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How to Ship a Car from the USA to Europe
How to ship a car from the USA to Europe? If you’re on this page, there’s a very good chance you’re asking yourself that particular question. Whether the concept of shipping a car is entirely new to you, this post provides a complete guide. It’ll give you the background on the international shipping process, as well as what you can do to prepare for the shipping experience. You’ll learn about the different methods you can use to ship your car. You’ll read about the different taxes, duties, and charges you’ll be expected to pay. You’ll also learn about all the different paperwork you’ll need to fill out in order to have your car accepted into the country.
Let’s get started.
How to Ship a Car from USA to Europe: How Much Does it Cost?
Typically, the first question a person asks themselves when getting ready to do anything is “how much does it cost?” Shipping a car from the United States to Europe is no different. And the answer you receive will depend on several different factors.
First, the price you have quoted will depend on the make, model, and size of your car. Depending on where in Europe you are shipping to, your car will be expected to pay certain duties. The duties you pay will reflect your car, how old it is, what pollutants it releases, and whether it passes inspection.
Second, the price you pay will be determined by how you choose to ship your car. There are two primary ways to ship vehicles: Roll on Roll off (RoRo) shipping, and container shipping, which you choose will greatly determine the overall price you’re made to pay. You’ll learn more about each shipping method in another section of this blog.
Third, the price you pay will depend on the carrier you choose, the speed at which your car is shipped, and any other f features you decide to pay for.
It’s always respectable to use a local small business when you can, but when shipping a car from the USA to Europe, you may incur higher costs and fewer benefits. Whereas commercial shipping carriers have a fleet of large vessels they use to ship cars, a local small business most likely won’t. A small business may also not be able to offer you all the same resources a commercial shipping vehicle can.
Commercial shipping carriers are often able to offer low-cost insurance on your vehicle as well as provide real-time tracking. Though not offered by all commercial car shipping carriers, some will allow you to travel with your car to the destination port. Choosing this option will enable you to take a sea voyage and be with your car as you head to your new home in Europe.
Take a look at the table below to gain a general sense of what it costs to ship a car from the United States to other countries.
| To/From | Ground | Ocean | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY to (New York port) to Germany | $275 | $1,200 | 5+19 days |
| Los Angeles to (California port) to UK | $350 | $3,700 | 5+32 days |
| Las Vegas, NV to (California port) to New Zealand | $450 | $2,400 | 5+26 days |
| Portland, OR to (California port) to Puerto Rico | $475 | $3,300 | 6+20 days |
| Phoenix, AZ to (California port) to Hawaii | $550 | $2,000 | 6+15 days |
| Columbus, OH to (New York port) to Spain | $550 | $1,400 | 5+19 days |
| Detroit, MI to (New York port) to Argentina | $575 | $3,000 | 6+26 days |
| Chicago, IL to (New York port) to Costa Rica | $675 | $3,600 | 6+16 days |
| Miami, FL to (New York port) to Belgium | $925 | $1,200 | 7+18 days |
| Dallas, TX to (California port) to Australia | $1,025 | $1,500 | 7+30 days |
How to Ship a Car from USA to Europe: Choosing a Carrier
Deciding on a carrier may boil down to three simple factors: cost, services, and shipping routes.
When you are searching for a carrier to ship with, you’ll need to shop within your budget. Some carriers will charge more than others for the same services. The more research you do, the easier it will become for you to determine who you’d like to work with as you prepare to ship your car across the ocean.
The services the carrier provides will also play a role in determining who you’d like to work with. Some companies only offer RoRo shipping, whereas others provide both RoRo shipping and container shipping. If real-time tracking is important to you, you’ll also need to find a company that is able to provide this service. AES is a global shipping company that offers real-time tracking, RoRo, and container shipping, and offers insurance for your car.
The final, and largest factor in deciding your carrier, is whether they ship to the port you are traveling to. Though carriers may say they ship to every European country, it doesn’t mean they ship cars to every port in a given country. You’ll need to choose a carrier who is going to your destination port. Otherwise, you’ll need to plan to make up the difference in traveling from the destination port to where you are trying to get to. This will cause you to incur additional costs on top of shipping, taxes, and duties.
Shipping Methods: How to Ship a Car from USA to Europe
The shipping method you choose should relate to your budget, the type of car you’re shipping, and whether you are shipping only your car, or other items as well.
If you have a smaller budget for shipping your car, you’ll prefer to use RoRo shipping. This shipping is more basic and economical. It involves your car being rolled onto the ship, then rolled off the ship when it arrives at the destination port. RoRo shipping is safe, but your vehicle may be exposed to the natural elements during the vessel’s journey to Europe.
Container shipping, on the other hand, places your vehicle in a sealed container. Choosing container shipping is more expensive than RoRo shipping, but comes with the security of knowing your vehicle will not be disturbed during shipment. The cost you pay for container shipping is also dependent on whether you choose to share your container with another car, or have the container all to yourself. If you pay to have the container to yourself, you can also send additional personal belongings with your car.
