International Car Shipping How To Guide & FAQ

We will send you our invoice after the container was loaded in an email with the subject YOUR CONTAINER HAS BEEN LOADED.

We will invoice you when your car is scheduled for loading. Please make sure we receive the payment at least 2 weeks before vessel arrival at destination port to avoid costly delays with release.

We don’t offer freight collect terms and you will have to pay your invoice to West Coast Shipping.

We don’t offer credit card payments as an option. The only options are wire transfer, check, or Zelle.

No deposit is required to book. For some vehicles and routes we may ask for one, and your account manager tells you before you confirm. Destination charges are paid directly to the destination agent.

Our overseas agents are able to help you with advise how to register your vehicle and arrange the homologation process.

We will share the details of our overseas destination agents when the container was loaded and the vessel sailed from the origin port. We have a network of agents in almost any country we ship to but you are welcome to nominate your own overseas agent to handle your cargo at the destination port.

We work closely with a network of overseas agents in the destination ports and they are the one handling the destination work on your behalf. With this setup we can make sure that you always get updated directly from the company carrying out the actual work and make sure the flow of information towards you is not disrupted in any way.

Yes, our overseas agents are able to organize the delivery of your vehicle to any address in the destination country.

Our overseas agents will charge you separate for their services and your dedicated sales manager is able to give you an overview of their charges upfront.

After the container was loaded and the vessel sailed from the port of origin we inform our overseas agent about your shipment and they will get in touch with you around 5 to 15 days before the vessel arrives.

For a permanent import: a copy of your passport, the title, the bill of sale or purchase invoice, and the bill of lading. The agent calculates duty and VAT on the value of the car plus freight.

For a temporary stay (returning to the US within 6 months): passport, proof that you live outside the EU, the US registration and title, and proof of your return plans.

In the Netherlands, permanently imported cars pay 10% duty plus 21% VAT; cars 30 years or older that qualify as collector vehicles pay 0% duty and 9% VAT. Registering in the Netherlands also triggers BPM. Temporary admission pays none of these.

No. We handle the US side: collection, warehousing, loading and export documentation. Customs clearance in the destination country is done by the destination agent, who bills duty and VAT at cost plus their clearance fee. You are free to nominate your own customs broker or agent for a dedicated container.

We can arrange pickup anywhere in the USA with an open or enclosed truck, or you can deliver the car yourself to one of our warehouses or directly to the port, depending on the booking.

Drop-off is by appointment only, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Your account manager books the slot with the warehouse.

• New Jersey: 1200 W. Blancke Street, Linden, NJ 07036, phone 1-862-772-7824
• California: 1200 Wright Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, phone 1-510-236-3008
• Florida: 6001 Powerline Road, Suite A, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, phone 1-305-433-7833

Yes. Each warehouse has indoor space and a fenced outdoor yard; the New Jersey warehouse alone has 70,000 sq ft indoors and 182,000 sq ft outdoors. Cars are handled only by our own employees between drop-off and loading.

10 free days from drop-off, then $10 per day per car. If the booking slips because of the steamship line, the extra days are on us.

• The original title. Copies and photos are not accepted. If a lender holds the title, we need the lender's notarized export authorization.
• A government photo ID matching the name on the title.
• The signed power of attorney and shipping instructions we email you before drop-off.
• A bill of sale if the car is not in your name.

If you cannot drop off in person, the title can be sent to the warehouse by FedEx or UPS, not USPS.

• Fuel: a quarter tank or less.
• Battery: connected and charged. The car is driven into the container.
• Alarm: switched off, or leave written instructions for disarming it.
• Keys: one key. It travels with the car and the destination agent hands it back with the vehicle.

Yes. A condition report with photos is completed at every handover: at pickup if we collect the car, at receiving in our warehouse, and at delivery. Our staff photograph the car again when it is loaded. The reports and photos are kept on file and shared on request.

