Cost to Ship a Car from the UK to Canada in 2026

Vehicles typically ship from Southampton to the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, or Montreal, Quebec, with RORO or container transit taking 10-16 days for Halifax and slightly longer for Montreal depending on sailing schedule and season, since the St Lawrence Seaway has weather-related restrictions in winter. West Coast buyers in Vancouver or Calgary usually route via Halifax and then arrange onward trucking, adding 5-7 days and roughly £900-£1,400 in inland freight.

RORO from Southampton to Halifax for a standard car costs £950-£1,350, rising to £1,300-£1,750 for larger SUVs or vans. A shared 40ft container costs roughly £1,100-£1,600 per vehicle but adds protection against weather and reduces handling, which matters for classic cars or high-value imports. See our car shipping costs guide for a full RORO vs container comparison.

Canada permits import of vehicles that are either 15 years old or older, or that comply with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS). Most modern UK cars sold in the same specification as US/Canadian market vehicles can sometimes qualify, but many UK-spec vehicles do not meet CMVSS and cannot be imported unless they are 15+ years old, making classic and modern-classic UK cars the most straightforward candidates. Always check the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) database before shipping, since getting this wrong means the car cannot be registered on arrival.

Cars manufactured in the UK/EU generally attract 6.1% duty under Canada's tariff schedule (vehicles originating in the US or Mexico under CUSMA can be duty-free, but UK-built cars do not qualify for that exemption). On top of duty, 5% federal GST applies, plus provincial sales tax or HST that varies by province — for example 13% HST in Ontario or 12% combined in British Columbia. A £20,000 classic Land Rover with £1,200 freight could face roughly £1,290 duty and a further £1,000-£1,800 in GST/PST depending on destination province.

On arrival, most vehicles must pass a RIV inspection (roughly CAD $195-$300) confirming compliance or 15-year exemption status, after which provincial registration and safety/emissions testing (varies by province, e.g. Ontario's Drive Clean or BC's AirCare) completes the process. Budget 2-3 weeks after port arrival for full registration once these steps are factored in.