Car Shipping to Canada
from the United Kingdom
Canada is a major destination for UK vehicle exports, particularly for British classics and specialty vehicles. The Ship Cars offers regular services from UK ports to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver via both RORO and container shipping. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Canada from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Canada costs from £850 port-to-port for a standard saloon. 12–16 days to Halifax/Montreal (East Coast). Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and 1 more port. 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 Canada: 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 Canada
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver in about 12–16 days to Halifax/Montreal (East Coast). RORO: £850. Container: Enquire (20ft container).
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 Canada
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 12–16 days to Halifax/Montreal (East Coast).
- 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 Canada 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 Canada
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Canada, 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.
Canada vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Vehicles must meet Transport Canada safety standards and Canadian emission requirements.
- Cars 15 years or older are exempt from federal safety standards.
- A valid Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection is required within 45 days.
- GST of 5% applies on import, plus provincial sales tax varies by province.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport or photo ID
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Form 1 (CBSA import declaration)
- RIV form
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Canada & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Canada?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Canada, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
12–16 days to Halifax/Montreal (East Coast)
Ports
Halifax, Montreal +2
Starting From
£850
Overview
Canada is a major destination for UK vehicle exports, particularly for British classics and specialty vehicles. The Ship Cars offers regular services from UK ports to Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver via both RORO and container shipping.
Shipping Methods
RORO services run regularly to Halifax and Montreal on the East Coast. Container shipping is available to all major Canadian ports including Vancouver on the West Coast. Shared container options are available for cost savings.
Transit Time
12–16 days to Halifax/Montreal (East Coast). 28–35 days to Vancouver (West Coast) via Panama Canal.
Import Regulations
Vehicles must meet Transport Canada safety standards and Canadian emission requirements. Cars 15 years or older are exempt from federal safety standards. A valid Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection is required within 45 days. GST of 5% applies on import, plus provincial sales tax varies by province.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport or photo ID
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Form 1 (CBSA import declaration)
- RIV form
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £850 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | Enquire |
| Container | Enquire (20ft container) |
| 2 cars (saloon / 4x4) — 40ft container | Enquire |
Port-to-port only. UK collection, destination charges and import duty are quoted separately.
RORO shipping to Canada (Halifax) is £850 port-to-port for a saloon. GST is 5% plus provincial tax. RIV inspection fee approximately CAD $295.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import a right-hand drive car to Canada?
What taxes apply when importing a car to Canada?
How long does customs clearance take in Canada?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Canada?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Canada?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Canada?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Canada?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Canada?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Canada from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Canada every month. The Americas combine three very different sub-markets: North American collector and 25-year-rule buyers, Latin American returning-resident imports, and Caribbean private importers. Container shipping dominates due to Gulf and Pacific routings, while RORO is concentrated on the Halifax, New York and Baltimore corridors. Typical clients on this lane include Caribbean diplomatic missions, alongside private owners relocating to Canada and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Canada corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Canada customs.
Vehicles depart from Southampton, Bristol (Portbury), Felixstowe and arrive at Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and 1 more port via Panama Canal transit to the Pacific seaboard. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 12–16 days to halifax/montreal (east coast), 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 Canada car shipping works
Every shipment to Canada follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Southampton, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Halifax (and onward feeder to Montreal 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 Canada.
RORO to Canada
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Canada. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Halifax. RORO shipping to Canada — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Canada
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Montreal. Dedicated container shipping to Canada.
Canada ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Canada are typically routed through Halifax as the lead discharge port, with Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Canada and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Halifax
- Port of Montreal
- Port of Toronto
- Port of Vancouver
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Canada import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Canada is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Canada 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 Canada
- V5C registration
- Passport or photo ID
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Form 1 (CBSA import declaration)
- RIV form
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Canada import guides and articles, our UK and Canada customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Halifax.
Who ships to Canada
- • Returning Canada residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Canada
- • Americas car dealers and Canada re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Canada
- • 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 Canada
• Specialist UK-to-Canada 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 Canada pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Halifax agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Canada
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 Canada. Many customers shipping to Canada also enquire about USA, Mexico because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Canada
Request a free, no-obligation UK-to-Canada shipping quote online. Most quotes are returned within one working hour.