Shipping Cars to Germany

Circumstances may require your moving to Germany. You may be migrating, joining a new job or even staying for some time to study for a course or your children may be wanting to do so. You would be moving some of your belongings to the new place. Taking your car with you is a wise decision. There are car shipping companies ready to help you out. They would collect your car from your home, take it by a trailer to their warehouse and consolidate it with other cars to the same destination or per your request to your own container or RORO shipping, transport it by ship and then bring it to your doorstep in Germany. You will need to provide the international car shipping the "Pink Slip" of your vehicle (ownership title), in order the clear in the US customs house. The customs will check it through US transportation department and then give its "green light". You will need to exam your car for any damages/scratches.

A good international car shipping company deals with all the hassles involved allowing you peace of mind. Sometimes you may have to drive your car to the shipping company. However from there onwards, they take over.

The taxes imposed on shipping cars to Germany are many. Import duty comprises of 10% of the cost of the vehicle added to freight charges to the city of destination and the insurance on the freight. Value added tax which is 15 % of the purchase price added to freight costs and import duty is another tax imposed. Occasionally 7% tax is imposed on vintage cars and collector's automobiles. These taxes would be handled by the shipping company. Please note that most shipping companies do not undertake customs collections. Only the German Customs authorities can you tell you the exact amount.

Rest assured that there is no restriction for the shipping of cars, whatever make or age they are. Customs duties and taxes are similar for all cars. Technical inspections will be made for the vehicle. Should you be staying in Germany for more than a year, you will be needing a local license. An export license will be required for all vehicles except those manufactured in the United States which are covered under item 5400 of the Export Control List. The vehicle when registered in Germany is subject to a special vehicle tax known as Kfz-Steuerbescheid (first payment) and Kfz-Steuer for later payments. The right side of the road is 'right' for driving in Germany. Measurement of distance and speed are done in the metric system i.e. in kilometres and kilometres per hour.

When handing over the vehicle for transport, certain precautions taken on your part will ensure that you do not regret the possible turn of events later. You need to make duplicate keys for the different parts of your car and keep them safely. One set of keys needs to be handed over to the shipping company. Copies of documents have to be given to them for the process of registration of the vehicle in Germany. If the car is being financed or leased, a declaration from the creditor stating that they are aware of the car being shipped is essential. This document must be countersigned by a Notary. If the person receiving the car in Germany is not the owner, a declaration or letter of authorization to this effect countersigned by the Notary is worthwhile. A photo id with this authorized person makes matters easy.

There is a possibility of shipping being delayed so keeping in contact with the shipping company is of utmost importance. They may judiciously delay the transfer as the next ship may have more convenience to take the car instead of crowding it in the earlier one. On an average, three to four weeks time is required for the transport. You can book your car for shipment and reach Germany in time for delivery.

The condition of the car must be checked before handing it over to the shipping company for shipping a car to Germany. You want to ensure safe delivery of the car in its present condition. If moving through very cold regions, precautions must be taken to prevent freezing of the battery and radiator liquids. The fuel tank should only be half-full, just enough to drive to a service station after delivery by the ship at the port. Personal items should never be left in an unsecured position in the car during transport. Alarm systems must be disabled. The vehicle must be in driving condition and should have a minimum of six inches ground clearance.

Shipping insurance is essential. It is necessary to cover costs of damage of over $500 during the shipping. Cash, certified checks and credit cards are accepted by shipping companies for payment. Their bills would contain full details of the transport in the various phases.

The first and foremost thing is to get an estimate or quote before any other procedure. Your budget, location, where you want to ship it to all are taken into consideration. You can compare the rates online before commitment. Many shipping companies have their services advertised on the Internet. Wise assessment of the total expenditure required can be made.

Contacting the company you have chosen will give you a better picture. The shipping company gives you a dock receipt, photos and sends you emails when the car has reached Germany. Most companies have facilities for taking care of the car during shipment. They have warehouses and insured facilities. There would be services for packing, crating, trucking and loading. The efficiency of the shipping companies needs to be looked into. Most shipping companies have a high professional level of efficiency in their dealings. A superb container system will be involved in the loading and unloading jobs. There is a facility called covered car transport being advocated by some companies. Normally cars are transported on open trailers to and from the ship. If you opt for the covered car transport, the expenditure involved will be another 25% to 50 % increase. However the additional burden on your pocket will protect your car from weather conditions and keep it from inquisitive eyes. It will also be delivered in an absolutely fine condition.

Several shipping companies are available promising you the best of services and hassle free management of shipping your car to Germany. Their efficiency must be vouched for by someone you know before taking the risk. The claim that they are only a phone call or e-mail away must be ensured. There are some companies which help you track your car shipment online. Looking into all the different aspects would ship your car to Germany safely.

Links

http://www.zoll.de/english_version/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_car_number_plates
http://germany.usembassy.gov/germany/services/driving_in_germany.html
http://www.mapsupport.com/thedatabase/impex/imprtgvehger.htm