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    Car Shipping to Australia

    from the United Kingdom

    Australia is a top destination for UK vehicle exports, particularly classic cars and specialist vehicles. Ship Cars RoRo provides bi-weekly RORO services to Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. View our shipping services or request a quote.

    Methods

    RORO & Container

    Transit Time

    35–42 days to Fremantle (Perth)

    Ports

    Fremantle (Perth), Melbourne +2

    Starting From

    £950

    Overview

    Australia is a top destination for UK vehicle exports, particularly classic cars and specialist vehicles. Ship Cars RoRo provides bi-weekly RORO services to Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

    Shipping Methods

    RORO to all major Australian ports with bi-weekly sailings. Container shipping for enclosed protection. RORO is most popular for running vehicles.

    Shared Container Shipping to Australia

    For enclosed protection at a fraction of the cost of a dedicated container, our shared container shipping service consolidates two to four UK vehicles bound for Australia into a single sealed 40ft high-cube container. Typically 25–35% cheaper than a dedicated container, with marine all-risks insurance, professional racking and personal-effects allowance included. See the full shared container shipping page for routes, prices and sailing schedules to Australia.

    Explore shared container shipping

    Transit Time

    35–42 days to Fremantle (Perth). 38–45 days to Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane from Southampton.

    Import Regulations

    Australia has strict import rules managed by the Department of Infrastructure. Vehicles must be over 25 years old for personal import under the pre-1989 scheme. Newer vehicles require SEVS (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme) approval or RAW (Registered Automotive Workshop) compliance. Import duty 5%. GST 10%. LCT (Luxury Car Tax) may apply.

    Documents Required

    • V5C registration
    • Passport
    • Vehicle Import Approval (VIA)
    • Commercial invoice
    • Bill of Lading
    • Compliance plate or RAW workshop report

    Australia Shipping Rates 2026

    Indicative 2026 customer prices in GBP, ex-works UK port. Destination duty, VAT and inland delivery are excluded.

    Shipping MethodFromTo
    RoRo (Roll-on / Roll-off)£1,658£2,890
    20ft / 40ft Container£950£1,250
    Shared Container / R-Rakfrom £665
    Transit Time5560 days

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I import any car to Australia?
    No — vehicles must be over 25 years old for personal import, or approved under SEVS (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme). Standard modern vehicles cannot be privately imported.
    Does Australia accept right-hand drive vehicles?
    Yes, Australia drives on the left like the UK, so right-hand drive vehicles are standard and fully compatible.
    What is the SEVS scheme?
    SEVS (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme) allows import of specific vehicle models not available in Australia. The vehicle must be on the approved SEVS list and comply through a RAW workshop.
    How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Australia?
    Typical UK to Australia transit is 35–42 days to Fremantle (Perth). 38–45 days to Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane from Southampton.. Door-to-port turnaround depends on UK collection point, sailing day and whether the vehicle is booked on a RORO vessel or a shared/dedicated container service via Fremantle (Perth).
    Which UK ports do you ship from to Australia?
    We load UK to Australia cargo through Southampton, Tilbury, Bristol (Portbury), Immingham and Felixstowe depending on the carrier rotation that week. Vehicles discharge at Fremantle (Perth), Melbourne, Sydney and 1 more port.
    What documents do I need to ship a car to Australia?
    For Australia you typically need: V5C registration, Passport, Vehicle Import Approval (VIA), Commercial invoice, Bill of Lading. Our customs team prepares the HMRC NOVA, C88 export entry and EORI declarations on your behalf before the vessel sails.
    What shipping methods are available from the UK to Australia?
    We offer three methods to Australia: RORO (Roll-on/Roll-off) for road-legal running vehicles via Fremantle (Perth), dedicated 20ft or 40ft container for high-value or non-running vehicles, and shared 40ft container for cost-efficient consolidated loads to Melbourne.
    How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Australia?
    RORO from £1,800–£2,500 to Fremantle, £2,000–£2,800 to East Coast. Container from £2,800–£4,000. Import duty 5%. GST 10%. LCT 33% on vehicles over $76,950 AUD threshold. For an exact figure, use our online cost calculator or request a quote and we will return a fixed all-in price the same working day.

    Shared Container Shipping to Australia — FAQs

    Common questions about shared container shipping to Australia from the United Kingdom.

