International Car Shipping

There are so many factors to consider when moving abroad and one of the major concerns is transportation. If you are a car owner, the first thought would be ‘just ship the car over’ but is it that easy? With the correct information and help, shipping your car to a foreign country shouldn’t be as daunting as you may think.

What you should know about car shipping

Depending on the country you are shipping your vehicle to, you may have to pay tax at customs and depending on how much it has cost you to transport the car and the tax you have to pay on top of that, you may find that it just isn’t worth it. You may be better off selling the car and purchasing a new one in your new country of residence. It is sometimes cheaper to also import a car from a neighbouring country. If the car will be out of the country for more than 12 months you will need a Certificate of Export, usually obtained by DVLA or downloadable through DirectGov website.

Here's a few things that you will you need to ask when contacting shipping companies:

• You should always ask how long it will take to reach the destination as some ships may make some extra stops along the way.
• What exactly does the price quoted include? For example, sometimes it doesn’t include the actual transportation container just the cost to transport across to the destination.
• Always check the carriers insurance as they may not cover as much as you think; also check your existing policy to see if it will cover any damages when it comes to shipping it to another country.
• Ask about the cancellation period - you may have a house to sell that doesn’t go through as smoothly as you’d hope. If the terms for cancellation are relaxed, it will save you money and also time by not having to find another company.
• Most shipping companies offer a service where they will pick up the vehicle from any UK destination and bring it to the port without you having to drive it there yourself. Some companies do not offer this service and some may charge you a small fee. Always check with the company first as this can save you a lot of unnecessary travelling.

Pre-shipping process

As part of the pre-shipping process, all vehicles being exported to another country will have to have the underside of the vehicle washed and silica gel packs will be placed in the car to absorb moisture. You will have to be present for the pre shipping process to sign paperwork and also inspect any damages, dents, scratches or scuffs on the vehicle. A full report of all this will be produced and it is up to you to make sure it is accurate and signed. If for any reason there are damages present after transit that weren’t picked up before, you will have a hard time to prove that this was the shipping companies’ fault.