No. As long as we have your signed documents and original title, we handle the export filing and customs clearance on your behalf.

Typically we need the original title, a copy of your passport or ID, a completed power of attorney, and the shipping instructions with consignee details. In some cases we may also ask for a bill of sale.

US Customs requires a clear title. If the vehicle has a lien, we need a written authorization from the lienholder and the original title in hand before we can ship.

Ideally 1–3 weeks before the vessel’s departure so we can confirm space, arrange trucking, and complete export paperwork without rush fees.

Most ports require the vehicle to be delivered 3–5 business days before the vessel’s departure. If you ship via our warehouse, we’ll give you a specific delivery window.

Personal items and spare parts can travel inside the car for the ocean container leg. They cannot be in the car during over-the-road transport, so if we pick the car up, bring the items to the warehouse separately or leave them out. Anything not declared on the export documents can hold the container at customs, so list what you pack.

Depending on vehicle size, we can safely load between 1 and 4 cars per container. We’ll recommend the most cost-effective and secure configuration for your shipment.

Yes. We photograph each vehicle at drop-off and during loading so you have a visual record of its condition and how it is secured inside the container.

No. For safety and insurance reasons only our employees are in the loading area. Loading happens inside our own warehouse on the loading schedule for that vessel, not at the port terminal. We photograph the car entering the container, the strapping, and the sealed doors, and send the set to you with the container and seal numbers.

Our own employees load it in our own warehouse. The car is driven in, the wheels are strapped to the container floor rings with ratchet straps, and chocks go against the tires. For two or more cars we add wood blocking and bracing. We do not hand loading to a third-party yard.

Not in a dedicated container. Your booking confirmation states the container is dedicated to your vehicle only. If you want a lower rate and do not mind sharing with other cars on the same route, ask for a shared container instead.

Yes. We seal the container at our warehouse after loading. The container number and seal number appear on the bill of lading and in the loading photos we send you. The seal is checked at the destination terminal before the agent opens the container.

Your account manager gives you the loading cutoff, vessel name, shipping line and estimated sailing date when you book. From New Jersey to Rotterdam there are weekly sailings. Book 1 to 3 weeks ahead and plan to have the car at our warehouse 3 to 5 business days before the loading cutoff.

Usually a week or less. The car is loaded in our warehouse a few days before the cutoff, the container moves to the terminal, and the vessel sails on its schedule. The steamship line controls the sailing date, so if a vessel is delayed, the car waits in the sealed container at the terminal.

Once your booking is confirmed, we’ll send you the vessel name, estimated departure (ETD) and estimated arrival (ETA), and update you if the steamship line changes the schedule.

We email the invoice once the container is loaded. Payment is due no later than 2 weeks before the vessel arrives at destination. We accept wire transfer, check and Zelle. Credit cards are not accepted.

We offer optional Cargo Damage Protection that covers your vehicle from the time it is received at our warehouse until it is unloaded by the destination agent. Coverage details and pricing are on the Cargo Damage Protection page, and we send the options with your quote.

Schedule changes are controlled by the steamship line. If your container is rolled to a later vessel, we notify you right away with the updated ETD and ETA. Storage at our warehouse stays within your 10 free days, and if the delay is the line's, the extra days are on us.

Yes. We regularly ship motorcycles, boats, and loose parts in containers and can combine them with vehicles when it’s safe and allowed by the carrier.

Race cars are usually treated like modern road cars, with many countries charging around a 15% import duty plus local VAT. Exact rates depend on the country and its tariff rules, so your local customs or receiving agent has the final say.

Even if the car is going overseas for work and will return to you, many European countries still apply standard import duty (often around 15% plus VAT). In some cases, a temporary import regime may reduce costs; your destination agent can confirm what’s possible.

Right now, most passenger vehicles shipped from the USA into the EU are still charged around 10% import duty plus local VAT. There has been talk of reducing this to about 2.5%, but until that is officially implemented in Europe, you should plan on the current 10% rate and confirm with your local customs broker.

