How Do I Ship a Car from the US to Germany?

What's in this article?

How Much Does Shipping a Car to Germany Cost?
Factors Influencing Car Shipping Costs to Germany
Methods of Shipping Your Vehicle to Germany
Container shipping
Roll on roll off
Air freight
Popular Ports in Germany
How Long Will Car Shipping to Germany Take?
Taxes and Duties of Importing Cars into Germany
Conclusion

How Do I Ship a Car from the US to Germany?

Moving abroad doesn't mean you have to leave your beloved car behind. Moving to somewhere as far as Germany will allow you to keep your car with you. Shipping from the US to Germany is definitely doable, especially with good information and resources.

Considerations, such as international regulations and customs procedures, should be given when shipping an overseas car.

This article seeks to inform you about the things you must know about sending your car from the US to Germany. So let's get going.

How Much Does Shipping a Car to Germany Cost?

Shipping your car overseas may be costly. Transportation costs can fluctuate according to factors like vehicle make and model and proximity of the departure port.

The cost of shipping your car also depends on whether you opt for open-air transport (loading onto tray-like racks to transport) or enclosed transport (placing your vehicle into an enclosed container).

Open-air car transport is slightly cheaper than enclosed, although you should expect to spend around $1,000 or more for each car transported to Germany. When calculating the total costs of shipping your vehicle across Germany, larger cities typically incur more expenses than small towns.

Factors Influencing Car Shipping Costs to Germany

Shipping your car to Germany may be costly, but it can be worthwhile if there's good news to share.

Shipping your vehicle abroad depends on many variables, such as:

Its year, make, and model
Your current location in the US (how close it is to a departure port)
The shipping method you choose
Where it will end up once it lands in Germany

Container shipping offers customers an economical method for sending vehicles overseas. Multiple cars at once can be placed inside an enclosed shipping container unit and sent on ships overseas.

This method offers several advantages over roll-on/roll-off shipping services due to its safety and cost efficiency. However, space limitations aboard ship vessels could prevent its availability at times.

Depending on which option you select, shipping costs increase dramatically as air transport requires special treatment to transport vehicles overseas.

No matter which option is taken, make sure that you contact multiple service providers to find one with competitive prices for any specialized requirements that might arise.

Methods of Shipping Your Vehicle to Germany

Transporting your car from the US to Germany from various US ports may involve different options, container shipping being one such method that provides excellent protection and care during its journey. This form of shipping ensures your vehicle arrives at its final port safely.

Container shipping

Container transport offers several advantages over traditional shipping forms: not only is it more secure, but you can ship multiple cars together as well as any personal possessions at once, making this shipping method the more cost-effective choice when looking to maximize budget efficiency.

Container shipping is one of the least expensive and risky ways to send a car overseas. Choose either 20 ft or 40 ft containers as sole-use containers will protect against weather events during transit; for maximum value for money, opt for consolidated container services instead.

This service places your vehicle into a 40 ft container along with other shippers' vehicles bound for Germany, splitting all costs evenly while offering premium container protection services and meeting expectations when booked with a specific shipping company.

Containerized cargo services provide additional layers of protection when shipping international car deliveries due to their open-top design. Multipass door locks add further safeguarding while all-weather protection is also offered.

Roll on roll off

Roll On Roll Off (RoRo) car shipping is an increasingly popular alternative to containerized shipping that allows cars and other vehicles to be transported via sea. Cars and other vehicles can simply drive into the vessel's belly, which will be secured using special bracing systems.

RoRo transport generally has limited service ports compared to containerized shipping and may be exposed to more elements that cause further wear and tear over time. RoRo shipping can be useful when transporting large or tall items requiring open spaces to ship safely.

Containers cannot fit certain larger vehicles, such as motorhomes and trucks carrying heavier loads; thus, using this approach ensures safe travel during transport.

As part of your decision about which method of transport would best meet your car transportation needs, consider which port offers both services. Not all ports provide both.

For extra protection during transit from weather elements and salt spray, containers offer more assurance. They protect better against these factors than a ROR vessel would.

Air freight

Air freight shipping provides one of the fastest transit times among international transportation options - usually four business days or less for car shipping services to and from Germany. But this luxury service doesn't come cheap: air cargo rates start from EUR680+ per container shipped, making airfreight an expensive luxury service option.

Air freight transportation is typically reserved for special events and cars that must arrive quickly, such as car shows and high-end vehicle purchases that need quick delivery over land or sea shipping methods.

Air shipping is straightforward: after loading up your vehicle in one of our secure containers, it should take only one business day to arrive at its designated airport in Germany, and from there, a local logistics partner will arrange transportation directly to its desired location.

Dependent upon customs clearance procedures, it could take another three days until your vehicle can return behind your wheels again.

Popular Ports in Germany

Bremerhaven is Germany's go-to port for shipping vehicles from the USA to Germany, offering fast delivery and convenience for anyone shipping a car from America.

Bremerhaven's long standing reputation of reliable international car shipping guarantees your car arrives safely at its destination country.

Shipping with Bremerhaven also ensures more affordable rates than other European ports, making it one of the more preferred choices for shippers.

Kiel Port offers another convenient alternative for shipping cars overseas from the US. As Germany's gateway into Central Europe via seaborne commerce, this port facilitates the quick transport of goods arriving by sea into Central Europe.

Kiel offers customers cost-effective vehicle shipping solutions with quick turn times and ample onsite storage capacity so vehicle collections can occur rapidly.

Kiel Port offers competitive car shipping rates at cost-effective rates, especially beneficial when transporting multiple cars simultaneously and keeping overall costs to a minimum.

How Long Will Car Shipping to Germany Take?

Shipping a car from the US to Germany generally takes six to eight weeks. Factors like the mode of shipping and availability of containers may influence the timeline. Port-to-port service typically offers faster transit.

Assuming all necessary paperwork has been filed before shipment, your car should arrive in Germany in approximately six to eight weeks. The breakdown is as follows:

Three weeks for container availability
Two weeks for pre-export preparations and paperwork submission
One week for customs clearance and transport across Europe

Substituting RoRo shipping with container transport could reduce transit times by several days as custom documents will become available quicker with this route.

Taxes and Duties of Importing Cars into Germany

Importing a vehicle from the United States into Germany from its native environment can be a complicated and cumbersome task due to the high fees and taxes required, particularly the 19.6% value-added tax that all vehicle importers in Europe must pay regardless of whether or not the purchaser is an individual or dealer importing vehicles for business purchases.

This fee applies to private individuals transporting vehicles they already own from other EU nations. There are certain exemptions, such as those used specifically for racing purposes or for disabled people with special needs. Diplomatic staff members bringing vehicles in with them may be exempt as well.

Travelers attempting to import cars into Germany must also pay import duties unless their car meets certain criteria for exemption, including whether or not its manufacture falls within free trade agreements between Germany and other nations (like Mexico and Chile) and if its value meets minimum threshold requirements.

Situation-dependent documentation requirements may apply for entry to Germany. All necessary paperwork can be easily acquired upon crossing the border or from German customs officials if permission to process customs clearance procedures has been requested.

Conclusion

Shipping your car from the US to Germany might initially seem daunting, but it should be achievable with enough research and preparation.

Different shipping methods are available, and the paperwork may prove challenging. It's best if you work with a reputable car shipping company when you want to send your prized car to Germany.

A1 Auto Transport is ready to help you move your car to Germany. We have the expertise and knowledge of the global shipping process to ensure smooth service.

Explore our services to find your requirements, and receive a complimentary shipping estimate today.