The hardest part of budgeting for an import is not knowing what the shipping will come to. Two cars on the same ship can cost quite different amounts, and that can feel random from the outside. It is not. A handful of things move the price, and once you know what they are you can see where your own number will land.
- Sea freight guide
- £1,450 to £4,000
- Motorbikes
- From £1,250
- Biggest factor
- Where the car starts
- Marine insurance
- A few % of value
Where the car starts
This is the biggest factor by far. The further the car is from the UK, the bigger the number, and some ports cost more to ship from than others. Our guide prices, built by My Car Import from a year of real jobs, show the spread:
| Where the car ships from | Guide price |
|---|---|
| USA | from £1,450 |
| South Africa | from £1,975 |
| UAE / Middle East | from £2,150 |
| Canada | from £2,175 |
| Australia / New Zealand | from £3,200 |
| Rest of world, including Japan | from £3,575 |
| Malaysia | from £4,000 |
These are for shipping only. They do not include registration, other services, import tax or remedial fees. Every figure is on our shipping costs page. European cars come by road rather than sea, so we price those per job.
How the car travels
The method makes a real difference. Most cars share a 40ft container with other customers' cars, which splits the cost and makes it the cheapest way to send a car a long way. A dedicated 20ft container costs more, but the box is yours and it sails when you are ready. Sole use is the most expensive container option.
RoRo, where the car is driven onto a car carrier, is often cheaper from some regions because there is no container to load or unload. Air freight is the quickest by a distance, and priced to match.
| Feature | Shared container | Dedicated container | RoRo | Air freight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Cheapest container option | Costs more | Often cheaper from some regions | The most expensive |
| Speed | Weeks | Weeks, sails when you are ready | Weeks, often a little quicker | Days |
| Car must run | No | No | Yes | Low fuel, no leaks |
| Sealed in transit | Yes | Yes | No | Not applicable |
More on choosing between them in container, RoRo or air.
The car itself
Size matters, and so does condition. If a car has to be pushed or needs work to start it, that adds time and money at both ends, and a non-runner needs special loading into a container, which usually brings some extra cost. A non-runner cannot go RoRo at all, because port staff drive the cars on and off.
Timing and the shipping lines
Shipping lines put their prices up when they are busy, and fuel costs move through the year too. That is why the same route can cost a different amount from one month to the next. A tight deadline narrows the options, and the quickest ones tend to be the dearest.
It is also why a person on our team writes every quote rather than a calculator. You get the price for your car, this month, with the method that suits it.
Getting the car to the port
In most countries our long-standing partners collect from an address or dealer and take the car to the port. How far it has to travel to get there feeds into the price. For valuable cars we can arrange enclosed transport to the port, and for a classic it is what we would recommend.
Marine insurance
Insurance is optional, but your normal car insurance will not cover the car at sea. Our marine insurance covers it up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit, and it is usually a few percent of the car's value. An excess applies to minor damage, and your quote will say what it is.
The knock-on effect on tax
Shipping is not the only cost, and it feeds into the next one. Import VAT and duty are worked out on the price of the car plus the transport to bring it here. A car from outside the EU pays 20% VAT and 10% duty, with VAT charged on top of the duty. One from the EU pays 20% VAT, and a car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. If you are moving here and qualify for Transfer of Residence, it can be nil.
Guide prices are a starting point. They cover shipping only. Registration, testing, other services, import tax and any remedial work are on top, so budget for the whole import, not just the voyage.
The estimator below adds a guide shipping price to the import tax for your car.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest way to ship a car to the UK?
Usually a space in a shared container, which splits the cost with other cars. From some regions RoRo works out cheaper, and if it does we will say so in your quote.
Why do shipping prices change from month to month?
Shipping lines put prices up when they are busy, and fuel costs move through the year. That is why a person writes every quote with current prices.
Does a non-running car cost more to ship?
Usually, yes. It needs special loading into a container, which adds some cost, and it cannot go RoRo because the car has to be driven on and off.
How much is marine insurance?
Usually a few percent of the car value. It covers the car up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit, with an excess on minor damage.
Do the guide prices include import tax?
No. They are for shipping only and do not include registration, other services, import tax or remedial fees.
For the real figure for your car, send the details on the quote form and we will price your actual route.
