{"id":99677,"date":"2026-10-22T17:10:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T17:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/shipping-a-car-from-usa-to-uk"},"modified":"2026-10-22T20:01:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T20:01:39","slug":"shipping-a-car-from-usa-to-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/shipping-a-car-from-usa-to-uk","title":{"rendered":"Shipping a Car from the USA to the UK: Costs, Import Tax and Registration (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<head><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n            \"headline\": \"Shipping a Car from the USA to the UK: Costs, Import Tax and Registration (2026)\",\n            \"description\": \"Shipping a car from the USA to the UK in 2026: container vs ro-ro costs, transit times, import duty and VAT, ToR relief, IVA testing and DVLA registration.\",\n            \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/shipping-a-car-from-usa-to-uk\",\n            \"image\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/AdobeStock_306854990-1024x682.jpeg\",\n            \"datePublished\": \"2026-10-22\",\n            \"dateModified\": \"2026-10-22\",\n            \"inLanguage\": \"en-GB\",\n            \"author\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\"\n            },\n            \"publisher\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\",\n                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n            \"mainEntity\": [\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How much does it cost to ship a car from the USA to the UK?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Ro-ro from the US east coast typically costs about $1,200&ndash;$2,000, plus inland transport, insurance, UK port fees and any duty and VAT.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How long does shipping a car from the US to the UK take?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"About 10&ndash;14 days at sea from the east coast, and 4&ndash;8 weeks in total including collection and registration.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Do I pay import tax on a car from the USA?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT, unless you qualify for Transfer of Residence relief or historic vehicle status.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Do American cars need modifying for the UK?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Usually just the headlights and rear indicators. Newer cars need an IVA test.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Can I ship personal belongings in the car?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Only in a container, and they must be declared. Ro-ro shipments normally have to be empty.\"\n                    }\n                }\n            ]\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n<\/head><div class=\"ch-post\"><p class=\"ch-updated\">Derni\u00e8re mise \u00e0 jour : 22 octobre 2026<\/p><p><strong>Importing an American car into the UK is easier than many people think.<\/strong> Whether you are moving home with your family car, buying a classic muscle car, or bringing back a pickup, thousands of vehicles cross the Atlantic every year. This guide explains how shipping a car from the USA to the UK works in 2026, what it costs, and how to get it legally on British roads.<\/p><h2>Ro-ro or container?<\/h2><div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Method<\/th><th>How it works<\/th><th>Typical cost (east coast to UK)<\/th><th>Id\u00e9al pour<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Roll-on roll-off (ro-ro)<\/td><td>Driven onto a car-carrier ship, like a floating multi-storey car park<\/td><td>From around US$1,200&ndash;2,000<\/td><td>Running cars, budget moves<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Shared container<\/td><td>Your car shares a 40ft container with 2&ndash;3 others<\/td><td>Around US$1,500&ndash;2,500<\/td><td>Good protection at a fair price<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sole-use container<\/td><td>Your car alone in a 20ft or 40ft container<\/td><td>Around US$2,500&ndash;4,000+<\/td><td>Classics, high-value cars, cars with personal effects<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><p>Shipping from the west coast via the Panama Canal costs more and takes longer. Add inland trucking in the US, which can cost several hundred to over a thousand dollars, plus UK port and handling fees.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_306854990-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"Cars driving onto a roll-on roll-off vessel\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Cars driving onto a roll-on roll-off vessel\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Ro-ro ships carry cars across the Atlantic like a floating car park.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>How long does it take?<\/h2><ul><li><strong>East coast<\/strong> (New York\/New Jersey, Baltimore, Savannah) <strong>to Southampton, Bristol or Liverpool:<\/strong> about 10&ndash;14 days at sea<\/li><li><strong>West coast<\/strong> (Los Angeles, Long Beach) <strong>to the UK:<\/strong> about 4&ndash;6 weeks<\/li><li><strong>Overall:<\/strong> allow 4&ndash;8 weeks from collection to UK registration<\/li><\/ul><h2>Import duty and VAT<\/h2><p>If you are <strong>not<\/strong> moving to the UK, expect to pay:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Import duty<\/strong> of 10% for most cars (on the value plus shipping and insurance)<\/li><li><strong>VAT<\/strong> of 20% on the total, including duty<\/li><\/ul><p>If you are <strong>moving to the UK<\/strong> and have owned and used the car abroad for at least six months, you may qualify for <strong>Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief<\/strong>, with no duty or VAT. Apply on HMRC&rsquo;s ToR1 form before the car arrives.<\/p><p><strong>Classic cars:<\/strong> vehicles over 30 years old, in original condition, may qualify as historic. That means no duty and 5% import VAT.<\/p><p>Always check current rates on the HMRC website, because they can change.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cargo-Ship-Travel-Cargoholidays1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Container ship loaded with shipping containers\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Container ship loaded with shipping containers\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Container shipping protects classic and high-value cars.