Cost to import a static caravan or mobile home from the UK: duty, VAT and transport (post-Brexit)
Importing a static caravan from the UK to Portugal, Spain or France means import duty on the unit and import VAT at the destination rate (23% in Portugal, 21% in Spain, 20% in France), shown separately. With Green Village the duty and the transport are already included in the delivered catalogue price, and the paperwork is handled for you.
The UK is Europe's largest source of good-condition used mobile homes and static caravans — in our 2 October 2026 stock, the median used unit cost about a third (≈ 35%) of the median new one. Since Brexit, buying one of these units and bringing it to Portugal, Spain or France is no longer a simple purchase within the EU: it has become a formal import, with a customs declaration, customs duty and import VAT. You can browse the used static caravans for sale now, each with photos and a price.
The good news: any import duty on a unit imported from the UK is already included in the final price — there is nothing extra to pay at customs. This guide explains exactly what changes, which documents you need, how much it costs and how Green Village handles the entire process as an end-to-end operator.
What changed with Brexit
Before Brexit, a mobile home bought in the UK moved freely to any EU country with no customs — like any goods within the single market. Since 1 January 2021, the UK is a third country: every unit entering the EU must be declared to the customs authorities of the destination country.
In practice, this means three new things: (1) an import customs declaration, (2) payment of import duty on the unit's customs value, and (3) payment of import VAT in the country where the unit will be installed. None of these prevent the import — they simply require an operator who knows how to handle the paperwork correctly.
Customs duty: included for units from the UK
Since Brexit, a mobile home, static caravan or park home coming from the UK (brands such as Willerby, ABI, Swift, Cosalt, Atlas, among others) is a third-country import: it needs a full customs declaration and pays EU customs duty on its customs value, plus import VAT in the destination country.
Green Village handles the whole customs process and pays the duty as the importer. Any import duty is already included in the final price shown for your country, so you pay nothing extra at customs.
Import VAT still applies
Besides the duty, import VAT is due at the rate of the country where the unit is cleared through customs and installed, calculated on the customs value plus the duty. It is the largest tax component of the operation and varies by destination — Green Village shows it separately on each listing (price + VAT), so there are no hidden surprises:
| Destination country | Import VAT rate |
|---|---|
| Portugal | 23% |
| Spain | 21% |
| France | 20% |
| Netherlands | 21% |
| Germany | 19% |
| Italy | 22% |
The paperwork: handled for you
The paperwork, including the importer's EORI number, defines a well-executed mobile home import. Green Village handles all of it as part of the service:
- Transport documentation — Green Village prepares and manages the consignment paperwork that accompanies the unit from collection to delivery.
- Customs declaration — Green Village submits the import declaration to the destination country's customs; this is where the duty (already in your price) and the import VAT are settled.
- EORI — the importer's economic operator number, required to clear customs in the EU. Green Village imports under its own EORI (PT518231585), so the customer does not need to have one.
How the transport works
Transport is organised by Mobile Home Logistic, Green Village's logistics division, and is included in the delivered price, together with customs clearance.
Moving an oversized unit without an experienced operator is harder than it looks, which is one of the reasons buyers choose to let Green Village handle the whole journey instead of arranging it privately.
Timelines and import routes
Green Village catalogue prices are delivered prices with transport and customs clearance included; VAT is shown separately (price + VAT, as on every listing). No hidden costs. The timeline for your unit and route is confirmed in your quote.
The process, from start to finish
As an end-to-end operator, Green Village looks after the unit from selection in the UK to installation on your plot. In practice, the journey looks like this:
How to import a mobile home from the UK to the EU
- Choose the unit. Select the mobile home or static caravan from the catalogue, with an inspection report and detailed photographs.
- Confirm origin and destination. Confirm where the unit is coming from and the country of installation, which sets the import VAT rate.
- Handle the paperwork. We handle the transport paperwork and prepare the customs declaration, importing under the operator's EORI.
- Arrange transport. Mobile Home Logistic organises transport from origin to the destination plot.
- Clear customs and pay the VAT. Submit the customs declaration, settle the import duty and the import VAT at the destination country's rate, and release the unit.
- Deliver and install. Deliver to the plot and install — placement, levelling and connection to the existing water, power and sewer points, leaving the unit ready to use.
In summary
- UK units pay EU customs duty, already included in the final price.
- Import VAT applies at the destination country's rate (PT 23%, ES 21%, FR 20%).
- Paperwork: transport documentation and the customs declaration, both handled for you.
- Transport is organised by Mobile Home Logistic and included in the delivered price.
- Green Village imports under its own EORI and handles the entire end-to-end process.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to import a static caravan from the UK?
Importing a static caravan from the UK means import duty, import VAT at the destination rate (23% in Portugal, 21% in Spain, 20% in France) and transport. With Green Village the duty and the transport are already included in the delivered catalogue price, VAT is shown separately (price + VAT, as on every listing), and the paperwork is handled for you.
Do I pay customs duty when importing a mobile home from the UK?
Yes. Since Brexit, mobile homes imported from the UK pay EU customs duty on their customs value. With Green Village you pay nothing extra at customs: the duty is already included in the final price, and we handle the full customs declaration.
Do I have to pay VAT when importing from the UK?
Yes — import VAT is due at the rate of the country where the unit is cleared through customs and installed: 23% in Portugal, 21% in Spain, 20% in France, 21% in the Netherlands, 19% in Germany and 22% in Italy. With Green Village the import duty and the transport are already inside the delivered catalogue price, and VAT is shown separately on top, so there is nothing hidden to budget for.
Which documents do I need to import a static caravan from the UK?
The essential paperwork covers transport documentation and the import customs declaration, both handled by Green Village. An importer's EORI number is also required — Green Village imports under its own EORI, so the customer does not need to deal with this step.
How long does importing from the UK take?
It depends on the route and on customs clearance; Green Village confirms the timeline for your unit in the quote.