Car Shipping to Mauritius
from the United Kingdom
Mauritius is a Commonwealth island nation with strong historical ties to the UK and shares the same left-hand traffic convention, making it a natural destination for RHD UK vehicles. The Ship Cars ships to Port Louis for both returning residents and used-vehicle importers. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Mauritius from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Mauritius costs from £1,775 port-to-port for a standard saloon (4x4/SUV from £2,200). 28–38 days from Southampton to Port Louis, typically routed via the Cape or Middle East transhipment hubs. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Port Louis. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
28–38 days to Port Louis, typically routed via the Cape or Middle East transhipment hubs
Ports
Port Louis
Starting From
£1,775
Shipping to Mauritius: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Always confirm current import rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Mauritius
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Port Louis in about 28–38 days from Southampton to Port Louis, typically routed via the Cape or Middle East transhipment hubs. RORO: £1,775. 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 Mauritius
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Port Louis, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 28–38 days from Southampton to Port Louis, typically routed via the Cape or Middle East transhipment hubs.
- 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 Mauritius 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 Mauritius
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Port Louis. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Mauritius, 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.
Mauritius vehicle import rules
- Mauritius restricts the import of used vehicles to those no more than 3 years old (with exceptions for returning citizens/residents, who may import a used vehicle up to 5 years old under specific relief schemes).
- Excise duty and VAT combined can range from 50% to over 100% of the CIF value depending on engine size, with smaller-engine and hybrid/electric vehicles benefiting from reduced rates.
- RHD is standard as Mauritius drives on the left.
Documents required
- V5C registration document
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Mauritius Revenue Authority customs declaration
- Roadworthiness certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Mauritius & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Overview
Mauritius is a Commonwealth island nation with strong historical ties to the UK and shares the same left-hand traffic convention, making it a natural destination for RHD UK vehicles. The Ship Cars ships to Port Louis for both returning residents and used-vehicle importers.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping is the standard method to Port Louis given the long transit and lack of direct RORO service. Dedicated containers are recommended, though shared containers are available for cost-conscious shipments.
Transit Time
28–38 days from Southampton to Port Louis, typically routed via the Cape or Middle East transhipment hubs.
Import Regulations
Mauritius restricts the import of used vehicles to those no more than 3 years old (with exceptions for returning citizens/residents, who may import a used vehicle up to 5 years old under specific relief schemes). Excise duty and VAT combined can range from 50% to over 100% of the CIF value depending on engine size, with smaller-engine and hybrid/electric vehicles benefiting from reduced rates. RHD is standard as Mauritius drives on the left.
Documents Required
- V5C registration document
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Mauritius Revenue Authority customs declaration
- Roadworthiness certificate
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £1,775 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | £2,200 |
| 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 Mauritius (Port Louis) is £1,775 port-to-port for a saloon and £2,200 for a 4x4 / SUV. Combined excise duty and VAT approximately 50–100%+ of CIF value depending on engine size, with reduced rates for hybrid/electric vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum age for a used car imported to Mauritius?
Are right-hand drive cars accepted in Mauritius?
Is there a tax advantage for hybrid or electric cars in Mauritius?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Mauritius?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Mauritius?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Mauritius?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Mauritius?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Mauritius?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Mauritius from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Mauritius every month. African importers absorb more used UK vehicle volume than any other region, with West, East and Southern African ports each running their own weekly RORO calls and consolidated container schedules out of Tilbury, Southampton and Felixstowe. Typical clients on this lane include fleet operators and SACU buyers, alongside private owners relocating to Mauritius and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Mauritius corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Mauritius customs.
Vehicles depart from Tilbury, Immingham, Liverpool and arrive at Port Louis via Cape routing via Walvis Bay and Durban. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 28–38 days from southampton to port louis, typically routed via the cape or middle east transhipment hubs, 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 Mauritius car shipping works
Every shipment to Mauritius follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Tilbury, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Port Louis (and onward feeder to Port Louis 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 Mauritius.
RORO to Mauritius
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Mauritius. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Port Louis. RORO shipping to Mauritius — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Mauritius
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Port Louis. Dedicated container shipping to Mauritius.
Mauritius ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Mauritius are typically routed through Port Louis as the lead discharge port, with Port Louis available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Mauritius and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Port Louis
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Mauritius import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Mauritius is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Mauritius 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 Mauritius
- V5C registration document
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Mauritius Revenue Authority customs declaration
- Roadworthiness certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Mauritius import guides and articles, our UK and Mauritius customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Port Louis.
Who ships to Mauritius
- • Returning Mauritius residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Mauritius
- • Africa car dealers and Mauritius re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Mauritius
- • 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 Mauritius
• Specialist UK-to-Mauritius 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 Mauritius pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Port Louis agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
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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 Mauritius. Many customers shipping to Mauritius also enquire about Botswana, Namibia because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Mauritius
Use our online quote form for Mauritius sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Quotes are typically answered the same working day.
Nearby Destinations
Shipping a vehicle to Mauritius?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Mauritius, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options