How Can I Ship My Car Myself Overseas?

Shipping a car isn’t easy, especially when you want it shipped overseas. But when changes happen in your life that require you to move abroad, you might consider shipping your car there. And while shipping your vehicle isn’t cheap, it’s much cheaper than buying a new one on most occasions. 

Another added advantage of shipping your car overseas is that the process is quite straightforward. With the shipping process being pretty easy, people often end up wondering if they can ship their vehicle overseas by themselves.

The answer shipping companies always give is no. Shipping a car is more than just acquiring the proper documents. It also involves ensuring the security of your vehicle and delivering it as needed. This is where shipping companies like MVS Canada —visit their website— step in to help.

But, if you are pretty set on shipping your car yourself overseas, here’s a guide that will help you.

Research

If it’s your first time shipping a vehicle overseas, research will be the most crucial step of your process. Start by knowing the shipping regulations you need to comply with when importing your car to a new territory. 

Make sure you read that country’s cross-border and customs regulations. Failure to meet the country’s set border and custom laws can result in severe penalties, depending on the seriousness of the offense. Your car can also get seized in the process.

The second thing you should research is the taxes. When importing a car to a particular country, you need to pay a certain amount of money to the customs office and any other department involved in importation.

The amount of money you pay differs in each country. It is also determined by the type of car you are importing. For instance, the taxes on an SUV are completely different compared to importing a coupe. Knowing about the country’s taxes and importation regulations will ensure you don’t waste time retrieving your vehicle.

You also need to know what type of documents are required to ship your car. As with anything that has to do with international shipping, transporting your vehicle overseas will require documentation. Some of the documents you will need include:

• An original certificate of the vehicle’s title
• Bill of lading
• Warehouse and dock receipt
• Vehicle insurance certificates, to name but a few.

Next, gather the documents you need to ship your car. Remember, every document is important. So, make sure you have them all before your vehicle leaves the country.

Lastly, research on the shipping costs. Shipping a car from one country to another differs in price depending on the miles the plane or ship has to cover. Finding out how much it would cost to transport your car can help you decide if shipping would be an option for you when relocating abroad.

Getting your Vehicle Ready for Shipping

Now that you know all the do’s and don’ts of shipping, the next step is getting your car ready for shipping. Start by removing all important documents from your vehicle, like insurance and registration information.

You also need to figure out how to transport your car from your home to the port. For that, you can contract a car transportation company. Also, border custom agents will check whether your car is infested with pests or has debris. So, to be safe, ensure that you have your vehicle washed before it leaves home. 

The Arrival

Once your car arrives at its said destination, it needs to be cleared before you pick it up. And this is where a warehouse becomes necessary. So, before your car leaves the port, ensure you have a rough idea of where your vehicle will be stored. 

After all, you don’t want it to wind up rusty and not functional after going through the hassle of shipping it. 

The shipping process above may look pretty straightforward, but for someone who has a little more to do than shipping their vehicle, this process can quickly become a hassle. So, why don’t you let an experienced and professional shipping company handle the entire process for you?

Working with a shipping company allows you to focus on other aspects of your move abroad. You are also guaranteed that the company has got everything under control through every step of the shipping process.

All you have to do is provide them with the necessary information and wait for your car to arrive.