Car Shipping to Colombia
from the United Kingdom
Colombia allows vehicle imports with specific restrictions on vehicle age. The Ship Cars provides container shipping to Cartagena and Buenaventura from UK ports. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Colombia from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Colombia is priced per vehicle and route — request a free quote for a fixed price. 18–25 days to Cartagena from Southampton. Vehicles are shipped by container to Cartagena, Buenaventura. 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 Colombia: 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 Colombia
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Cartagena, Buenaventura in about 18–25 days to Cartagena from Southampton. Prices depend on vehicle size and method — see our car shipping costs.
This route is served mainly by 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 Colombia
Quick answer: Trucks usually ship on flat-rack or open-top containers to Cartagena, Buenaventura, priced by dimensions and weight. Transit is about 18–25 days to Cartagena 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 Colombia 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 Colombia
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship on flat-rack containers or as break-bulk to Cartagena, Buenaventura. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Colombia, 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.
Colombia vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Colombia restricts imports to vehicles that are brand new or up to 5 years old.
- All vehicles must comply with Colombian emissions and safety standards.
- Import duty is 35% plus 19% VAT.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of origin
- Emissions compliance certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Colombia & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Colombia?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Colombia, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
Container
Transit Time
18–25 days to Cartagena
Ports
Cartagena, Buenaventura
Starting From
£2,500
Overview
Colombia allows vehicle imports with specific restrictions on vehicle age. The Ship Cars provides container shipping to Cartagena and Buenaventura from UK ports.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping only to Colombian ports.
Transit Time
18–25 days to Cartagena from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Colombia restricts imports to vehicles that are brand new or up to 5 years old. All vehicles must comply with Colombian emissions and safety standards. Import duty is 35% plus 19% VAT.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of origin
- Emissions compliance certificate
Costs & Fees
Container shipping from £2,500–£4,000. Import duty 35%. VAT 19%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import an older car to Colombia?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Colombia?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Colombia?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Colombia?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Colombia?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Colombia?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Colombia from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Colombia every month. Trans-Atlantic and Panama-routed services into the Americas split cleanly between East Coast RORO calls (Halifax, New York, Baltimore) and container groupage to Gulf, Pacific and Latin American ports. Compliance regimes (EPA, DOT, Transport Canada, INMETRO) drive most of the cost and timeline. Typical clients on this lane include 25-year-rule classic importers, alongside private owners relocating to Colombia and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Colombia corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Colombia customs.
Vehicles depart from Felixstowe, Southampton, Bristol (Portbury) and arrive at Cartagena, Buenaventura via Gulf routing via Houston and Veracruz. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 18–25 days to cartagena 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 Colombia car shipping works
Every shipment to Colombia follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Felixstowe, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Cartagena (and onward feeder to Buenaventura 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 Colombia.
RORO to Colombia
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Colombia. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Cartagena. RORO shipping to Colombia — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Colombia
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Buenaventura. Dedicated container shipping to Colombia.
Colombia ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Colombia are typically routed through Cartagena as the lead discharge port, with Buenaventura available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Colombia and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Cartagena
- Port of Buenaventura
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Colombia import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Colombia is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Colombia 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 Colombia
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of origin
- Emissions compliance certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Colombia import guides and articles, our UK and Colombia customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Cartagena.
Who ships to Colombia
- • Returning Colombia residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Colombia
- • Americas car dealers and Colombia re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Colombia
- • 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 Colombia
• Specialist UK-to-Colombia 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 Colombia pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Cartagena agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Colombia
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 Colombia. Many customers shipping to Colombia also enquire about Mexico, Chile because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Colombia
Use our online quote form for Colombia sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Quotes are typically answered the same working day.