International Car Shipping: Shipping Your Car, Automobile, and Vehicle to the UK or Europe



Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007

by Jordan Levy

Many people ship their cars internationally, whether for personal use or sale. There are several factors that are involved in this process that should be considered to determine if this action is financially viable.

In this article we will specifically examine international car shipping to the UK and Europe . One of the most vital financial factors to consider when deciding to ship a car to the UK is based on the length of your stay in the UK and the car's country of origin.

If you are importing your car from the United States and are bringing your car you will not need to pay any import duty or VAT as long as you have not previously lived in Common Market country for at least one year. If you are moving to the UK as a requirement of your job or business for a specific period of time, you will be free of any import duties or taxes. This also applies if your stay in the UK is for a relatively short period of time. If your stay with your car in the UK is longer that a six month period you will need to register your vehicle which means that a local road tax must be paid of 140 pounds per year or 77 pounds for six months.

If you do not fall under the previously stated categories you will be responsible for paying a 10% import duty and a 17.5% VAT tax. You will also be responsible for having car insurance that is valid in the UK so please consider all cost associated with the transportation of an automobile into the UK before the move is made.

Car Shipping Best Practices:

Here are some general shipping rules you will want to follow to avoid delays, extra costs, and problems when you ship your car or vehicle(s) overseas.

Shipping Procedures:

An important aspect to consider before you ship you vehicle to the UK , or in general shipping is what options are available at the port you intend on shipping your merchandise to. If you are shipping your vehicle internationally it will likely cost over $1,000 even to the shortest of distances. To minimize costs, consult with your shipping company to find the best rates and appropriate ports to send your vehicle to.

Car Moving Documentation:

Car moving documentation can be a daunting task, but is a necessity to protect your valued good and ensure that your car will be received quickly and make it to its destination. Work with your shipping agent to prepare these documents. Most shipping companies will have all of the necessary documents available for you.

For the Port:

6 copies of the Dock Receipt that should specify the year, make, model, serial number of the vehicle plus the carriers booking number, vessel name, port of loading and port of discharge. -3 notarized copies (back and front) of the title or Certificate of Origin.

For the Carrier:

2 copies of the Export Declaration (government form)

1 master of the Bill of Lading for the carrier.

For the shipping agent you use: You should give them 4 notarized copies of the title as noted above plus your name and address that would be shown as the SHIPPER on the carriers Bill of Lading, the address you want the shipment consigned to overseas. You will also need to declare the value of the shipment.

Shipping Cars for Resale:

If you are shipping an automobile or vehicle for a commercial purpose such as for resale, you should have already come to an agreement with your overseas customer about the price of the vehicle and who pays the cost of shipping. Most vehicles are required to be shipped on a PREPAID basis with most carriers and due to that you should build the cost of shipping the vehicle into your selling price to your customer. It is recommend that these financial issues are settled early so that there is no confusion surrounding this and that it does not take money off your bottom line of the transaction.

Auto Shipping Insurance:

It is recommended that ‘Marine Insurance’ is taken out on any car that you ship. In most cases the company shipping your car will not be liable for any damage that occurs to your car over the amount of $500. ‘Marine Insurance’ is typically purchased through the shipping agent that you are planning to use in exportation of your vehicle.

Miscellaneous Shipping Issues:

It is recommend that you remove all items from your car before you ship it as certain shipping methods such as Ro/Ro (roll on roll off vessel) will not allow it, furthermore most shipping agents will not cover the cost in the event of lost of damaged goods.

Do not leave too much gas in your car, but please ensure there is enough gas in the tank to move your car, and get to the nearest gas station.

Schumacher Cargo Logistics

Since 1977 our safety records for cargo shipment delivery have exceeded all industry standards. Thus, whether you are moving shipping cars full households, individual furniture, antiques, or other goods, you will comfortable knowing that Schumacher Cargo Logistics will take care of all aspects of your relocation needs.




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