How to Ship a Car From the USA to the UK

Given the currency difference between the U.S. dollar and British pound that lowers buying costs, the importation of automobiles from the U.S. is popular in the U.K. The British newspaper the Sunday Times writes that "whereas it used to be mainly for enthusiasts, the appeal is now far wider" because it gives British buyers the chance to purchase an automobile for prices significantly lower than domestically. The two main steps are the shipping and registration.

Instructions

Shipping

1

Choose whether to send the automobile in a container or not. This will significantly affect the price of shipping, as containers are expensive.

2

Pay all necessary taxes. If the shipping is coordinated with a U.S. car dealership, it is possible to avoid a U.S. sales tax on the automobile purchase as the automobile will not be used in the U.S.

The U.K. will impose a 17.5 percent tax and customs duty of 10 percent, both based on the automobile's purchase value. Both of these taxes can be waived if you can prove that you have owned the automobile for longer than six months and that it will remain in your possession for over a year.

3

Purchase shipping insurance. This is typically a few hundred dollars and will cover the costs of any damage to the automobile while in transit to the U.K.

4

Choose a shipping company and have the automobile shipped. Ask various shipping companies for estimates to get the best deal.

New Registration

5

After purchasing a new automobile in the U.S. and shipping it to the U.K., the vehicle must be registered with the Department of Transportation before it is considered legal to drive on public roads. To register, pay the 55 registration fee.

6

Acquire motor insurance in the U.K. and complete Department of Transportation forms V267 and V55/4.

7

Bring proof of the day you received the vehicle from the selling party and bring all documents to the U.K. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Used Registration

8

To register in the U.K. a used automobile purchased in the U.S., complete application V55/5.

9

Acquire motor insurance in the U.K. and test the vehicle to receive a British testing certificate.

10

Fill in and bring the appropriate HM Revenue & Customs form and bring all other needed documents to a U.K. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office.

Commercial Registration

11

In addition to the forms that an individual has to bring to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, a commercial importer must present a V55/2 form to the agency.

12

A commercial importing agency is required to use the V55/4 system to register imported automobiles from the U.S.

13

The commercial importing company must be registered for value-added tax to conduct automobile imports.