- Car Shipping Panama
- Shipping Your Car To Panama From The Usa
- Typical Shipping Prices – How Much Does It Cost?
- Cost & Time Examples For Shipping A Car To Panama
- Popular Shipping Destinations
- Cost Factors
- Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Panama
- Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Panama
- What Transport Methods May I Use?
- Other Services
- Related Information & Faqs

Car Shipping Panama
Shipping Your Car To Panama From The USA
Shipping A Car To Panama.
Typical Shipping Prices – How Much Does It Cost?
- Most auto transport costs to Panama from the U.S. fall between $1,500 and $4,300.
- Additional costs can accrue for vehicles that are oversized (or won’t fit in a shipping container), premium services, and vehicles shipped from more distant parts of the United States.
Cost & Time Examples For Shipping a Car to Panama
To/From | Ground | Ocean | Days |
---|---|---|---|
San Jose, CA to (California port) to Cristobal | $200 | $2,900 | 5+19 |
Las Vegas, NV to (California port) to Cristobal | $450 | $2,900 | 5+19 |
Phoenix, AZ to (California port) to Cristobal | $550 | $2,900 | 6+19 |
Columbus, OH to (New York port) to Cristobal | $550 | $2,900 | 5+16 |
Charlotte, NC to (New York port) to Cristobal | $575 | $2,900 | 6+16 |
Atlanta, GA to (New York port) to Cristobal | $700 | $2,900 | 6+16 |
Denver, CO to (California port) to Cristobal | $775 | $2,900 | 7+19 |
Memphis, TN to (New York port) to Cristobal | $800 | $2,900 | 6+16 |
Miami, FL to (New York port) to Cristobal | $925 | $2,900 | 7+16 |
Dallas, TX to (California port) to Cristobal | $1,025 | $2,900 | 7+19 |
*Prices and times are estimated. They can vary depending on the season and the type of vehicle.
*Save the ground transport cost by delivering the vehicle to the nearest port.

*Allow an additional 10 days to process the documents.
*Prices are for 1 car in a dedicated 20ft container. This is the safest and most reliable way to transport a vehicle internationally. Other items may be included in the container to help save you money when moving.
*Using the RoRo (roll on, roll off) method is less expensive and shipments can be completed in fewer days. Contact us now for a free RoRo quote.
It is definitely in your best interests to choose the right international shipper if you’re considering shipment of your vehicle to Panama. This should be a company with a great track record of experience in shipping to Panama, and well aware of all the requirements both at the port of origin and the port of destination. A knowledgeable company that knows local rules and regulations can anticipate problems before they occur, and save a great deal of hassle.
There are several ports in the south from which your vehicle might depart, including Port Everglades, Miami, Houston, or Galveston. To determine which port would be closest to your home, you can check a map of U.S. Ports. This will be important in figuring whether you need to have your vehicle shipped door-to-port (picked up at your home) or port-to-port (you drive it to the shipping port).
There are two main ports in Panama which could serve as the destination port, Manzanillo, and Cristobal.
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Popular Shipping Destinations

- Arraijan
- Chilibre
- Chitré
- Colon
- David
- La Chorrera
- Las Cumbres
- Pacora
- Panama City
- San Miguelito
- Santiago
- Tocumen
- Vista Alegre
Cost Factors
There are several things that factor into the cost of transporting your vehicle to Panama. One of those was mentioned above, the door-to-port vs. port-to-port plan for getting the vehicle to its point of origin. The next thing to determine is whether it will be shipped in an exclusive container (the most expensive option), a shared container (slightly less expensive), or shipped via RORO, (roll-on/roll-off). This term means your car must be capable of being driven on and off the ship; during transport, it will be exposed to the open air.
The cost may also be affected by the size of your car, the time of year (when fewer departures are scheduled), and the quantity of insurance paid, if any. Taxes and other port-imposed charges can add up to a significant amount, especially in Panama.
Your shipping carrier will probably be aware of all these and can help you plan for them. When the necessary options above have been decided, your carrier will be able to give you a fairly accurate quote for the entire operation.
Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Panama
- Passport.
- Driver's license.
- Proof ownership.
- Bill of lading.
- Packing list.
- Certificate of origin.
- Eligibility. Make sure your vehicle is eligible to be shipped to another country. The exact laws governing eligibility are listed in Title 19 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, but in general, refer to the documentation requirements and rules regarding lienholder permission.
- File with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This is one of those areas that may be handled by your shipper, but be sure and confirm this. Documentation must be submitted to this agency at least 72 hours before the vehicle can be exported, and it is advisable to allow even more time.

UPON ARRIVAL
- Retrieving the vehicle. Make sure you are present to pick up the vehicle so that it doesn’t end up being held, pending proper authorization.
- Taxes and Duties. After the vehicle has been successfully shipped and retrieved, you may have to get the vehicle inspected and pay additional taxes. Panama taxes are high on imported vehicles, so for current tax information, check with the Panamanian US Embassy.
Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Panama
The act of shipping heavy equipment or oversized cargo out of the United States and to a country far across the seas is a task that’s better left to licensed transport specialists with a history of successful overseas deliveries. There’s a lot that goes into the planning and preparing of an overseas delivery. Without access to the right shipping equipment and technology, delivering heavy equipment to another country is nearly hopeless. Before you can even ship your oversized cargo to Panama, you must first comply by their import laws and provide specified forms of proof to the Customs Department. Luckily, A1 Auto transport will be there every step of the way.
We have delivered all types of heavy equipment and overseas cargo to other countries throughout the time we have been in business in the shipping industry. To give you an idea of some of the pieces of heavy equipment and oversized cargo we have delivered outside the U.S., here is a small list of examples…
- Tractors
- Backhoes
- Forklifts
- Skidders
- Excavators
- Pavers
- Skidders
- Loaders
- RVs
- Pontoon Boats and Large Water Vessels
- Compactors
- Cranes
- Bulldozers
- Large Vehicles and Dump Trucks
- Haulers and More…

What Transport Methods May I Use?
The type of cargo you wish to have imported into Panama will predict which of our overseas transport methods are open to you. Below, we’ve included a summary of each international transport service we have available…
- Container shipping is ultimately the safest form of international transport. As long as your heavy equipment can fit into a 40ft container, you can take advantage of this enclosed method of shipping. However, anticipate paying a little more for this method of transport due to its extra security.
- Flat rack transport services include securing your cargo to a metal frame before it is placed atop the water vessel. This is an open air service.
- RoRo transport is the cheapest and most favored open air shipping service we offer. It is available to those with functioning vehicles and equipment that can drive onto and off of the boat using a ramp.
- LoLo transport is an open air service that’s recommended to those with inoperable large vehicles and equipment. A crane is used to lift the cargo on and off of ship safely.