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

RORO shipping from Southampton to Mombasa typically costs £850-£1,300 for a standard saloon or small SUV, making it one of the more affordable long-haul routes we quote. Larger 4x4s and pickups such as a Toyota Land Cruiser or Hilux run £1,100-£1,600 due to their size and weight. Container shipping is used mainly for higher-value vehicles or when consolidating multiple cars, and costs £1,400-£2,200 depending on whether you take a shared or dedicated 20ft container. Get a route-specific number with our cost calculator.

RORO vessels from Southampton to Mombasa typically take 28-38 days, with most carriers routing via the Mediterranean, Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden. Container shipments from Tilbury or Southampton follow a similar 30-40 day schedule. Once the vessel docks, allow a further 5-10 working days for Kenya Ports Authority handling, KRA verification and customs clearance before your car is released for onward transport to Nairobi or elsewhere upcountry.

Kenya enforces one of the strictest age rules in East Africa: only vehicles up to 8 years old from the year of first registration are permitted for import, with the age calculated from the date of first registration to the date of import. This makes Kenya a market for nearly-new used cars rather than older classics, and buyers should check the manufacture and first-registration date carefully before purchase, since customs will reject anything outside the window regardless of condition.

Kenya Revenue Authority calculates duty using the Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) of an equivalent new vehicle in Kenya, depreciated according to the car's age, rather than your actual purchase invoice — meaning your landed cost can differ significantly from what you paid in the UK. Total taxes typically comprise 25% import duty, 20% excise duty (higher for larger engines) and 16% VAT, each calculated cumulatively, often totalling 60-90% of the CRSP-depreciated value. A car with a CRSP-depreciated value of £12,000 can therefore attract £8,000-£10,000 in combined duty, excise and VAT, so always model the CRSP figure rather than your purchase price before committing. See our car shipping costs guide for how this compares with other destinations.

Kenya requires a Certificate of Roadworthiness or QISJ (Quality Inspection Services Japan)-style Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) inspection arranged before shipment, along with the original logbook/V5C, commercial invoice, bill of lading and an Import Declaration Form (IDF) lodged through KRA's iCMS system. The IDF must be obtained before the vehicle arrives, and missing it causes lengthy delays and demurrage charges at Mombasa, so we handle this documentation upfront as part of our shipping service — reach out via our contact page to get started.