Shipping a Car to Melbourne from the UK: Complete 2026 Guide

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and home to one of the country's most established communities of British expats and returning Australians. Many bring a vehicle with them, either because the car has personal value or because the right specification is hard to find on the local market. The Port of Melbourne in Victoria handles the bulk of vehicle imports for the south-eastern states and is one of the busiest container and RORO ports in the southern hemisphere.

UK right-hand-drive vehicles are a natural fit for Australia, removing the cost and complexity of any steering conversion. British classics, performance models and specialist 4x4s tend to fetch a strong premium in Melbourne and Sydney, which is why the UK to Melbourne corridor is one of our most active routes. The Ship Cars operates regular consolidated container and RORO sailings from Southampton and Tilbury to Melbourne via Singapore.

For the wider regulatory picture across the country, see our full Australia import guide and the master international shipping cost guide.

Australia tightly controls vehicle imports through the Road Vehicle Standards Act. Before you ship, you must hold a valid import approval issued by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. There are several pathways:

Personal Import — Available to Australian citizens or permanent residents who have owned and used the vehicle overseas for at least 12 months. This is the most common route for people relocating to Melbourne.

Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles Scheme (SEVS) — A model-by-model list of approved vehicles that can be imported in limited numbers each year. Many UK-built sports cars and limited editions appear on the SEVS list.

Concessional (25 year) rule — Any vehicle manufactured at least 25 years ago can be imported under the concessional pathway with reduced compliance requirements, which is why classic British cars are so popular in Victoria.

Letter of Compliance / RAW workshop — Newer vehicles outside the personal import route must be processed through a Registered Automotive Workshop before they can be registered.

The Ship Cars works with Melbourne-based RAW partners and customs brokers to make sure the import approval is in place before the vehicle leaves the UK.

Shared container from Southampton or Tilbury to Melbourne
• Indicative cost: £2,200 to £3,400
• Transit time: 38 to 50 days via Singapore
• The most popular option for personal imports and classics

Dedicated 20ft container
• Indicative cost: £3,400 to £5,200
• Transit time: 38 to 50 days
• Recommended for higher-value vehicles or shipments with personal effects

RORO from Southampton to Melbourne
• Indicative cost: £1,900 to £2,700
• Transit time: 35 to 45 days
• Cost-effective for standard road-going cars

Australian landed cost components on a typical £25,000 used car
• Customs duty: 5% on most passenger cars (some classics qualify for 0%)
• GST: 10% on customs value plus duty plus shipping
• Luxury Car Tax: 33% on the amount over the threshold (around AUD 80,500 for fuel-efficient cars in 2026)
• Asbestos testing: AUD 350 to 800 if a sample is required
• Quarantine inspection: AUD 80 to 250
• Compliance and registration in Victoria: AUD 800 to 2,500

Use our cost calculator for a tailored estimate or compare options in our shared vs dedicated container guide.

Australia has the strictest biosecurity regime of any major importing country. Every vehicle is inspected on arrival in Melbourne and any soil, plant material, animal residue or insect contamination will result in mandatory cleaning at the importer's cost. Vehicles should be steam cleaned, undercarriages degreased and engine bays brushed before they leave the UK.

Since 2003 Australia has banned all forms of asbestos. Many British cars built before the early 2000s contain asbestos in brake pads, clutch facings, gaskets or undercoating. Customs may demand sampling and laboratory testing, particularly on classics, restored vehicles and aftermarket parts. The Ship Cars provides a pre-shipment asbestos statement and works with NATA-accredited Melbourne labs when testing is required.

The key clearance steps are:
1. Lodgement of import declaration through the Australian Border Force ICS system
2. Quarantine inspection by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
3. Asbestos sampling if requested
4. Payment of duty and GST before release
5. RAW or compliance workshop for newer vehicles
6. VicRoads registration with engineering certificate where required

- Document 12 months of ownership — The personal import route is the cheapest, but you must prove ownership and use abroad with insurance certificates, MOTs and finance statements. Start collecting evidence early.
• Ship in autumn or winter — Australian customs is at its busiest from October to February when seasonal imports peak. UK winter shipments often clear faster.
• Use a Melbourne-based broker — Australian customs documentation is dense and localised. The Ship Cars partners with two long-established Melbourne brokers who handle our imports end to end.
• Insure end to end — A 50-day sea voyage demands proper marine transit insurance on agreed-value terms.
• Plan for VicRoads registration — Victoria requires a Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) engineering report for many imported cars. Budget for this from day one.

Ready to ship to Melbourne? Request a free quote in two minutes or contact our team to talk through your import approval options.