In short: you can ship a car to Australia inside your container alongside household goods, or on its own by RoRo (roll-on, roll-off). Expect roughly 6 to 10 weeks at sea, plus Australian import approval, compliance and quarantine steps.
You need a Vehicle Import Approval before the car ships, so check the rules and costs early. We match you with one FIDI-certified mover free; we are not a removal company.
Shipping a car from England to Australia takes import approval and planning. We connect owners across the United Kingdom with a removalist who can ship your vehicle alongside your household goods.
Bringing your car to Australia is doable, but it is more involved than shipping boxes or furniture, because a vehicle has to clear several government agencies. The single most important thing to know is that you need a Vehicle Import Approval before the car leaves the UK. Skip that step and the car can be held at the port at your expense.
There are two ways to send it. RoRo, short for roll-on roll-off, means the car is driven straight onto a vehicle ship and off again in Australia. It is the cheapest method, though nothing can travel inside the car. The other way is a container, which protects the vehicle fully and, in a shared or sole-use container, lets you ship household effects alongside it.
Costs come in two parts: the shipping itself, and the taxes on arrival. Cars usually attract customs duty and the 10% GST, and pricier vehicles can attract Luxury Car Tax too. Add biosecurity cleaning, possible asbestos testing on older cars, and state registration once it lands, and you have the full picture.
One thing to be clear on first: International Removals Companies matches your move with a mover, it is not the mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD runs the free service and we never ship your car ourselves. Give us the details and one FIDI-certified firm with vehicle experience will contact you and price it. No cost, no obligation.
Free matching. One FIDI partner. No catch. No fee.
This is the step that trips people up, so it goes first. Before you ship a road vehicle to Australia you must hold a Vehicle Import Approval, applied for through the government's online ROVER system. Under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 it is an offence to import a road vehicle without one. If the car turns up at an Australian port without approval, the Australian Border Force won't release it, and the storage bill falls on you.
Assessment can take up to 60 business days, so start the application well before you plan to ship. If you have owned and used the car overseas for at least 12 months, you can usually apply under the personal import pathway, which is the route most people moving home will use. There are limits, often one vehicle per person in a five-year period, and the application is normally lodged within six months of your arrival.
Once the approval is in hand, the car is steam cleaned for biosecurity, shipped by RoRo or container, and cleared on arrival. Your matched mover handles the freight and points you to the right agency for the paperwork, since the approval itself is something you apply for as the owner.
Four things decide whether a car move runs smoothly. Get these sorted early and the rest is straightforward.
Apply through ROVER before shipping. It can take up to 60 business days, so don't leave it late.
RoRo is cheapest. A container protects the car and can carry your effects too.
A steam clean inside and out, free of soil and pests, ready for inspection on arrival.
Older cars may carry asbestos in some parts. Importing asbestos is banned, so testing may be needed.
These figures cover the shipping only and are a guide, not a quote. Remember the taxes on arrival sit on top. The real freight price depends on the car, the method and the route, and your matched mover confirms it.
Roll-on roll-off, car only
About £1,500 to £3,000
Cheapest. Nothing inside the car.
Car plus your effects
From £2,500
Ship boxes and furniture too.
One car, full protection
About £3,500 to £6,000
Best for valued vehicles.
Taxes, paid to the ABF
Duty, 10% GST, any LCT
Plus cleaning and inspection.
A car clears through more than one agency. The Department of Infrastructure handles the Vehicle Import Approval, the Australian Border Force collects the taxes, and the agriculture department runs biosecurity. You lodge an Import Declaration on arrival and pay customs duty, the 10% GST and any Luxury Car Tax before the car is released. The vehicle must be clean and free of contamination inside and out, and older cars may need an asbestos check, since importing asbestos is banned. Always confirm the current rules with the official sources below before you commit.
