Shipping a car from British Columbia to the UK

British Columbia faces the Pacific, and Britain is on the other side of a continent and an ocean. That gap is the first thing people ask about. It does add time, and it is the main difference from shipping out of eastern Canada. The rest of the job is the same one we run for every Canadian car.

This guide covers what is particular to BC: the ports, the Pacific route and the provincial paperwork. Our guide to shipping a car from Canada covers the whole process, including the lighting work every North American car needs.

BC ports

Vancouver, Prince Rupert

Guide shipping price

From £2,175 (Canada)

Shipping time

2 to 6 weeks, longer end from the west

Import tax

20% VAT + 10% duty

Vancouver and Prince Rupert

We ship from ports right across Canada, and two of them are in British Columbia. Vancouver is the one closest to most of the province's population, in the south-west corner.

The Port of Vancouver is run by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and covers Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River and Roberts Bank. Vehicles go through the Annacis Auto Terminal in Delta, and the container terminals include Centerm, Vanterm and Deltaport.

The Port of Prince Rupert is on the north coast, managed by the Prince Rupert Port Authority. Its container facility is the Fairview Container Terminal, a ship-to-rail terminal. Which port your car leaves from depends on where it is and what is sailing, and your quote will say.

Collection across the province

We collect from anywhere in Canada, from a home address or a dealer, with open or enclosed transport. The car is insured while it is moved to the port. A car on the Lower Mainland has a short trip. One in the Interior or up north has further to go, and the inland leg is part of the price.

You do not need to be there on the day. Give us the address and a contact, and our agents in Canada arrange the rest. Our guide to the cost of shipping a car from Canada explains what moves the figure.

The Pacific route

This is the real difference with BC. A ship leaving Canada's west coast has to reach the Atlantic before it can cross to the UK, and the usual way is through the Panama Canal. That adds time to the voyage.

Shipping from Canada takes about 2 to 6 weeks, and a car from the west coast should expect the longer end of that. Allow for customs at both ends too. Our guide to how long it takes to ship a car to the UK puts the whole timeline together.

RoRo or container

Both work from BC. RoRo, where the car is driven onto the ship, is generally faster, but the car must run. A container is the safer option for a long voyage: the car is sealed in the whole way and unloaded at our own premises in Castle Donington by our own team.

For a classic, a high-value car or a non-runner, we would usually suggest a container. Our guide to container, RoRo or air has the full comparison, and marine insurance explains how the car is covered at sea.

BC paperwork

In BC the ownership paperwork is the ICBC registration rather than an American-style title. For the shipment we need proof of ownership, such as the registration, plus the bill of sale or purchase invoice. Our shipping agents tell you exactly what the Canadian export side needs once you accept a quote.

If you are buying privately in BC, ICBC says two documents change hands: the seller's signed original Vehicle Registration (APV250) and the Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), signed by you both. Keep copies of both, along with the bill of sale. Together they show the car is yours.

Once it lands

We clear the car through customs as HMRC CDS authorised agents and make the NOVA declaration. Then it gets the North American lighting changes: amber rear indicators, side markers, a rear fog light and headlights set up for the left. Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads applies to Canadian cars too.

A car under 10 years old takes an IVA test on our own site, one between 10 and 40 takes an MOT, and one over 40 needs no MOT. We register it with the DVLA through our dealer-level account, usually within 10 working days, and fit the plates before it leaves us.

1. 1

   Step 1

   Paperwork in hand

   Registration and bill of sale, plus the ICBC transfer form if you bought privately.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Collection

   We collect anywhere in BC and take the car to the port, Vancouver or Prince Rupert.

3. 3

   2 to 6 weeks

   At sea

   Through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic, at the longer end of the Canadian range.

4. 4

   In the UK

   Customs and NOVA

   We clear the car through customs and notify HMRC.

5. 5

   At our site

   Conversion, test and registration

   Lighting work, an IVA test or MOT, then DVLA registration and plates.

What it costs

As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping a car from Canada starts from around £2,175. That is shipping only. It does not include registration, other services, import tax or the lighting work, which varies a lot from car to car.

Canada is outside the EU, so a car bought there pays 20% import VAT and 10% import duty on the price plus shipping. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you are moving here after at least 12 months abroad and have owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can make it tax free.

Questions people ask

Got a car in BC? Send us the details and where it is on the quote form, and we'll come back with a price for the whole job.