Shipping a car from the USA to Germany comes down to four steps: pick the shipping method, prepare the documents, clear customs on both sides, and register the car for German roads. Since 2007 we've moved tens of thousands of vehicles along this route, and in 2026 the trip got cheaper: US-built cars now enter Germany at 0% import duty. Here is the whole process, step by step.
Looking for current rates? See what it costs to ship a car to Germany from the USA, or get an instant quote from the calculator on that page.
Container shipping is the standard for cars headed to Germany. A dedicated 20ft or 40ft container gives your car the ride to itself; our consolidated container service shares the space with other vehicles and cuts the cost substantially. Either way the car travels enclosed, strapped, and blocked by our own warehouse team in California, Florida, or New Jersey.
For a car that needs to be in Germany next week, air freight delivers in 3–10 days door to door. The premium over ocean is significant, so it makes sense for time-critical or high-value shipments.
We reserve RoRo for oversized vehicles and heavy machinery that don't fit a container. For passenger cars, container shipping offers more protection at similar cost.
Ocean freight, German destination charges, and border taxes make up the total. Current container rates and the full cost breakdown live on our Germany car shipping page, with a calculator for your exact vehicle and route.
The EU's 10% import duty on passenger cars is gone for vehicles built in the United States. The Turnberry regulation took effect July 1, 2026 and runs through December 31, 2029. On a $60,000 Corvette, that's $6,000 back before VAT.
The catch is origin: it follows the assembly plant, not the badge. A Bowling Green Corvette or Detroit-built Viper qualifies. A Brampton-built Dodge Challenger does not. Read our full breakdown of the Turnberry deal, or check whether your car was built in the US before you plan the shipment.
Germany charges 19% import VAT on the combined value of the car, shipping, and any duty. Cars built outside the US still pay the 10% duty first.
Vehicles over 30 years old in original condition clear as collectors' pieces: 0% duty and VAT reduced to 7%. In 2026 that covers anything built in 1996 or earlier, which keeps classic American metal one of the best-value imports into Germany.
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Our export team files the US paperwork and prepares the origin documentation that qualifies US-built cars for the 0% rate. For the Turnberry benefit, that origin proof is the piece that decides your customs invoice.
At Bremerhaven, the import declaration is filed with German customs and any duty and VAT are paid based on the car's value, origin, and age. Our agents in Germany handle the clearance and deliver the car, or you collect it at the port.
Registration follows three moves: pass the TÜV inspection, arrange German insurance, then visit the local Kfz-Zulassungsstelle with your documents. Cars over 30 can apply for the H-Kennzeichen historic plate: a flat annual road tax and access to emissions zones that newer cars can't enter.
Ready to begin your German car import journey? Get an instant rate on our Germany car shipping page, or contact our German import specialists for a personalized consultation and discover how simple bringing your dream car home can be.