RoRo Customs Clearance UK — 2026 Process

RoRo vehicles cross the export frontier under their own VIN-level entry; containers are declared at consolidated level. RoRo must arrive at the dock with the entry already routed (Route 1, 2, 3 or 6) and a Permission to Progress (P2P) message live in CDS.

1) Register or confirm EORI. 2) Send V5C, photo ID and commercial invoice. 3) Customs broker files DUCR + MUCR in CDS. 4) Submit DVLA C&E 386 (V5C/4 export notice). 5) Receive CDS routing message. 6) Vehicle delivered to port with VBS slot booked. 7) Port confirms arrival, CDS releases. 8) Bill of lading issued post-departure.

Route 1 = full document check; Route 2 = physical exam; Route 3 = pre-clearance check; Route 6 = automatic clearance (most exports). High-value or restricted vehicles route 1 or 2.

Missing VBS slot (vessel refuses), V5C not surrendered (DVLA penalty), commercial invoice mismatch with CDS value (Route 1 hold), or attempted export of an outstanding finance vehicle (HPI flag, refused at gate).

CDS entry filed 48–72 hours pre-arrival. Port presentation 24–48 hours pre-sailing. Bill of lading typically released 3–5 working days after vessel departure. See the CDS export guide for screenshots.

Here is what actually sits behind the headline number. The freight figure covers collection or drop-off at the UK load port, terminal handling in the UK, export customs entry, the ocean leg and standard marine transit cover. It does not cover destination-side costs, and those are where budgets slip:

- Import duty and local taxes at your destination, assessed on the customs value of the vehicle rather than on what you paid for it.
• Destination terminal handling and delivery order fees, typically the equivalent of £150–£400 depending on the port.
• Clearing agent fees — usually £150–£350, and effectively unavoidable where the customs system requires a registered broker.
• Storage if clearance stalls. Free time is normally 3–7 days after discharge, then daily demurrage.
• Inland delivery from the arrival port to the final address.

Ask for a landed-cost estimate rather than a freight quote when comparing suppliers — two quotes that look £200 apart on freight can be £900 apart once your destination charges are added. Our quote form returns freight plus an itemised estimate of the destination charges we can see in advance.

Customs at both ends work from documents, not from phone calls. Assemble these before the vehicle is booked onto a sailing:

- V5C logbook (original, not the green slip). This is the proof of title UK export customs and your destination customs both work from.
• Purchase invoice or bill of sale showing a realistic value — undervaluing is the single most common cause of a customs hold.
• Photo ID and proof of address for the exporter and the consignee.
• Bill of lading — issued after loading, and the document that releases the vehicle at your destination.
• Export customs entry (CDS) filed by your forwarder, plus the NOVA/HMRC notification where the vehicle is leaving the UK permanently.
• Insurance certificate confirming cover and the agreed value for the voyage.

Where your destination requires pre-shipment inspection, roadworthiness certification or an import permit, that document has to exist before loading — it cannot be obtained retrospectively once the vessel has sailed. Our customs clearance guide walks through each stage in order.

- Share a container. Two vehicles in a 40ft box typically cut the per-unit rate by 30–40% against sole use. See how shared loading works.
• Be flexible on the load port. Southampton, Immingham, Liverpool and Tilbury each serve different trades; moving one sailing or one port can change the rate materially. Compare the UK export ports.
• Avoid the peak. Rates firm up ahead of the summer relocation window and around the Chinese New Year equipment squeeze. Booking three to four weeks out is usually the sweet spot.
• Choose RoRo where the vehicle allows it. RoRo is cheaper than container for a standard, driveable car; container earns its premium for high-value, non-runner, modified or parts-laden shipments.
• Get the value right first time. A customs query at your destination costs more in storage than any freight saving you might have made.

Around that, plan for:

1. Days 1–3 — booking and documents. Quote accepted, sailing reserved, V5C and invoice supplied, export entry prepared.
2. Days 3–10 — collection and delivery to port. The vehicle is collected or driven in, inspected and photographed, and receipted at the terminal.
3. Loading and departure. RoRo units are driven aboard; container loads are stuffed and lashed at the depot, then delivered to the quay. The bill of lading is issued after departure.
4. Ocean leg. Transit varies by service and any transhipment. Transhipment routings add roughly 5–10 days.
5. Arrival and clearance at your destination. Duty and taxes assessed and paid, delivery order released, vehicle collected within the free-time window.

Build a two-week buffer into any plan that depends on the vehicle being available on a fixed date — vessel schedules move, and customs queues at your destination are outside any forwarder's control.