So you've bought yourself a fancy new car from the United States or the UK. Or you've taken a job in another country and have to pack up everything you own, including your automobile, and ship it halfway across the globe. Whatever the reason you've ended up having to ship your car, there is a process required to get it from A to B.
This article will help by describing the International Car Transportation and or Shipping Guidelines.
The first thing to know is that each and every country has laws and guidelines pertaining to what types of cars can be shipped, how old they are and how big they are. These laws and guidelines are subject to change at any time, but it is worth enquiring with the officials at the country of your destination before getting to it and realizing that you can't get your prized wheels off the harbour and onto the road. Find out what documentation is required and arrange it prior to the shipping and make a digital copy for a back up.
Be prepared to pay any tax, customs duty fees and tariffs on both sides of the ship.
Make sure that whatever company you use to transport your car are fully licensed and insured to avoid any issues in transit. This can be done by requesting to see proof of both their license and insurance.
Prepare your vehicle for shipping. This usually means draining it of any fuel and air conditioning gas, disconnecting the battery, making sure all loose items are removed. A good thorough steam clean is always a smart move, and keeps in mind that your destination port's customs officials may go over it with a fine tooth comb, so you'd want it to be free of any dirt, plant or animal matter in order to avoid either a hefty fine, extended quarantine period or both.
Each country will have their own policy and procedure when it comes to accepting your incoming automobile, so be prepared to be patient and jump through a number of bureaucratic hoops and wade through the red tape, it's all part and parcel of the process. Also, make sure that you have the registration process in place for the cars destination; it would not be fun to go through all this only to have an unregistered vehicle sitting at a foreign port!
If you want to find out more about how to choose the right car shipping company or vehicle transportation service for you, feel free to get in touch with AutoMove today to find out more about how we can help provide you with competitive quotes to choose from at your own leisure.
Good luck with your car shipping journey!