Car Shipping to Turkey
from the United Kingdom
Turkey is a popular destination for UK vehicle shipping, especially among the Turkish diaspora. The Ship Cars provides regular RORO services to Izmir and container shipping to Istanbul/Mersin. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Turkey from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Turkey costs from £735 port-to-port for a standard saloon (4x4/SUV from £850). 10–14 days to Izmir. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin 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 Turkey: 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 Turkey
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin, Derince in about 10–14 days to Izmir. RORO: £735. 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 Turkey
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin, Derince, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 10–14 days to Izmir.
- 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 Turkey 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 Turkey
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin, Derince. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Turkey, 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.
Turkey vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Turkey has restrictive vehicle import rules.
- Generally, only Turkish citizens returning from abroad (after 2+ years) can import a vehicle duty-free (once in a lifetime).
- Standard import duty is very high — up to 80% including customs duty, SCT (special consumption tax), and VAT.
- Diplomatic and temporary import permits available.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Notarized power of attorney
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Proof of foreign residence (2+ years)
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Turkey & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Turkey?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Turkey, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
10–14 days to Izmir
Ports
Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli) +2
Starting From
£735
Overview
Turkey is a popular destination for UK vehicle shipping, especially among the Turkish diaspora. The Ship Cars provides regular RORO services to Izmir and container shipping to Istanbul/Mersin.
Shipping Methods
RORO to Izmir with weekly sailings. Container shipping to Istanbul, Izmir, and Mersin. RORO offers the best value for running vehicles.
Transit Time
10–14 days to Izmir. 12–16 days to Istanbul/Mersin from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Turkey has restrictive vehicle import rules. Generally, only Turkish citizens returning from abroad (after 2+ years) can import a vehicle duty-free (once in a lifetime). Standard import duty is very high — up to 80% including customs duty, SCT (special consumption tax), and VAT. Diplomatic and temporary import permits available.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Notarized power of attorney
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Proof of foreign residence (2+ years)
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £735 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | £850 |
| 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 Turkey (Autoport, Izmir, Mersin) is £735 port-to-port for a saloon and £850 for a 4x4 / SUV. Import taxes can total 80–150% of vehicle value for standard imports. Returning citizens may import duty-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import a car to Turkey duty-free?
What is SCT tax on cars in Turkey?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Turkey?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Turkey?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Turkey?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Turkey?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Turkey?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Turkey from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Turkey every month. European trade lanes from the UK are dominated by short-sea RORO and weekly groupage container departures. Cross-Channel and North Sea sailings out of Immingham, Tilbury and Killingholme feed Iberian, Atlantic and Mediterranean discharge ports. Typical clients on this lane include EU-resident expats, alongside private owners relocating to Turkey and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Turkey corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Turkey customs.
Vehicles depart from Felixstowe, Southampton, Bristol (Portbury) and arrive at Izmir, Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin and 1 more port via direct Atlantic and Mediterranean calls. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 10–14 days to izmir, 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 Turkey car shipping works
Every shipment to Turkey 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 Izmir (and onward feeder to Istanbul (Ambarli) 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 Turkey.
RORO to Turkey
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Turkey. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Izmir. RORO shipping to Turkey — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Turkey
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Istanbul (Ambarli). Dedicated container shipping to Turkey.
Turkey ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Turkey are typically routed through Izmir as the lead discharge port, with Istanbul (Ambarli), Mersin, Derince available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Turkey and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Izmir
- Port of Istanbul (Ambarli)
- Port of Mersin
- Port of Derince
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Turkey import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Turkey is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Turkey customs schedule before quoting.
- EU type approval and Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
- Post-Brexit 10% import duty and country-specific VAT (TVA, IVA, MwSt, BTW)
- National roadworthiness inspections (ITV, contrôle technique, TÜV, APK, IPO)
- Re-registration with local plates and CO2-based road tax
Document checklist for Turkey
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Notarized power of attorney
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Proof of foreign residence (2+ years)
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Turkey import guides and articles, our UK and Turkey customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Izmir.
Who ships to Turkey
- • Returning Turkey residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Turkey
- • Europe car dealers and Turkey re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Turkey
- • 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 Turkey
• Specialist UK-to-Turkey 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 Turkey pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Izmir agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Turkey
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Europe destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Europe countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Turkey. Many customers shipping to Turkey also enquire about Greece, Cyprus because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Turkey
Use our online quote form for Turkey sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Quotes are typically answered the same working day.