{"id":100304,"date":"2026-11-01T16:39:32","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T16:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/shipping-a-car-to-germany-from-uk"},"modified":"2026-11-01T16:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T16:48:30","slug":"shipping-a-car-to-germany-from-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/shipping-a-car-to-germany-from-uk","title":{"rendered":"Shipping a Car to Germany From the UK: Costs & Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shipping a Car to Germany From the UK: Methods, Ports and Paperwork<\/h1>\n\n

Shipping a car to Germany from the UK<\/strong> is routine freight, not an adventure — but the paperwork catches people out far more often than the sea does. This is how it works, what Germany requires at the other end, and what actually drives the price.<\/p>\n\n

The two ways to ship a car<\/h2>\n

Every car that leaves the UK goes one of two ways, and the choice sets both the cost and the risk.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n Two ways to do it<\/text>\n \n <\/rect>\n <\/rect>\n Roll-on roll-off (RoRo)<\/text>\n Driven on and off the ship<\/text>Cheapest option<\/text>Nothing may be left inside<\/text>Exposed to weather on deck<\/text>Must be a runner<\/text>\n \n <\/rect>\n <\/rect>\n Beh\u00e4lter<\/text>\n Sealed in a steel box<\/text>Costs more<\/text>Can be shared to split cost<\/text>Protected end to end<\/text>Takes non-runners<\/text>\n<\/svg>\n
RoRo suits a running everyday car. A container suits anything valuable, fragile or immobile.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n

RoRo is the default for a normal car in running order. A container earns its extra cost for a classic, a modified car, anything that will not start, or a vehicle whose paint you care about. Containers can also be shared, which brings the price closer to RoRo if your timing is flexible.<\/p>\n\n

Where it sails from and where it lands<\/h2>\n

From the UK, cars for Germany usually leave from Southampton, Immingham and Killingholme and arrive at Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Emden.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n LEAVES FROM<\/text>\n ARRIVES AT<\/text>\n <\/circle>\n Southampton<\/text><\/circle>\n Immingham<\/text><\/circle>\n Killingholme<\/text>\n <\/circle>\n Bremerhaven<\/text><\/circle>\n Hamburg<\/text><\/circle>\n Emden<\/text>\n <\/path>\n by sea<\/text>\n<\/svg>\n
The usual port pairs. Which one your shipment uses depends on the service you book, not on where you live.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Bremerhaven handles more finished vehicles than almost any port in Europe, so sailings from the UK are frequent and the terminal is built for cars rather than squeezing them in among boxes.<\/p>\n\n

What to do before the car leaves the UK<\/h2>\n
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  1. Settle any finance.<\/strong> A car on finance is not yours to export, and this is the single most common reason a shipment is stopped.<\/li>\n
  2. Empty it completely.<\/strong> No tools, no boot contents, no loose change. Anything inside is undeclared cargo and can hold the whole shipment.<\/li>\n
  3. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel.<\/strong> Enough to drive on and off, little enough to satisfy the line’s safety rules.<\/li>\n
  4. Hand over a key.<\/strong> RoRo requires it — the car is driven aboard by the terminal’s staff.<\/li>\n
  5. Notify DVLA of permanent export<\/strong> using the relevant section of the V5C, and keep the rest of the document: you will need it at the other end.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    What Germany requires on arrival<\/h2>\n

    This is the part worth checking before you book anything, because it varies by country and changes more often than shipping does. In broad terms, expect Germany to want some combination of:<\/p>\n