Shipping a Car to Romania from the UK: Constanta, Overland Routes and EU Duty

For Romania, the overwhelming majority of UK shippers choose covered car-transporter trucks running from Dover or Folkestone through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Hungary into Romania, arriving in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara or Constanța in 5–8 days. This is faster and often cheaper than sea freight for a single vehicle, typically costing £550–£900 depending on collection and delivery points.

Sea freight via the Port of Constanța on the Black Sea is used mainly for bulk shipments, high-value vehicles requiring container protection, or when overland capacity is tight. Expect 2–3 weeks transit and £900–£1,300 in costs including port handling.

Romania is an EU member, so any UK-registered vehicle is a non-EU import requiring full customs clearance. Standard duty is 10% of the vehicle's customs value (purchase price plus shipping and insurance), and Romanian VAT (TVA) of 19% applies to the value plus duty. On a £12,000 car with £800 shipping, expect roughly £1,280 in duty and £2,565 in VAT — a landed cost addition of around £3,845, so it's important to factor this into your budget before agreeing a purchase price for a car you plan to relocate.

If you're moving your permanent residence to Romania and meet the ownership and usage criteria, Transfer of Residence relief can eliminate both duty and VAT entirely.

Before the vehicle leaves the UK you need the V5C, an export MRN generated through NCTS if the vehicle is departing via a customs-controlled port such as Dover, proof of purchase or ownership, and — if the vehicle is under finance — written lender permission to export. Our UK export documents guide walks through each requirement, and our DVLA export rules article explains how to notify DVLA correctly to avoid ongoing UK tax liability.

On arrival, a licensed Romanian customs broker lodges the import declaration (DVI) with ANAF, and the vehicle must pass an RAR (Registrul Auto Român) technical inspection confirming it meets Romanian and EU roadworthiness standards before local registration plates can be issued. RAR inspection fees typically run £80–£150, and registration tax (timbru de mediu equivalent charges were abolished, but a first-registration environmental stamp may still apply depending on emissions class) should be checked with your broker as rules are periodically updated.

Right-hand-drive vehicles are legal to register and drive in Romania, and a meaningful number of UK-sourced RHD cars are imported each year, particularly performance and classic models. However, RAR inspection for RHD vehicles is more detailed, checking headlamp beam pattern, mirror placement and wing mirror visibility, and may require minor adjustments such as headlamp deflectors.

For a 2020 diesel estate valued at £13,500 shipped overland to Cluj-Napoca: transporter cost approximately £750, customs duty (10%) around £1,425, Romanian VAT (19%) roughly £2,835, RAR inspection and registration £200, and broker fee £150–£250. Total additional cost before TOR relief: approximately £5,360–£5,460, making early TOR eligibility assessment well worth the effort for genuine relocators.

Look for a company that provides GPS tracking, fully enclosed trailers (rather than open multi-car carriers, which expose vehicles to weather and stone chips over the long European leg), and clear insurance terms covering the full declared value. Ask specifically whether customs clearance in Romania is included in the quoted price or billed separately by a local partner broker, as this is a common source of unexpected additional costs.