Texas is enormous, and a car in El Paso can feel a world away from any port. People also worry that a Texan pickup is simply too big to bring over. Neither is the obstacle it seems. We collect from anywhere in the state, the port is on the Gulf, and big trucks cross the Atlantic all the time.
This guide covers what is particular to Texas: the port, the distances, and how Texas handles a replacement title. For the full journey from collection to registration, read our guide to shipping a car from the USA.
- Usual port
- Houston
- Guide shipping price
- From £1,450 (USA)
- Time at sea
- Around 2 weeks from the Gulf Coast
- Import tax
- 10% duty + 20% VAT
Houston, on the Gulf
Our main US ports are New York, Savannah, Houston and Oakland, and My Car Import lists them as the most common collection ports. Houston is the one in Texas.
The Port of Houston is spread along the 52-mile Houston Ship Channel. Port Houston, the port authority, runs its public facilities, including the Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals, and its multi-purpose terminals handle vehicles among other cargo.
The port a car actually leaves from depends on where it is and what is sailing. For most Texan cars that is Houston, and your quote will confirm it.
Collection across a very big state
We collect from anywhere in the USA, so Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or a ranch in the Panhandle are all fine. The car is trucked to the port with open or enclosed transport and is insured on the way. You do not need to be there.
Distance is the Texas variable. A car in the Houston area has a short run to the port. One in El Paso or the Panhandle has hundreds of miles to cover first, and the inland leg is part of the price. Give us the exact address on the quote form and we will price the collection with it.
A Gulf Coast sailing
Sailings from the East and Gulf coasts take around 2 weeks at sea, roughly half the West Coast time. Allow about 2 weeks before that for paperwork, the export filing and loading. Customs and the work at our end follow once the car lands.
Both shared containers and RoRo work from the US. A container keeps the car sealed until our own team opens it at Castle Donington. RoRo is generally a little quicker but the car must run and drive. Our comparison of container, RoRo and air sets out the trade-offs.
Pickups and big SUVs
If the vehicle is a full-size pickup or SUV, it takes up more room on a ship or in a container than a sports car, and it is priced that way. Give us the exact model, cab and bed length when you ask for a quote.
Size matters at this end too. A big truck still needs the usual lighting work, and its gross weight, above or below 3,500kg, decides how it is tested and taxed here. Our guide to importing a pickup truck covers the detail, and ULEZ and imported cars is worth a read if it will be driven in London.
Texas titles and certified copies
US Customs needs the original title, or a certified copy, plus two copies, at least 72 hours before export. Our guide to US export rules explains it. If a Texan title has gone missing, the state's answer is what it calls a certified copy of title.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles issues these on its Form VTR-34, by post or in person at a regional service centre. Two details are worth knowing early:
- If a lien is still on record, even on a loan that has been paid off, an original release of lien letter is needed, not a fax or photocopy
- There is a 30-day wait before another certified copy can be issued after the last one
So a seller who has to replace the title should start straight away. If a loan is still live, our guide to shipping a car with finance outstanding covers the lienholder letter US Customs asks for.
Check the title for a lien before you buy. A paid-off loan can still show on a Texas record, and the release letter has to be the original. Send us a photo of the title and we will look it over.
Your Texas paperwork
0 of 5 done
Once it lands
We clear the car through customs as HMRC CDS authorised agents and make the NOVA notification. Then it gets the changes American cars need: 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 covers each one.
A car under 10 years old takes an IVA test on our own lane, one between 10 and 40 takes an MOT, and one over 40 needs no MOT. We then register it with the DVLA through our dealer-level account, usually within 10 working days.
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Step 1
Title checked
Send us a photo of the title. If it needs replacing, the seller applies for a Texas certified copy.
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Step 2
Collection
We collect anywhere in Texas and truck the car to the port, usually Houston.
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Around 2 weeks
Paperwork and loading
Export filing and US Customs at least 72 hours before export, then loading.
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Around 2 weeks
At sea
The Gulf Coast sailing to the UK.
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In the UK
Customs, test and registration
Customs and NOVA, lighting work, an IVA test or MOT, then DVLA registration.
What it costs
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the USA starts from around £1,450. That is shipping only. Import tax, registration, other services and the work to make the car road legal are on top, and a large truck or a long collection from West Texas adds to the shipping figure.
A car from the USA pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus shipping. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty, and Transfer of Residence can mean no tax at all if you are moving here. Our worked tax examples show the sums.
Questions people ask
Which port do cars from Texas ship from?
Usually Houston, our Gulf Coast port. The port a car actually uses depends on where it is and what is sailing, and your quote will confirm it.
How long does it take to ship a car from Texas to the UK?
Around 2 weeks at sea from the Gulf Coast, plus about 2 weeks before sailing for paperwork and loading. Customs, conversion, testing and registration follow.
Can you ship a full-size pickup from Texas?
Yes. Big trucks take more space on the ship or in a container and are priced accordingly, so give us the exact model, cab and bed length.
What if the Texas title is lost?
The seller can apply to the Texas DMV for a certified copy of title on Form VTR-34. If a lien is still on record, an original release of lien letter is needed too.
Do you collect from West Texas?
Yes, we collect from anywhere in the state. The inland leg is part of the price, so a car far from Houston costs more to get to the ship.
Found a car in Texas? Send us the details and the address on the quote form and we'll price the whole job, ranch gate to your drive.