Buying anything, paying import taxes and settling in all happen in Australian dollars, code AUD, so the exchange rate matters on a move like this. Skip the airport desks, weigh up a specialist like Wise or XE against your bank, and consider an AUD account before you leave. The GBP to AUD rate is never fixed, so check XE.com near the time you move money. Note that we only match your shipping, we do not deal in currency.
This guide is maintained by Darren Benjamin, who has run International Removals Companies since it launched in 2010 and has over 20 years in the logistics industry. Since 2013 he has also been Secretary and Manager of a UK removal company, a role verifiable on Companies House. In practice that means matching people moving abroad with the right certified mover, and knowing the customs and shipping detail behind an international move to or from Australia.
Our partner movers hold the industry's recognised credentials, including FIDI FAIM Certified (audited by Ernst and Young), BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC membership. You can read more about who we are and how we vet partners on our about us page.
Yes, and you must have it before the car ships. Under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 it is an offence to import a road vehicle without approval, applied for through the government's ROVER system. If the car arrives without it, the Australian Border Force won't release it and storage costs are yours. Assessment can take up to 60 business days, so apply early.
Shipping alone runs roughly £1,500 to £3,000 by RoRo, from about £2,500 in a shared container with effects, and about £3,500 to £6,000 for a sole-use container. On top of the shipping, you pay customs duty, 10% GST and, on higher-value cars, Luxury Car Tax. Your matched mover quotes the freight after the details are confirmed.
The sea crossing is roughly 6 to 10 weeks depending on the route and method. Add the time to get your Vehicle Import Approval first, which can take up to 60 business days, plus clearance and biosecurity inspection on arrival. The approval, not the voyage, is usually what sets the timeline, so start it early.
RoRo, where the car is driven on and off the ship, is the cheapest and simplest, but nothing can travel inside the car. A container costs more and protects the vehicle fully, and a shared container lets you ship household effects alongside it. RoRo suits a straightforward move, a container suits a valued car or a combined shipment.
Generally, yes. Unlike used household goods, vehicles usually attract customs duty and the 10% GST, and higher-value cars can also attract Luxury Car Tax. You lodge an Import Declaration with the Australian Border Force and pay these before the car is released. Owning the car for 12 months helps you qualify to import it, but it doesn't remove the taxes.
Sometimes, with conditions. Rules vary by state and by the age of the car. Older left-hand drive vehicles used personally may be allowed without conversion, while newer ones often need converting to right-hand drive before they can be registered. Check the rules for your destination state early, as conversion can be costly.
Both are taken seriously. Some older vehicles contain asbestos in parts like gaskets and brakes, and importing asbestos is banned in almost all cases, so testing may be required. For biosecurity, the car must be clean and free of soil and contamination inside and out, usually steam cleaned before shipping, and it is inspected on arrival.
Yes, in a shared or sole-use container. A car can be loaded alongside your boxes and furniture, which can be more cost-effective than shipping them separately. The car still needs its own import approval and clears customs in its own right. Your matched mover plans the loading so the vehicle and effects are both secure.
International Removals Companies matches your move with a mover, it isn't the mover. Give us your car details and where it is going, and we connect you with one vetted FIDI-certified firm experienced in vehicle shipping. They quote the freight and guide the paperwork. You pay nothing and you're under no obligation.
We match each enquiry with a FIDI FAIM-accredited firm. FIDI FAIM is the international moving industry's quality standard, awarded after an independent Ernst and Young audit against more than 200 criteria and renewed every three years. For vehicle shipping you want that experience, since the paperwork and the timing have to be right or the car sits at the port.
International Removals Companies has matched movers since November 2010, at no cost to you. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Send the make, model and year, how long you have owned the car, your UK collection point and your destination state. We pair you with one FIDI-certified partner experienced in vehicle shipping, who quotes the freight and guides you through the import approval.
Get a Car Shipping QuoteFree matching. One FIDI-certified mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, established November 2010.
We connect car and vehicle shipping enquiries for Australia with one vetted FIDI-certified partner mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Shipping prices, import approval, taxes and biosecurity are confirmed by your partner mover and the official agencies before booking.