Covid 19 prompt!!

[Loudoun]

Well its been just over a year since i purchased a 1970 A65 Lightning LA which is a import and has been laid up for around 20 years we think, when i got hold of her the guy that owned her had done a fair bit, the top end had already been done, head,valves bores,pistons,etc, when i got her home i started to have a closer look he had explained that he had just put loosely together for selling purposes, which is fine i asked if he had done anything to the bottom end no was the answer,Whoops! i pulled the engine out and stripped it down........ regrind crank, little ends,big ends,mains and all other bearings, sludge trap,balance crank and rods, SRM oil pump, and the storey just goes on and on and ONNN. Well with Covid 19 and bit of time on my hands so the re-build starts,   3 weeks later  all back together first kick after a tickle up she fires up!! the new wassel elctronic ignition works fine, a bit of a tweak on the carbs and a new clutch cable and adjusting ferrel in the case all ok rode it around the property and our lane all seems good, ; ; i have attached a couple of pics of what she looks like now. Beleive me theres a lot more parts been fitted to the bike than mentioned above. Just got to get it Registered with DVLA now the NOVA has been paid so hopefully shouldnt be to much of a pain. 

[Allan G]

I have a question on the Nova, I need to apply for one on my bike as it didn't come with one.

Did you buy your bike from a British seller, and did you have to apply for the Nova yourself? What was involved?

Many thanks

[Loudoun]

Morning Allan, yes he registered it with H&M rev and customs and paid for the NOVA, i have now got the back side ache of registering with DVLA funny enough i filled in the forms last night so many questions that dont apply but we will have to wait and see what happens

[Allan G]

Thankyou, although I was hoping you was going to say "yes I had to do xyz" with the NOVA dealt with you'll be on the home straight.

[Loudoun]

You would think so    lets see what happens

[JulianS]

Latest from DVLA - dont send paper applications until further notice;

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid-19-update

[Loudoun]

hi i have tried to ring the DVLA but no phone numbers go through, their automated message said go onto there website to sort it out! its a mine field! i just keep going around in circles

[Allan G]

The website is horrible. When I looked for the nova, to have an import from outside Europe it had a link for a vat registered company and nothing else, but anyone could register from Europe.

[berniej]

Just on the subject of NOVA and my experience with it....

It's usually the importer that registers it and obtains the paperwork. This requires a Government Gateway account to allow you to log in to the site.
If you've bought a bike without one it may be that it was never applied for and it's possible that you may not be able to create one for it.

I bought a mixed basket case a few years ago, B31 frame and cycle parts and M21 engine. No paperwork at all and they'd been brought in from Zimbabwe 'under the radar'.

In the end I took pictures of the parts and wrote a letter to HMRC asking them to assess for VAT. They wrote bck to say good luck with it and no VAT payment required.
That letter was sufficient for DVLA - along with the usual V55 and club dating certificate etc.

Might be an option for you if all else fails.

Cheers,
Bernie

[Allan G]

Many thanks Bernie, do you have any contact details?

[JulianS]

HMRC have a VAT help line 0300 200 3719. Whether still working I cannot say.

[Loudoun]

Phone number just rings and rings

[Bess]

Hi,
    I built 2 A65's without a NOVA for the frames, I didn't know the frames returned from the USA, this is how I overcame the issues:

I got a valuation for the frame only (if you have a whole bike a valuation for the whole bike. You can try to offset the VAT from the parts you bought in this country from the receipts). If you have a receipt for the purchase of the bike all well and good but you may have to pay back taxes for not declaring it after import. So it's less of risk to ask a friendly garage to give a valuation on headed paper. I went with an advert of a similar frame advertised in the USA to give the garage evidence. The valuation will be the base for the VAT payable for the NOVA so a low valuation is key. They did on my second bike want a valuation on the completed bike, I was lucky enough to persuade them not to pursue this as the tax bill will be large. When or if they ask the frame was complete with forks, steering, swinging arm and hubs or you may get a Q plate. The VAT bill is around 4% of the valuation.

Obtain and complete a C&E 109 form https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/374153/ce109.pdf

A C88/ESS form https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/386159/c88-ess.pdf
BSAOC vehicle report.

Send to ecsm.nchcars@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk with a covering letter asking to pay the required duty and assistance to obtain a NOVA.

They will calculate the duty and give a link to pay online, when paid the NOVA will be emailed to print and send along with the registration documentation.

Beware, C88/ESS is linked to Europe and I don't know what the future holds. It may be no duty will be payable after the deadline or everything will be on hold or the VAT rate will increase in line with WTO.

Good luck from me and if needed I can help with completing the forms. The delay between correspondence was always 10 days, so if something is wrong or they need further information 10 days later you will be told and the whole process starts again. Be patient and polite and things will go smoothly.

Best  wishes...

[Allan G]

Many thanks for the help, I was looking at getting a dating certificate to send off at the same time. It started its life as a frame when it came to me, it's now almost a complete bike, but virtually everything is original period parts. It's a 71 so a lot of the triumph oif parts also fit (thank god). I've painted the odd part as it made sense to do so whilst we had the nice weather.

I believe stating it was bought as a complete bike will cost me a little more in vat but might stop me getting the Q plate, especially if supported by the dating cert.

[Bess]

Hi,
    As said, I never knew the frames came from the USA until I got a dating certificate from the owners club. I had them for spares and my son and I decided to make them up as fun bikes to ride on the moors. The first bike took 6 months to get a registration mainly because I didn't know what I was doing, some let downs and I was asked for information in steps never as a whole. The first frame I submitted I wasn't asked, the second they asked if the frame included the forks, steering, swinging arm and hubs. It will be wise to submit an application for these parts as your VAT bill will be under £50. If you submit the whole bike your bill could be in the region of £200, and apart from the frame you purchased the majority of parts in the UK, you have already paid VAT. More importantly you are being truthful if you are questioned further.

Remember you may have to pay back taxes on the frame for not declaring it after import, which is £5 per day for not informing HMRC of import of a motor vehicle within 14 days of it being imported.

The questions that may come are, when did you acquire it? Did you import it? If you imported it, have you a receipt? If you never imported it, who did and have they got a receipt? Did you buy the frame in the UK unbeknown of its history? Who was the seller, they should have given you the NOVA.

Best wishes...