Shipping cars to the UK

If you are moving to UK and need to ship your car to UK too, you are at the right place. We provide a detailed guide on shipping cars to UK. In addition to this, when you send us your requirements, we will put you in touch with the top car shipping companies who will send you free no-obligations quotes for shipping your car to UK.

Prior to shipping
The most practical approach would be to become familiar with the requirements for customs clearance in the United Kingdom before the actual shipping process. The documents necessary for clearing customs should be kept ready.

Customs Clearance for imported cars

Import duty can vary depending on the country of manufacture. Passenger cars and commercially used ones have a variation in the rate of import duty, roughly 10% of the landed value of the car, which includes the price, shipping cost and the insurance. All relevant papers must be intact. Value Added tax is levied at a rate of 17.5% for all imported cars, commercial or otherwise.

Relevant forms
Form C104A is the essential form to clear customs for imported cars. Next is the process to get ready to register the vehicle. Form C and E 386 or Form C and E388 and notice PI1and leaflet V277 which explain the legal matters involved in registering your car will be given to help you. All this paperwork will usually be done by the shipping company so your time and trouble is saved

Important contact numbers and sites are given below:

To order customs forms +44-118-964-4355
Customs and excise +44-1304-224372
Customs http://www.hmce.gov.uk
Duty and VAT http://www.hmce,gov.uk/forms/notices/3.htm
DVLA Vehicles helpdesk +44-870-2400010

vehicles.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk

DVLA drivers helpdesk +44-870-2400009

mailto:drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk

Tax relief
This is possible depending on the car's place of manufacture. A person who is moving residence into the United Kingdom can import a car without paying import duty or VAT. Similarly temporary import is relieved of taxation. Cars of a particular age or history may be relieved of tax. The shipping company looks into this too.

Modifications to the car
The SVA or Single Vehicle Test is used to test imported vehicles upto 10 years old. The usual checks are :

That the rear and brake lights are separate.
That the color of the lights are conforming to UK lights.
That the front indicator lights are of the required color and repeaters are present at the side. These repeaters may have to be added.
That rear fog lights are present
That correct white-colored parking lights are in position.
That Headlights are pointing the right way.
That the tires are of the variety that can give the advertised speed of the manufacturer. You may have to change otherwise.
That the speedometer shows kilometer as well as miles readings.
That the brake fluid level indicator is present on the dashboard.
That the number plate size, shape and lettering match the UK standards.

How to get the Modifications done
There would be garages in your country which would make all the corrections or modifications to the UK standard. Moreover the shipping company does take the initiative to get it tested and registered. The customs would allow you to take it to a modification garage if your car has any necessary change even without the registration or tax payment or number plate. Should a policeman catch you meanwhile, you may find it difficult to explain so it is better if you are ready with the modifications before you ship the car.

Car Insurance
The cost and type of insurance is different in UK. There are two types - One is third party insurance and the other is a fully comprehensive type. When you drive your car after delivery, your car must have insurance so be prepared early enough.

The registration
When your vehicle has passed the SVA test and is insured, you can apply for registration in the form V55/5 obtained from the nearest Vehicle Registration Office. You are allowed to drive from the delivery port to your home or a testing centre only with foreign registration plates as per the instruction of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency ( DVLA ) After that you can drive with UK registration and license only. For this you need to have these ready:

Foreign registration
Bill of sale
A copy of customs Form C & E386 or C& E388.
Evidence of UK insurance.
The MOT certificate (modifications) if the car is more than 3 years old.
Receipt of payment of the registration fees.
The SVA test certificate

What you get after registration:

A tax disc for your windscreen
A registration number for the number plate.

The shipping
When the situation is clear, you can think of contacting a reliable shipping company which would ship your car to UK and see to getting your car through customs. Your discussion should decide on the place of handing over, port of delivery, what ship is carrying your vehicle, whether it is a RORO service where your car is rolled on and off the ship which carries only vehicles or whether you want a container service where your car is hauled as when bringing new cars. Each variety will cost differently. The detailed expenditure will be given to you and this includes the shipping insurance, customs payments and the transport from your home or port to port of delivery or new residence at UK. You will be given details of websites for tracking your car. Status of delivery will be available onsite.

Preparation of your car
The car should be clean. It should contain only just enough fuel to drive to a fuelling station after delivery. If being shipped on the RORO service, more fuel may be needed. Your company would apprise you of the situation. All loose attachments in the inside of the car should be detached and removed. No leakages of fluids must be present. The height should not be over 7 feet and there should be a ground clearance of 6 inches. Personal documents, license and other important documents should be removed. Spares of all the keys of the car are handed over. Copies of all relevant documents are to behanded over. If your representative is handing over or collecting the car, he should carry a photo identity. Declarations from the financier or creditor to acknowledge the shipping of the car is necessary.

So get started by filling in our simple online form and we will get back to you very soon with upto 7 personalized highly-competitive quotes from the best international car shipping companies. You can then select and analyze the quotes to select the right car shipping company for shipping your car to UK.

Links:
http://www.hmce.gov.uk
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/