Customs Clearance Services

Customs clearance is a critical part of any international shipment. Ship Cars RoRo provides a full customs brokerage service, handling all documentation, HMRC declarations, duty calculations, and port clearance on your behalf.

Whether you are exporting a vehicle from the UK or importing one into the country, our experienced customs team ensures compliance with all regulations. We work directly with HMRC, port authorities, and destination customs agencies to prevent delays and additional charges.

Every UK vehicle export requires an electronic customs declaration through the CHIEF or CDS system, regardless of whether the destination is inside or outside the EU. We file the C88 declaration with full commodity code, valuation, origin and incoterm, generate the MUCR reference, and supply the export accompanying document. For trade clients we operate Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) workflows with simplified procedures and reduced examination rates.

Vehicle imports into the UK require duty calculation (10 percent on cars from outside the EU, 0 percent with TCA origin for UK or EU manufacture), VAT at 20 percent, NOVA notification, and IVA or MSVA testing for non-type-approved vehicles. Returning UK residents qualify for Transfer of Residence (ToR1) relief on personal vehicles owned for at least six months. Returning classics over 30 years old qualify for 5 percent reduced VAT under the historic interest rate.

Indicative customs service fees: UK export clearance from £150 per vehicle, UK import clearance from £200 (excluding duty and VAT), destination clearance through partner agents from £250, temporary import or export with carnet from £300. We provide a full pre-shipment duty and VAT calculation so there are no surprises at destination, plus written confirmation of any required IVA, MSVA, EPA, DOT, GCC or SEVS compliance steps.