Car Shipping to Brazil
from the United Kingdom
Brazil has strict vehicle import regulations but The Ship Cars can assist with shipping vehicles for diplomats, returning citizens, and special permit holders. Container shipping is the standard method to Santos and Rio de Janeiro. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Brazil from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Brazil is priced per vehicle and route — request a free quote for a fixed price. 18–25 days to Santos/Rio de Janeiro from Southampton. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Shipping to Brazil: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Information reviewed September 2026. Always confirm final rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Brazil
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua in about 18–25 days to Santos/Rio de Janeiro from Southampton. Prices depend on vehicle size and method — see our car shipping costs.
Choose RORO shipping for the lowest price on running vehicles, or container shipping for extra protection and personal effects. Specialist options include classic car shipping and electric vehicle shipping.
Estimate your price with the cost calculator or check upcoming departures on the RORO sailing schedule.
Truck and commercial vehicle shipping to Brazil
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 18–25 days to Santos/Rio de Janeiro from Southampton.
- Exact length, width, height and gross weight required for a quote
- Running and non-running trucks accepted (towing / crane loading arranged)
- Tanks drained, loose items removed, V5C and export declaration needed
- Check Brazil age and emissions limits for commercial vehicles before buying
Read more: truck shipping service, commercial vehicle shipping and our guide to shipping a truck from the UK.
Machinery and plant shipping to Brazil
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Brazil, inspect for biosecurity.
- Tracked machines loaded on MAFI trailers or flat-racks
- Professional washing and fumigation certificates where required
- Dimensions and weight drive the price — oversize cargo quoted individually
- Commercial invoice and proof of ownership needed for customs
See our heavy machinery shipping service and customs clearance support.
Brazil vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Brazil heavily restricts private vehicle imports.
- Only diplomats, returning Brazilian nationals (who have owned the vehicle for 1+ year abroad), and special permit holders can import.
- Import duty is 35% plus additional taxes.
- Vehicles must meet INMETRO safety standards.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Proof of foreign residence (1+ year)
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- INMETRO compliance certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Brazil & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Brazil?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Brazil, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
18–25 days to Santos/Rio de Janeiro
Ports
Santos, Rio de Janeiro +1
Starting From
£2,800
Overview
Brazil has strict vehicle import regulations but The Ship Cars can assist with shipping vehicles for diplomats, returning citizens, and special permit holders. Container shipping is the standard method to Santos and Rio de Janeiro.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping only. RORO services are not available for private vehicle imports to Brazil.
Transit Time
18–25 days to Santos/Rio de Janeiro from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Brazil heavily restricts private vehicle imports. Only diplomats, returning Brazilian nationals (who have owned the vehicle for 1+ year abroad), and special permit holders can import. Import duty is 35% plus additional taxes. Vehicles must meet INMETRO safety standards.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Proof of foreign residence (1+ year)
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- INMETRO compliance certificate
Costs & Fees
Container shipping from £2,800–£4,500. Import duty 35%. IPI tax 7–25%. ICMS state tax ~12–18%. Total taxes can exceed 100% of vehicle value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone import a car to Brazil?
What are the total taxes on importing a car to Brazil?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Brazil?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Brazil?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Brazil?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Brazil?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Brazil?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Brazil from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Brazil every month. North, Central and South America each impose distinct import regimes, but a common thread is container-led shipping with selective RORO on the East Coast. The 25-year and 15-year classic exemptions in the US and Canada generate steady British classic-car volume. Typical clients on this lane include returning Latin American nationals, alongside private owners relocating to Brazil and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Brazil corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Brazil customs.
Vehicles depart from Bristol (Portbury), Felixstowe, Southampton and arrive at Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua via direct trans-Atlantic East Coast calls. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 18–25 days to santos/rio de janeiro from southampton, supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.
How UK to Brazil car shipping works
Every shipment to Brazil follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Bristol (Portbury), bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Santos (and onward feeder to Rio de Janeiro where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Brazil.
RORO to Brazil
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Brazil. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Santos. RORO shipping to Brazil — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Brazil
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Rio de Janeiro. Dedicated container shipping to Brazil.
Brazil ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Brazil are typically routed through Santos as the lead discharge port, with Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Brazil and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Santos
- Port of Rio de Janeiro
- Port of Paranagua
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Brazil import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Brazil is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Brazil customs schedule before quoting.
- EPA, DOT, Transport Canada and INMETRO compliance
- 25-year and 15-year classic-import exemptions
- Customs bonds, brokers and HS code 8703 classification
- Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific routings via Panama Canal
Document checklist for Brazil
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Proof of foreign residence (1+ year)
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- INMETRO compliance certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Brazil import guides and articles, our UK and Brazil customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Santos.
Who ships to Brazil
- • Returning Brazil residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Brazil
- • Americas car dealers and Brazil re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Brazil
- • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
- • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
- • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
- • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
- • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
- • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
- • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
- • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)
Why exporters choose The Ship Cars for Brazil
• Specialist UK-to-Brazil corridor with weekly capacity
• Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing
• HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house
• Transparent UK to Brazil pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Santos agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Brazil
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Americas destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Americas countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Brazil. Many customers shipping to Brazil also enquire about Argentina, Chile because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Brazil
Our Brazil corridor team responds through the online quote form with port pairing, container availability and indicative duty in a single reply.