Essential UK Car Shipping Rules You Need to Know

Exporting a car internationally becomes very challenging, particularly in terms of comprehending the regulations and requirements. Whenever you plan on shipping a vehicle to or from the United Kingdom, you should have knowledge about its regulations to avoid any unnecessary sluggishness, penalties, or even losing your vehicle. This article will help you understand the overall rules regarding the shipping of cars to and from the UK. It will ensure that the delivery of a car is made safe and secure and that it does not need any modifications in terms of complying with the regulations.  Ship Cars Ltd provides reliable car shipping services worldwide.

What is Car Shipping?

Car shipping refers to the movement of a car, transporting an automobile over the ocean, by air, or by road. Sea freight is the most popular shipment of cars to and out of the UK. There are two types of car shipping methods to ship your vehicle.

Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo): This is the most common shipping method, where the car is rolled onto the ship in the port of embarkation and then driven off the ship in the foreign port. It has become the most economical and most applied means of delivering vehicles.

To read more about what RoRo shipping is.

Container Shipping: Car shipping via container shipping uses containers in which the vehicles are loaded to ensure that the vehicles are carried to the destination in a completely safe way without being damaged. This is the best method to use when dealing with a high-value or luxurious vehicle.

How to Ship a Car to the UK?

Suppose you are sending a car to the UK. In that case, various procedures and guidelines must be followed to ensure your vehicle meets the required standards. This is how it can be accomplished.

Step 1: Getting Your Car Ready

There are some preparations that have to be done before shipping your car so that it obeys the UK regulations.

Clean the Car: The vehicle should be well polished so as to match the biosecurity levels in the UK. This aids in the prevention of the transmission of pests, diseases, and alien contaminants that might disturb the local ecosystem. 

Take out Personal Items: Personal items should be taken out of the car to prevent any form of complications with customs. Such merchandise as electronics, clothes, or tools may require a separate declaration. To know more about it, you can read Shipping Personal Effects Inside Your Vehicle.

Check the Fluid Level: See whether the fluid levels of the car are safe. There are shipping companies that would not ship a car if the fluid levels are too high or too low.

MOT Requirements: When cars are going to the UK, it is necessary that the car pass the UK MOT (Ministry of Transport) requirements. This includes having the vehicle comply with requirements in fitness, safety, and environment. To register your vehicle in the UK, the car needs to pass an MOT every three years.

Step 2: Choosing the Shipping Services Method

When your vehicle is ready, you will have to choose which form of shipping is the best one to use according to your requirements.

RoRo Shipping: RoRo is one of the ways to ship cars internationally. It is an economical and traditional way of shipping cars to and from the UK. People do choose this method for shipping their cars except for the luxury or classic cars.

Container Shipping: This method of shipping tends to be different than that of RoRo shipping, as this method provides a secure and protected transportation of your vehicle.  And of course this mode is mostly used in valuable or classic cars that should be handled with a lot of care during shipping.

You may want to know how to choose the right car shipping method for your needs.

Step 3: Completing the Documentation

Shipping a car or importing vehicles to the UK needs proper documentation, which is an important requirement. Such documents are to be used at the customs and the registration of the vehicle.

Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C): This will require you to provide the UK Vehicle Registration Certificate, also known as V5C, that will confirm that you own the car.

Ownership Proof: In case the car is not registered under your name, then you will have to produce a bill of sale or other ownership documents.

Customs Declaration: Customs forms have to be completed to state the value of the vehicle, the country of origin, and any alterations made. This is so that the import duties or VAT can be calculated.

Insurance: Although this is not a requirement, you should take insurance on your car. This will guard your car against breakage when being transported.

Step 4: Regulations for the Tariffs and Markets

Shipping a car to the UK means that you will be subjected to the UK import law that regulates customs and taxes for shipping cars in and out of the country.

Customs Duties and VAT: The importation of cars into the UK is subject to customs duty and VAT (Value Added Tax). That will be the amount charged depending on the value of the car, the age, and the emission standard of the car. To illustrate, in the case of cars that were manufactured in non-EU countries, the VAT rate is normally 20% of the value of the car.

Emission Standards and Modification: The UK has strict emission requirements, and all the cars imported into the country need to meet the Euro 6 emission regime. In the event that your car does not adhere to such standards, you might be forced to make some alterations to the car before getting it registered.

Vehicle Type Approval (VTA): The car in which you are driving as a passenger must be registered with the relevant authorities so that it can be driven on the UK roads legally. This is a procedure of confirmation that the vehicle is complying with both the UK safety and environmental standards.

Step 5: Receiving Your Vehicle

After the vehicle reaches the port in the UK, you will be required to do the customs clearance process. This is done by paying any pending duties, taxes, and fees. Once successfully cleared, you are allowed to license the car at the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) to get UK plates and be allowed to drive your car on the British roads using British licence plates.