Documents You’ll Need: How to Ship a Car from the USA to Europe
One of the most important topics when shipping your car from the USA to Europe is knowing what paperwork you’ll need to import your car. Each country may require you to fill out different forms, so it’s best to get a full idea of what will be required for you to send your car to its new destination. Some companies, such as AES, provide customer resources that allow them to do the work for you. Their trained agents have access to everything you will need to get your car into the country. You can also review the USA’s guide to exporting a motor vehicle to gain greater insights to what paperwork you may need.
Knowing How to Ship a Car from the USA to Europe
There are several things you’ll need to do when you are preparing to ship your car from the USA to Europe. You’ll need to make sure your car will be able to meet all of the European country’s guidelines. The best thing you can do to be certain your car will not have any issues being imported is to contact a customs’ agent for the country you plan to import your car into. A customs agent will be able to let you know every form you’ll need to import your car as well. For further reading, consider reviewing USA Customs’ Clearance Guide for full details on what you’ll need to do to get your car into your destination country.
Shipping Ports
Whenever you ship a car to another country, you have to know what ports you can ship to. Different shipment carriers ship cars to different ports. As you review the different shipping carriers in your budget, remember to keep in mind that whoever you choose will need to transport cargo to your chosen destination port. Doing a quick bit of research should enable you to what shipping carriers are shipping where. You also may want to take the time to determine if your budget falls within the range of companies that have worldwide ocean carrier partnerships, which typically ship to more ports than their less commercial shipping carriers.
What Import Duties You’ll Pay when Shipping from USA to Europe
Sometimes people get upset when their car ships from the United States to Europe. The reason? They thought that the shipping cost was everything that they’d be responsible for paying when their car is imported into the country. But, that’s not the case. When a car ships to another country, there are often multiple fees and duties the person will have to pay.
The more you know about the fees you may need to pay, the better you’ll be able to gauge the full cost of both shipping, and importing your car. Do your research, or consider using a shipping company that will do the research for you. Agents who work for shipping carriers are so familiar with the process of sending cars from the United States to European countries, they’ll know what taxes and duties you’ll be subjected to. And anything they don’t know, they’ll be able to find out very quickly.
Shipping carriers such as AES want to provide a hassle-free experience. That way, you won’t have to worry about unexpected charges or feeling confused during the shipping process.
Shipping Schedules
Schedules: they’re responsible for determining what happens and when. And shipping a car from the United States to Europe is no different. In a perfect world, shipping carriers would be able to have your car shipped the day after you decide car shipping is right for you. But the truth is, you may have to wait several days, or a week before you can ship your car. And that’s if you decide to go with a more commercial shipping carrier who has weekly sailings.
Local small business car shippers may make you wait longer to ship your car. It will depend on their schedule, the size of their vessels, and the current shipping demands.
It’s also important to understand the overall shipping process. The ship your car travels on will likely dock at other ports as it makes its way to its final destination port. Any timetable you are provided by the shipping carrier not only reflects the amount of time it takes to load your vehicle, ship your vehicle, and the time it may take for the ship to cross a crowded sea, or make other stops on its way to your final destination.
Import Requirements: When you Ship a Car from the USA to Europe
The import requirements for every country are different. Before you prepare to ship your car to a particular country, be certain you have a full understanding of the country’s import requirements. Some countries will only import a vehicle if its a certain year, make, and model. Knowing the rules and regulations for the European country you are shipping to will help you remain confident and stress-free when you ship your car overseas.
Traveling With Your Vehicle
Not every shipping carrier will offer this as an option, but sometimes you are allowed to travel with your car as it makes its way to the destination port. This option may be of interest to you if you’d like to take a maiden voyage from the United States to Europe. Of course, if you choose this option, you’ll also have to pay a higher price. The shipping carrier will need to provide you with room and board as well as food to eat as you and your car make your way to the destination port.
Getting Insurance: When you Ship a Car from the USA to Europe
One of the most important things to do when you are shipping your car from the United States to Europe is to get insurance. Though both RoRo shipping and container shipping is safe, it’s better to have your vehicle by insurance. That way, if anything does go wrong, you won’t have to worry about what’s happened to your car. If you’ve been considering using a cheaper shipping carrier that does not offer insurance for car shipments, be certain you are weighing the risk of what may happen to your vehicle during transit.
Want to learn more about the importance of insuring your car as it travels across the sea? Consider Car Insurance Comparison’s detailed article on Insurance for Shipping a Car Overseas. The article calls attention to the many reasons why it’s important for you to ensure your vehicle as it makes its way across the ocean.
Conclusion
This post has covered both large and small subjects related to the experience you’ll have when getting ready to ship your car from the USA to Europe. Some of the decisions you’ll make will be larger than others. Choosing your shipping carrier will determine how much additional work you’ll need to do. Choosing to use a company such as AES will enable you to work with trained professionals who will do the customs’ for you. They’ll also be able to answer any questions you have about taxes, duties, or any other costs you’ll incur when preparing to ship your car from the USA to Europe.