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Making a US car road-legal in the UK<\/h2><ol><li><strong>Notify DVLA and HMRC<\/strong> using the NOVA system within 14 days of arrival.<\/li><li><strong>Pass an approval test.<\/strong> Cars under 10 years old usually need an IVA test (Individual Vehicle Approval). Older cars need an MOT.<\/li><li><strong>Modify lights.<\/strong> US headlights dip the wrong way for UK roads, and amber rear indicators are required. A speedometer showing mph is fine.<\/li><li><strong>Insure the car.<\/strong> Specialist import insurers often give better rates.<\/li><li><strong>Register with the DVLA<\/strong> using form V55\/5, with your proof of approval, insurance and ID. You then receive UK number plates.<\/li><\/ol><h2>Cost of shipping a car from the USA to the UK: example<\/h2><div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Item<\/th><th>Example cost<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Inland transport to port (US)<\/td><td>$500&ndash;$1,200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ro-ro shipping, east coast to UK<\/td><td>$1,200&ndash;$2,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marine insurance (1.5&ndash;2.5% of value)<\/td><td>$300&ndash;$750<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>UK port and handling fees<\/td><td>&pound;300&ndash;&pound;600<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Duty and VAT (no ToR relief, $20,000 car)<\/td><td>about &pound;5,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>IVA or MOT plus modifications<\/td><td>&pound;300&ndash;&pound;1,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Registration and plates<\/td><td>&pound;55&ndash;&pound;100<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><h2>Shipping a car from the UK to the USA<\/h2><p>Going the other way is also common. The US has strict rules: cars must meet federal safety and emissions standards unless they are <strong>25 years old or more<\/strong>. Non-residents can import a car temporarily for up to a year. Speak to a specialist before you buy a car to export.<\/p><h2>Tips for a smooth shipment<\/h2><ul><li><strong>Get the paperwork right:<\/strong> the original title, bill of sale and your passport<\/li><li><strong>Keep the fuel tank at a quarter full or less<\/strong> and remove personal items for ro-ro<\/li><li><strong>Photograph the car<\/strong> from all angles before collection<\/li><li><strong>Use a shipper that handles UK customs clearance<\/strong>, or appoint a UK customs agent<\/li><\/ul><p>Moving to the UK yourself? You could even cross the Atlantic by sea, on a cargo ship sailing to the UK. See our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/freighter-travel-from-the-uk\/\">voyages en cargo au d\u00e9part du Royaume-Uni<\/a> et <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/boat-from-uk-to-usa\/\">boats between the UK and USA<\/a>.<\/p><h2>Foire aux questions<\/h2><div class=\"ch-faq\"><h3>How much does it cost to ship a car from the USA to the UK?<\/h3><p>Ro-ro from the US east coast typically costs about $1,200&ndash;$2,000, plus inland transport, insurance, UK port fees and any duty and VAT.<\/p><h3>How long does shipping a car from the US to the UK take?<\/h3><p>About 10&ndash;14 days at sea from the east coast, and 4&ndash;8 weeks in total including collection and registration.<\/p><h3>Do I pay import tax on a car from the USA?<\/h3><p>Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT, unless you qualify for Transfer of Residence relief or historic vehicle status.<\/p><h3>Do American cars need modifying for the UK?<\/h3><p>Usually just the headlights and rear indicators. Newer cars need an IVA test.<\/p><h3>Can I ship personal belongings in the car?<\/h3><p>Only in a container, and they must be declared. Ro-ro shipments normally have to be empty.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"ch-cta\"><strong>Moving to the UK by sea?<\/strong><p>Your car can sail, and so can you. We&rsquo;ll check cargo ships with passenger cabins on your route.<\/p><a class=\"ch-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/sinformer-pour-une-croisiere-cargo\/\">Ask about a transatlantic cabin &rarr;<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<style>\n.ch-post{font-family:inherit;line-height:1.7;color:#1f2937;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}\n.ch-post h2{font-size:1.6em;margin:1.8em 0 .6em;color:#0b2545;border-bottom:3px solid #f5a623;padding-bottom:.25em}\n.ch-post h3{font-size:1.15em;margin:1.4em 0 .3em;color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post p{margin:0 0 1em}\n.ch-post ul,.ch-post ol{margin:0 0 1.2em 1.3em}\n.ch-post li{margin:.35em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-updated{font-size:.9em;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-table{overflow-x:auto;margin:1.2em 0 1.6em}\n.ch-post table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.95em}\n.ch-post th{background:#0b2545;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:.65em .8em}\n.ch-post td{padding:.6em .8em;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb;vertical-align:top}\n.ch-post tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f6f8fb}\n.ch-post .ch-faq{background:#f6f8fb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1em 0 2em}\n.ch-post .ch-faq h3{margin-top:1em}\n.ch-post .ch-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0b2545,#13315c);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;padding:1.6em 1.8em;margin:2.2em 0;text-align:center}\n.ch-post .ch-cta strong{display:block;font-size:1.35em;margin-bottom:.4em;color:#fff}\n.ch-post .ch-cta p{color:#dbe4f0;margin:.2em 0 1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-btn{display:inline-block;background:#f5a623;color:#0b2545 !important;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:.8em 1.6em;border-radius:999px}\n.ch-post .ch-btn:hover{background:#ffbb45}\n.ch-post em{color:#4b5563}\n<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shipping a car from the USA to the UK in 2026: container vs ro-ro costs, transit times, import duty and VAT, ToR relief, IVA testing and DVLA registration.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single3.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1019,1018,118],"tags":[1528,1529,1531,1530,1532],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99677"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99677"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99711,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99677\/revisions\/99711"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99677"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=99677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}