How to Ship a Car from the UK?

The process of taking the vehicle or car out of the UK to another country is very similar to the previous process, but there are some major differences. To do so:

Step 1: Preparation of the Car

Make sure the car is not in poor condition to export. This also includes its fluid levels, making it roadworthy, as well as having any personal effects taken out of it.

You may love to read Preparing Your Car for Export: A Step-by-Step Guide with Ship Cars Ltd.

Step 2: Choosing the Mode of Shipping

Similar to sending to the UK, you will have to select the method of exportation: RoRo or container shipping as the means of exporting a car out of the UK. You will be choosing based on the place you want to take the vehicle, the worth of the vehicle, and what you can afford.

Step 3: What Documentation is Required for Car Shipping?

In order to ship your car, you require a few documents:

UK Vehicle Registration Document: This is a document you are going to require in order to demonstrate vehicle ownership.

Customs Declaration: A filled-out export customs declaration shall be required to be cleared by UK customs.

Demand for Ownership: You should have some document to show ownership, i.e., a bill of sale that shows you own the product.

Step 4: Understanding the Destination Port’s Regulations

As international car shipment is carried out, one must know about the regulations of the destination country, such as customs duties and taxation and the standards of emissions followed by them. Each country’s government can have certain demands on vehicle adjustments or quarantine procedures. Studying these regulations prior to the trip can help you prevent wasting time and avoid several costs and delays, as well as ensure a timely passage of customs. Make sure to check with the local authorities or a shipping company to have up-to-date information about all the requirements and customs/duties at destination Port.

Step 5: What are the Regulations for Customs and Export

Your car must have customs clearance before it can leave the UK. There might be duties, taxes, or regulations that have to be adhered to in the country of destination, depending on where you are going.

Step 6: Receive Your Car

When your car arrives at the destination port, you will be required to take care of customs clearance formalities in the destination country. Everything has to be in place as to documents, and any obligations and taxes have to be settled before you are provided with the car.

What Are Important Rules for Shipping a Car? 

There are a number of regulations to observe in case of shipping a car across international borders. The following are some of the major regulations to remember:

Regulations for International Vehicle Compliance

The requirements include the adherence of all vehicles to the international standards in terms of roadworthiness, safety, and emission tests. One must ensure that he or she checks the regulations of the destination country before shipping a vehicle so that he or she can comply with them.

Consideration of Car Age and condition

There are countries that limit the age and condition of vehicles that are imported. Take the example of the UK, which has conditions when it comes to the importation of cars that exceed 10 years. One should verify such limitations to prevent complications.

Green Shipping & Environmental Impact

The UK pays great attention to environmental sustainability. When sending an electric or a hybrid vehicle, note that the electric car rules might include particular requirements and possible rewards for environmentally friendly auto transport.

Choosing a Reliable Shipping Company

Shipment of a car overseas will need the best and most reliable shipping company to be selected. The following are some of the things that should be considered in choosing a shipping provider:

Experience and Reputation: You should also seek a company that has a reputation in shipping cars to and out of the UK. Look at the reviews and ratings of customers to make sure it is reliable.

Insurance: Ensure that the shipping firm provides security to your vehicle through insurance coverage during the transfer.

Shipping Cost: Take quotes from some companies and compare shipment facilities. Make sure to be aware of the overall price, including the price of customs, transportation, and insurance. Before taking any decision, you must calculate the car shipping cost.

How to Avoid Common Issues in Shipping a Car?

It is possible to export a car to another country, but it may be challenging to do so. These are some of the typical problems and ways to prevent them:

• All the paperwork should also be well filled to ensure that they are not delayed at customs.
• Re-check the price of your vehicle and any alterations to make sure that it adheres to the rules of customs procedures.
• To avoid damage in transport, one is advised to use a good mouth shipping company that provides favourable insurance cover. Also, make your car ready by taking out delicate things and ensuring that loose items are bolted. You need to be careful about Avoiding Damage With International Car Shipping.
• Monitor your shipment by using the shipping company’s tracking tools. Communication should be regularly done to ensure that your vehicle reaches its destination safely.

Also read Vehicle Export Advice for shipping cars from the UK.

Conclusion

Shipping to the UK or shipping out of the UK needs due care, consideration, regulations, and understanding of the customs procedures. The United Kingdom being a well-established and developed country requires strict rules and regulations to be followed in order to get car shipping done smoothly and complication-free. With these steps, hopefully given in this guide, and by making sure you are not going to get into trouble with the law in terms of documents and the legal side of this, you should not have any problems and should have your car reach its destination safely and legally.

You can know more about Important Things to Remember When Shipping a Car.