Yes. We can arrange ocean transport, coordinate with a licensed customs broker, and handle delivery to your final destination once the vehicle is cleared.

Eligibility depends on age and specifications. Vehicles 25 years or older are typically exempt from DOT and EPA requirements; newer vehicles must meet US safety and emissions standards or be imported under a specific exemption.

You’ll need the foreign title or registration, bill of sale or invoice, a copy of your passport or ID, and a completed power of attorney so the customs broker can clear the car on your behalf. Additional forms (DOT/EPA) may be required.

We work with licensed US customs brokers who file the entry, pay duties and fees on your behalf, and coordinate releases with Customs and the port. We manage the process with them so you have a single point of contact.

Import duty for passenger vehicles is usually a percentage of the declared value, plus any applicable fees. The exact rate depends on vehicle type and country of origin; your broker will calculate this before clearance.

You can collect the car after customs release if you have proper identification, proof of ownership, and any temporary tags or permits required by your state. Many clients prefer to have us arrange enclosed or open transport instead.

Yes. After clearance we can organize door delivery anywhere in the country, using either open or enclosed carriers depending on the vehicle and your preference.

If all documents are in order and there are no inspections, clearance can take 2–5 business days from vessel arrival. Random inspections or missing paperwork can extend this timeline.

If Customs or another agency orders an inspection, the vehicle will be moved to an inspection area at the terminal. The broker and our team will keep you updated and advise you of any additional fees charged by the port.

Our quote usually includes ocean freight and basic destination handling as specified, but local port storage, customs inspection fees, and state registration costs are typically paid by the receiver. We’ll clarify what is and isn’t included for your lane.

Yes. We regularly import classic vehicles under the 25-year exemption and can guide you on the documentation needed to prove age and original build date.

For vehicles under 25 years old, we can connect you with specialists who handle compliance conversions and paperwork. Not every vehicle can be economically brought into compliance, so we recommend reviewing this before purchase.

We can arrange coverage from the foreign port or warehouse all the way to the USA, including inland delivery after clearance, subject to policy terms and conditions.

Yes. Qualifying light trucks and similar vehicles are still subject to a 25% US import duty, plus the usual harbor maintenance fee (HMF) and merchandise processing fee (MPF), compared with the standard 2.5% duty on most passenger cars. Origin sets what goes on top: EU-built pickups and light trucks stop at 25% at any age, while UK-built ones pay 35% when 25 years or older (25% base plus 10% Section 301) and 50% when newer (25% base plus 25% Section 232).

If it’s a US-spec vehicle you previously owned and registered in the USA, it can often return as “US goods returned” without duty, provided you can show the prior US paperwork. There are exceptions, so it’s best to confirm with a customs broker before shipping.

Yes, unless it qualifies as US goods returned. The 25-year rule mainly affects EPA/DOT compliance; it does not automatically remove customs duties.

If the car was already imported, titled, and registered in the USA before it left, it may come back without additional duty as US goods returned. However, you usually will not get a new stamped import entry, so if the car is no longer titled or registered in the USA, proving status can be an issue.

Temporary entries (for tourism, shows, events, or testing) can often be admitted without standard duty, as long as the car leaves the USA again within the allowed time and all conditions are met.

No. Being over 25 years old can simplify EPA/DOT rules, but it does not automatically exempt a vehicle from customs duty. Duty is based on its tariff classification and origin.

Depending on engine size and steel content, effective duty on EU motorcycles can be around 15% plus additional steel-related surcharges. For some displacements, customs requires splitting the bike’s value between steel and non-steel components and applying extra 50% duties on the steel portion. Because of this complexity, any motorcycle import would have to be reviewed case by case with a US customs broker.

If the vehicle was previously imported, titled, and registered in the USA, and the same registered owner exported it and is now bringing it back with no change of ownership, it can usually return as “US goods returned” without new duty.