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

Shipping to Baltimore or New York/New Jersey from Southampton via RORO costs roughly £900–£1,400 for a standard saloon, while West Coast ports such as Los Angeles or San Diego, reached via longer sailings through the Panama Canal or transhipment, run £1,500–£2,200. Container shipping to any US port typically costs £1,600–£2,900 depending on whether you choose a shared or dedicated container. Larger SUVs and vans add 15–25% to base RORO rates because of deck space.

Southampton to Baltimore or New York takes approximately 10–14 days by RORO, making the North Atlantic route one of the fastest and most heavily serviced corridors in the industry with weekly sailings from Wallenius Wilhelmsen and NYK. West Coast routes take 25–35 days due to Panama Canal transit or transhipment via Central America. Container shipments generally add 3–5 days versus RORO on the same route because of additional port handling.

US Customs and Border Protection charges 2.5% duty on passenger cars, 25% on trucks, and 2.5% on motorcycles, calculated on the purchase price shown on your invoice. Separately, the vehicle must satisfy EPA emissions and DOT safety standards unless it qualifies for exemption — vehicles 25 years or older are exempt from both, which is why classic and modern classic imports from the UK remain popular. Non-exempt vehicles typically need a registered importer (RI) to certify compliance, adding £1,000–£3,000 in fees and sometimes requiring physical modifications.

You'll need the original title or V5C, a bill of sale, EPA Form 3520-1, DOT Form HS-7, a bill of lading, and proof of the vehicle's age if claiming the 25-year exemption. CBP also requires an ISF (Importer Security Filing) at least 24 hours before the vessel departs the UK — we file this on your behalf as part of our full-service export package.

Once cleared through customs, you'll register the vehicle at state DMV level, which varies significantly — California has some of the strictest emissions testing (CARB), while states like Montana and Florida have simpler processes. It's worth researching your destination state's specific requirements before committing to import a non-exempt vehicle, since compliance costs can sometimes exceed the vehicle's value for older non-classic cars.