Shipping your Vehicle

If you are planning to ship a self propelled vehicle internationally, you should expect plenty of restrictions overseas. Import restrictions differ from country to country and you should research the allowances of your destination country. A self propelled vehicle, defined by the US Customs and Border Protection, includes any automobile, truck, tractor, bus, motorcycle, motor home, self-propelled agricultural machinery, self-propelled construction equipment, self-propelled special use equipment, and any other self-propelled vehicle used or designed for running on land but not rail .

Here are some things to keep in mind regarding shipping your vehicle in an international move:

• Are you licensed to drive in your new country?
• Does your vehicle meet the environmental standards required in that country?
• Is the cost of shipping your vehicle within your budget?

Shipping a vehicle internationally is accomplished one of two ways: via container or via Ro-Ro service. In container shipping, your car is loaded into a 20 ft or 40 ft container at a loading terminal. The vehicle is secured to the container floor by strapping to stop any movement. The main advantage is you can also load your personal effects into the container. The limitation of container shipping is that the vehicle you are shipping has to fit into the container. Ro-Ro stands for “Roll on/Roll Off”. It involves driving the vehicle into the ships hold and secured inside the covered car deck by a series of straps and braces. This is how car / vehicle manufacturers ship new cars / vehicles. There is virtually no size limitation to the vehicle you want to ship Ro-Ro; however, the vehicle must be shipped alone and can not be accompanied with household goods.

Exporting vehicles from the United States is a complicated process that involves validating the title with US Customs and Border Patrol and the Office of Homeland Security. The process and necessary documentation required by US Customs and Border Protection for title validation is not standardized throughout the United States. Instead, it is set by the Port Director of the port from which the vehicle will be loaded and shipped.

Despite the varying standards from port to port, at minimum, you will need to prove ownership of the vehicle. Only the original certificate of title, or a certified copy of the original, is considered valid proof of ownership. Other registration documents, by themselves, are not considered proof of ownership. If the car has a lien, encumbrance, or is leased, the exporter will have to attach to the certificate of title a notarized letter from the lien holder or lease holder authorizing it to leave the country.

If the vehicle is a new car that has never been titled, it can be exported by submitting a document known as a manufacturer’s statement of origin in lieu of the title. The manufacturer’s statement of origin may be obtained from the auto dealer. The original and two copies must be presented to Customs.

Some very old used vehicles and some foreign vehicles purchased abroad may not have a certificate of title, or junk scrap certificate in force and for which a manufacture’s statement of origin was not issued. In these cases, a bill of sale, sales invoice, right of possession, or other documents sufficient to prove lawful ownership may be used. In addition, the owner must certify in writing to Customs that the procurement of the vehicle was a bona fide transaction and that the vehicles presented for export is not stolen. Again, the original and two copies must be presented.

Exporting a vehicle is often expensive and can complicate what would otherwise be a relatively simple international move. When planning your international move, careful consideration must be given to the pros and cons of bringing your vehicle with you.