Motorcycles & MSVA

What tax class should an imported motorcycle use?

Reviewed 2026-07-10

Short answer

Use the DVLA tax class that matches the actual vehicle and tax treatment, usually motorcycle for normal bikes, or historic if it qualifies and you are applying for that class.

Official position

The V355/5 guidance says box 2 is the tax class and points to DVLA tax-class notes. GOV.UK historic-vehicle guidance says qualifying vehicles can apply for the historic tax class, but they must still be taxed even when there is no tax to pay.

What to do

Confirm whether the vehicle is a motorcycle, moped, tricycle, quadricycle or historic vehicle.

Use box 8 body type and box 9 wheelplan consistently with the tax class.

If claiming historic, gather age evidence and MOT exemption evidence if relevant.

Make box 2 tax class match the payment and tax period fields.

Common mistakes

Using petrol car or diesel car on a motorcycle application.
Claiming historic tax class without age evidence.
Treating trikes and quadricycles as ordinary two-wheel motorcycles without checking the category.