Englishman” and the work of the driver Interesting conclusions have some drivers, especially those for whom driving has become a source of income. In their opinion, it is worth getting used to driving both right and left-hand cars, because it gives prospects for finding a good job in Poland or in Great Britain. While it would be difficult to acquire such skills in a truck, a passenger car, and even a van, can be bought without any problems. is it worth it? The number of job offers for professional drivers speaks for itself: job offers for drivers. International drivers are undoubtedly a profession with prospects, and business trips to England are more than certain here. Looking for a company you can trust? If you want to talk about cooperation – contact us! We guarantee you the highest level of service and professional advice. contact us