Shipping a Car to New Zealand from the UK: Complete Guide

New Zealand is a popular destination for UK vehicle exports. Like Australia, New Zealand drives on the left, making UK right-hand-drive vehicles directly compatible without conversion.

New Zealand's import regulations are administered by:
• NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency): Manages vehicle safety and entry certification
• MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries): Handles strict biosecurity requirements similar to Australia
• NZ Customs: Manages duties and border clearance

Common reasons for UK-to-NZ vehicle shipping include expatriate relocations, classic car purchases, and specialist vehicle imports.

Entry Certification: All imported vehicles must obtain an Entry Certificate from an Authorised Vehicle Certifier. This verifies the vehicle meets NZ safety and emission standards.

Age restrictions: New Zealand does not have a strict age limit for imported vehicles. However, vehicles must meet emission standards applicable to their year of manufacture.

Frontal Impact Standard: Vehicles manufactured after 2002 must comply with the frontal impact standard (UN Regulation 94 or equivalent). Most UK-spec vehicles comply.

Electronic Stability Control: Required for vehicles manufactured from 2012 onwards.

Biosecurity: New Zealand has extremely strict biosecurity laws, similar to Australia. Vehicles must be completely free of soil, plant material, and organic matter. Professional cleaning before shipping is essential.

Documentation:
• Original V5C or export certificate
• Bill of Lading
• Commercial invoice
• Compliance certificate from manufacturer (if available)
• Odometer declaration

RORO Shipping:
• Cost: £2,200–£3,800 from Southampton
• Transit time: 40–50 days
• Port: Auckland (primary), Wellington, Lyttelton

Container Shipping:
• Dedicated 20ft: £3,500–£6,000
• Shared container: £2,500–£4,200
• Transit time: 40–55 days

New Zealand import costs (approximate):
• Customs duty: 0–10% depending on vehicle origin
• GST: 15% of (value + duty + shipping)
• ACC levy: varies
• MPI inspection: NZD 300–600
• Entry certification: NZD 500–2,000
• On-road costs (registration, WoF): NZD 500–1,000

For pricing, use our cost calculator or request a quote.

MPI biosecurity is the most important consideration for NZ vehicle imports. Failure to comply results in costly cleaning at the border or even refusal of entry.

Before shipping, ensure:
• Undercarriage is steam-cleaned and free of all soil
• Engine bay is clean and free of organic debris
• Interior is vacuumed — no food, seeds, or plant material
• Floor mats are shaken out and cleaned
• Boot/trunk is empty and cleaned
• Wheel arches are thoroughly pressure-washed

At the NZ border:
• Every vehicle undergoes MPI inspection
• Vehicles that fail are cleaned at the owner's expense (NZD 500–2,000)
• Fumigation may be required if pests are found
• Severely contaminated vehicles may be refused entry

Ship Cars RoRo provides a pre-shipping biosecurity checklist and can arrange professional vehicle cleaning before dispatch.

- Clean thoroughly: Biosecurity is the number one cause of delays and extra costs
• Right-hand drive is standard: NZ drives on the left, so UK cars need no conversion
• Budget for GST at 15%: This is applied to the total of vehicle value + duty + shipping cost
• Entry certification takes time: Allow 1–2 weeks after arrival for the certification process
• Insurance: All-risks marine insurance is included as standard with Ship Cars RoRo

Ship Cars RoRo manages the complete UK-to-NZ shipping process. Contact us for a tailored quotation. Auckland pricing sits within the Oceania band on our car shipping costs guide.

Before any international shipment, vehicles need to reach the loading port — and many customers ask us to handle the UK leg too. Our recovery and transport network covers every postcode, 24 hours a day.

Start with the main hubs: Car Recovery UK, Vehicle Recovery UK, 24/7 Breakdown Recovery and Nationwide Vehicle Transportation.

City coverage includes London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield and Bristol.

Pre-book a port run on a flatbed transporter from Southampton, Portsmouth, Liverpool or Felixstowe via Ipswich, or call 24/7 for breakdown recovery in London, Birmingham or Manchester.