Car Shipping to Sri Lanka
from the United Kingdom
Sri Lanka is one of the most popular destinations for UK vehicle exports, especially among the Sri Lankan diaspora. The Ship Cars provides bi-weekly RORO services to Colombo with competitive pricing. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Sri Lanka from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Sri Lanka is priced per vehicle and route — request a free quote for a fixed price. 22–28 days to Colombo from Southampton. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Colombo. 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 Sri Lanka: 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 Sri Lanka
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Colombo in about 22–28 days to Colombo 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 Sri Lanka
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Colombo, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 22–28 days to Colombo 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 Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Colombo. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Sri Lanka, 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.
Sri Lanka vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Sri Lanka imposes very high import taxes on vehicles.
- Customs duty ranges from 30–100%.
- Excise duty 25–200% based on engine capacity.
- PAL (Port & Airport Development Levy) 7.5%.
- VAT 18%.
- Vehicles must comply with Sri Lanka Standards Institution requirements.
- Right-hand drive vehicles are accepted (Sri Lanka drives on the left).
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- CUSDEC declaration
- Insurance certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Sri Lanka & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Sri Lanka?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Sri Lanka, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
22–28 days to Colombo
Ports
Colombo
Starting From
£1,000
Overview
Sri Lanka is one of the most popular destinations for UK vehicle exports, especially among the Sri Lankan diaspora. The Ship Cars provides bi-weekly RORO services to Colombo with competitive pricing.
Shipping Methods
RORO to Colombo with bi-weekly sailings from Southampton. Container shipping also available. RORO is most popular due to cost savings.
Transit Time
22–28 days to Colombo from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Sri Lanka imposes very high import taxes on vehicles. Customs duty ranges from 30–100%. Excise duty 25–200% based on engine capacity. PAL (Port & Airport Development Levy) 7.5%. VAT 18%. Vehicles must comply with Sri Lanka Standards Institution requirements. Right-hand drive vehicles are accepted (Sri Lanka drives on the left).
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- CUSDEC declaration
- Insurance certificate
Costs & Fees
RORO from £1,000–£1,500. Container from £1,600–£2,500. Total import taxes can reach 200–300% of vehicle value depending on engine size.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much tax will I pay importing a car to Sri Lanka?
Does Sri Lanka accept right-hand drive cars?
Can I import a used car to Sri Lanka?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Sri Lanka?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Sri Lanka?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Sri Lanka?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Sri Lanka?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Sri Lanka?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Sri Lanka from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Sri Lanka every month. Routing into Asia typically tranships through Singapore or Port Klang, with sealed 40ft containers used for everything except a handful of RORO-served deepwater ports. Carnet de Passage, Euro 4–6 emission proofs and chassis verification are the recurring compliance themes. Typical clients on this lane include Carnet-holding overlanders, alongside private owners relocating to Sri Lanka and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Sri Lanka corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Sri Lanka customs.
Vehicles depart from Bristol (Portbury), Felixstowe, Southampton and arrive at Colombo via direct Far East rotation via Colombo and Singapore. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 22–28 days to colombo 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 Sri Lanka car shipping works
Every shipment to Sri Lanka 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 Colombo (and onward feeder to Colombo 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 Sri Lanka.
RORO to Sri Lanka
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Sri Lanka. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Colombo. RORO shipping to Sri Lanka — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Sri Lanka
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Colombo. Dedicated container shipping to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Sri Lanka are typically routed through Colombo as the lead discharge port, with Colombo available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Sri Lanka and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Colombo
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Sri Lanka import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Sri Lanka is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Sri Lanka customs schedule before quoting.
- Strict homologation and emission standards (Euro 4–6)
- Carnet de Passage in selected markets
- Right-hand-drive advantage for South and East Asia
- Container shipping via Singapore, Port Klang and Hong Kong
Document checklist for Sri Lanka
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- CUSDEC declaration
- Insurance certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Sri Lanka import guides and articles, our UK and Sri Lanka customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Colombo.
Who ships to Sri Lanka
- • Returning Sri Lanka residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Sri Lanka
- • Asia car dealers and Sri Lanka re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Sri Lanka
- • 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 Sri Lanka
• Specialist UK-to-Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Colombo agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Sri Lanka
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Asia destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Asia countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Sri Lanka. Many customers shipping to Sri Lanka also enquire about India, Pakistan because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Sri Lanka
Our Sri Lanka corridor team responds through the online quote form with port pairing, container availability and indicative duty in a single reply.