Car Shipping to DR Congo
from the United Kingdom
The Democratic Republic of Congo receives vehicle imports via Matadi port on the Congo River. The Ship Cars arranges full logistics including inland transport. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to DR Congo from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to DR Congo costs from £1,210 port-to-port for a standard saloon (4x4/SUV from £1,350). 22–30 days to Matadi from Southampton. Vehicles are shipped by container to Matadi. 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 DR Congo: 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 DR Congo
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Matadi in about 22–30 days to Matadi from Southampton. RORO: £1,210. Container: Enquire (20ft container).
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 DR Congo
Quick answer: Trucks usually ship on flat-rack or open-top containers to Matadi, priced by dimensions and weight. Transit is about 22–30 days to Matadi 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 DR Congo 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 DR Congo
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship on flat-rack containers or as break-bulk to Matadi. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including DR Congo, 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.
DR Congo vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Import duty 10–20%.
- VAT 16%.
- No strict age restrictions but vehicles over 10 years may face higher duties.
- Both left and right-hand drive accepted.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- BIVAC inspection certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official DR Congo & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to DR Congo?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for DR Congo, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
Container
Transit Time
22–30 days to Matadi
Ports
Matadi
Starting From
£1,210
Overview
The Democratic Republic of Congo receives vehicle imports via Matadi port on the Congo River. The Ship Cars arranges full logistics including inland transport.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping to Matadi or via Dar es Salaam with inland transport.
Transit Time
22–30 days to Matadi from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Import duty 10–20%. VAT 16%. No strict age restrictions but vehicles over 10 years may face higher duties. Both left and right-hand drive accepted.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- BIVAC inspection certificate
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £1,210 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | £1,350 |
| 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 Congo (Pointe Noire) is £1,210 port-to-port for a saloon and £1,350 for a 4x4 / SUV. Import duty 10–20%. VAT 16%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which port is best for shipping to DR Congo?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to DR Congo?
Which UK ports do you ship from to DR Congo?
What documents do I need to ship a car to DR Congo?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to DR Congo?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to DR Congo?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to DR Congo from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to DR Congo every month. Africa is the largest destination region by volume for second-hand UK vehicles, with strong demand for diesel SUVs, pickups, family saloons and commercial vans. Tema, Apapa, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Durban and Walvis Bay anchor the trade lanes from Tilbury, Southampton and Felixstowe. Typical clients on this lane include auction-buying African dealers, alongside private owners relocating to DR Congo and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-DR Congo corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with DR Congo customs.
Vehicles depart from Southampton, Bristol (Portbury), Felixstowe and arrive at Matadi via East African feeder routing via Salalah or Jeddah. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 22–30 days to matadi 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 DR Congo car shipping works
Every shipment to DR Congo 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 Matadi (and onward feeder to Matadi 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 DR Congo.
RORO to DR Congo
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for DR Congo. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Matadi. RORO shipping to DR Congo — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to DR Congo
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Matadi. Dedicated container shipping to DR Congo.
DR Congo ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for DR Congo are typically routed through Matadi as the lead discharge port, with Matadi available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to DR Congo and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Matadi
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
DR Congo import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into DR Congo is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest DR Congo customs schedule before quoting.
- Vehicle age limits and pre-shipment inspection (PSI/SGS/Intertek)
- Country-specific import duties, VAT and excise on engine size
- RORO and container handling at Tema, Apapa, Mombasa and Durban
- Right-hand-drive compatibility in most markets
Document checklist for DR Congo
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- BIVAC inspection certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our DR Congo import guides and articles, our UK and DR Congo customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Matadi.
Who ships to DR Congo
- • Returning DR Congo residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to DR Congo
- • Africa car dealers and DR Congo re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to DR Congo
- • 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 DR Congo
• Specialist UK-to-DR Congo 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 DR Congo pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Matadi agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to DR Congo
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
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Other Africa destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Africa countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as DR Congo. Many customers shipping to DR Congo also enquire about Cameroon, Tanzania, Kenya because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to DR Congo
Request a free, no-obligation UK-to-DR Congo shipping quote online. Most quotes are returned within one working hour.