    Do you offer shared container shipping to Australia?
    Yes. Ship Cars RoRo consolidates two to four UK vehicles bound for Australia into a sealed 40ft high-cube container at our UK hub, then ships to Fremantle (Perth). Learn more on our shared container shipping service page. View shared container shipping service →
    How much cheaper is shared container shipping to Australia than a dedicated container?
    Shared (LCL) container shipping to Australia is typically 25 to 35 percent cheaper than booking a dedicated 20ft or 40ft container, because the box, vessel slot, terminal handling and customs clearance are split between every vehicle inside. View shared container shipping service →
    Can I put personal effects in the car when shipping to Australia by shared container?
    Most shared container shipments to Australia accept a reasonable allowance of personal items packed inside the vehicle, subject to local customs rules. Our team will confirm the exact limits for Australia before sailing. View shared container shipping service →

    Available Ports

    Fremantle (Perth)MelbourneSydneyBrisbane

    Why ship a car to Australia from the UK

    Ship Cars RoRo is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Australia every month. Oceania is one of the most rewarding long-haul corridors for UK exporters thanks to the natural fit of right-hand-drive vehicles, established personal-import schemes and strict compliance frameworks. Container shipping to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle and Auckland is the standard route. Typical clients on this lane include RAWS-registered Australian importers, alongside private owners relocating to Australia and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Australia corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Australia customs.

    Vehicles depart from Felixstowe, Southampton, Bristol (Portbury) and arrive at Fremantle (Perth), Melbourne, Sydney and 1 more port via Cape routing for oversize and project cargo. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 35–42 days to fremantle (perth), supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.

    How UK to Australia car shipping works

    Every shipment to Australia follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Felixstowe, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Fremantle (Perth) (and onward feeder to Melbourne where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Australia.

    RORO to Australia

    Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Australia. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Fremantle (Perth). RORO shipping to Australia — check the weekly RORO schedule.

    Container to Australia

    20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Melbourne. Dedicated container shipping to Australia.

    Shared container to Australia

    Two to four UK vehicles consolidated into a sealed 40ft container — typically 25–35% cheaper than a sole-use container. Shared container shipping to Australia — get a shared container cost estimate.

    Australia ports, routing and transit

    Vehicles bound for Australia are typically routed through Fremantle (Perth) as the lead discharge port, with Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Australia and consolidated shared container departures from the UK. For sole-use loads we book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.

    • Port of Fremantle (Perth)
    • Port of Melbourne
    • Port of Sydney
    • Port of Brisbane
    • UK departure: Southampton
    • UK departure: Tilbury
    • UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)

    Australia import duty, VAT and customs in 2026

    Importing a vehicle into Australia is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Australia customs schedule before quoting.

    • Vehicle Import Approval (VIA) and Asbestos Declaration in Australia
    • Border Inspection (MPI) and entry certification in New Zealand
    • RAWS, SEVS and personal-import compliance pathways
    • Container shipping to Melbourne, Sydney, Fremantle and Auckland

    Document checklist for Australia

    • V5C registration
    • Passport
    • Vehicle Import Approval (VIA)
    • Commercial invoice
    • Bill of Lading
    • Compliance plate or RAW workshop report

    For full country-specific customs rules, see our Australia import guides and articles, our UK and Australia customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Fremantle (Perth).

    Who ships to Australia

    • • Returning Australia residents and dual nationals
    • • UK expats relocating to Australia
    • Oceania car dealers and Australia re-exporters
    • • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
    • • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
    • • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)

    Vehicles we ship to Australia

    • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
    • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
    • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
    • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
    • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
    • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
    • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
    • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)

    Why exporters choose Ship Cars RoRo for Australia

    • Specialist UK-to-Australia corridor with weekly capacity

    • Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing

    • HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house

    • Transparent UK to Australia pricing with no hidden destination fees

    • Direct relationships with Fremantle (Perth) agents

    • Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery

    Other Oceania destinations from the UK

    We ship to 2+ other Oceania countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Australia. Many customers shipping to Australia also enquire about New Zealand because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.

    Get an instant quote for car shipping to Australia

    Message our Australia desk on +44 (0)1495 320540 for live sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Online quotes are typically answered the same working day.

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