Car Shipping to New Zealand

Firstly if you’re emigrating to New Zealand, ‘Good Luck with your new Venture’. It can be very exciting yet un-nerving period of your life, one full of decisions that you may need to make. e.g. What furniture should I take? Should I take my car with me or sell it then buy a new one in New Zealand? Only you and your family can answer these questions.

One thing to consider regarding purchasing a vehicle in New Zealand, is the price of buying a new or used car is approximately a third more expensive than in the UK.

Alot of my clients decide to hold on to their own vehicles and ship them, this can be far less hassle than trying to sell it in the UK at a rock bottom price then finding the cost to purchase a new vehicle so much more expensive in New Zealand.

We at FirstBase Freight can ship your car on our roll on/roll off vessel for a very reasonable rate. There is no maximum amount of vehicles that can be imported in to New Zealand, unlike Australia. Australia has a maximum of 1 vehicle per person in any 12 month period. You do not need an import licence either so the whole shipment process is a very straightforward process.

If you do decide to ship some of your personal effects with your vehicle – we can arrange to have your vehicle loaded in to either a 20ft or 40ft container. The main thing to consider when shipping personal effects is that the majority of effects will need to be loaded inside the vehicle (up to shoulder height only) whilst leaving the driving seat area free of goods. A couple of boxes can be loaded around the outside of the vehicle. If you are shipping personal effects this way, you will need to complete an inventory, detailing goods being shipped. e.g. Box 1 = Cd’s, Box 2 = Gardening Equipment and so on.

We offer car shipping to the following ports in New Zealand:

Auckland, Lyttleton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga and Port Chalmers

Once your vehicle arrives at your chosen destination you will be required to pay charges in New Zealand before your vehicle will be released to you such as GST (Goods and Services Tax) this is currently 12.5% but will increase to 15% in October 2010. You may not be required to pay the full 12.5% as this amount depreciates depending on how long you have owned the vehicle and how old the vehicle is.

Please go to http://www.customs.govt.nz/default.htm (this site is full of very interesting information regarding customs in New Zealand)

If you are shipping your car by container, you will also be required to pay an unloading and handling charge (this is payable in NZ) Please contact a member of our team who will be able to advise charges, Tel: 0844 272 6731.

Further Information

New Zealand have quarantine laws and may inspect either your vehicle or certain personal effects for mud (soil) contamination. We always advise anyone shipping goods to make sure all mud (soil) is completely removed prior to shipping. If it is a vehicle you need to make sure the under-carriage has been steam cleaned. For quarantine laws in New Zealand please go to http://www.maf.govt.nz/quarantine/

FirstBase Freight Ltd will complete all the paperwork for you and will assist you every step of the way. We would only need a copy of the V5 (Log book)and a copy of your photopage passport. If the vehicle is not in your name then we would also require a copy of the bill of sale to say that you have purchased the vehicle and now the legal owner of it.

For further information on car shipping to New Zealand, please contact us, Tel: 0844 272 6731