Welcome to Import Australian Cars

We offer door to door registrations for transferring residents and private individuals wanting to import their vehicles from Australia to the United Kingdom. With a team of experts in Australian imports your vehicle is safe with us.

Totally professional, trouble - free service from door to door... Import USA cars are the real deal. Absolutely everything taken care of. Great service and price as per the quotation. Faultless. I would recommend them to anybody

Chris Horsley

I contacted three companies to get my car imported. Two of them cited all kinds of complications and problems. Import cars USA made the whole process incredibly easy and they were the nicest people to deal with. As my name suggests I'm not the easiest to please and these chaps were magnificent.

Laurence Blackall

From the first point of contact i received nothing but professionalism with regards to advice, arrangements and procedures. The communication with this company was first class. What can i say? A big thank you for all the team...

Kevin Willey

Everything from shipping to customs clearance is taken care of, and the entire registration process isn't something you'll need to worry about.

USA INLAND TRUCKING.

We can collect a vehicle from anywhere in Australia and deliver to the relevant port or airport ready for shipping or airfreight. The drivers we use are skilled, knowledgeable and punctual. We ship from these ports.

AIR FREIGHT.

If you have a vehicle that requires air freight, we are more than happy to organise this and can fly the car to the UK from multiple locations in America. We have flown everything from classic cars to the latest SUVs and handle the entire process during transit.

CONTAINER SHIPMENT.

Container shipment is the most common way to transport your American car to the UK. We consolidate our shipments, but only ever to 2 cars per container, meaning quicker sailing times and added safety for your vehicle.

UK CONTAINER UNLOADING.

We manage and enact your container unloading and transport the vehicle to customs warehouses, ready for customs clearance.

CUSTOMS CLEARANCE.

As part of our service, we administer the whole customs clearance process with the HMRC, for both tax paying purchases and customers who are moving to the UK and bringing their existing vehicles with them.

VEHICLE TESTING

We have our own IVA testing lane on site, meaning we can control our testing schedules and test your vehicle faster than anyone else. It also means your car does not have to leaveour premises in order to be registered in the UK.

USA LIGHTING CONVERSIONS.

Our in-house team of skilled Mechanics and Auto Electricians convert your car’s lights using LED technology to comply with UK regulations. We prepare your car ready for our onsite testing to ensure it is ready for UK roads.

ONWARDS DELIVERY

Can’t make it to our premises to collect your car? Not an issue, we can deliver your vehicle either as a driven service, open transporter or enclosed transporter to your UK address once the car is registered.

DVLA REGISTRATION

We have direct links to the DVLA and a dedicated account manager enabling quick correspondence and fast turnaround on registrations. No other importer has the resource and correspondence that we do.

ENQUIRE ABOUT IMPORTING YOUR AUSTRALIAN CAR

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We can ship your vehicle from

OAKLAND, California.

HOUSTON, TEXAS.

NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

Start to ship your vehicle today

Getting a quote is the first step to start shipping your vehicle back from America. Get a quote today and get the ball rolling!

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Frequently asked questions about shipping...

How quickly can you pick up my vehicle?

We usually pick up your vehicle within a week. Specialist vehicles or very large vehicles may take a little longer as we need to use rarer types of transporters to suit your requirements.

Can I bring over spare parts with my car?

Absolutely, if you are shipping your car back from the United States of America then why not take use of the spare space in the boot of the car? We have a number of customers who have shipped back additional parts for their classics, just incase they need them in the future. Please be aware these are not covered by marine insurance, so if they are of high value let us know and we can organise separate freight for these.

How much tax will I have to pay for my vehicle upon entry into the United Kingdom?

If your vehicle was manufactured in the European Union, you will pay 20% VAT and a flat rate of £50 duty.

If your vehicle was manufactured outside the European Union you will pay 20% VAT and 10% duty.

If the vehicle is over 30 years old, you will pay a reduced rate of VAT of 5%.

These values are based on a current valuation or a recent purchase invoice.

Is my vehicle insured at all times during the import?

Your vehicle is insured throughout each step of the process. Our marine insurance covers you for total loss, with an excess of £450.

How much fuel can be in the car?

As little as fuel as possible – but enough to allow for moving and manoeuvring of the vehicle at the port.

Can a car be shipped with outstanding finance?

Proof of the vehicles ownership and a cleared balance is required before any vehicle can leave the USA.

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What work will need to be done to your vehicle?

Rear Indicators

What Needs Changing?

American vehicles often have the indicators integrated into the brake light and they are usually red. We alter this with LED technology to show amber UK indicators with the correct flash rates.

Front Indicators & Repeaters

What Needs Changing?

Vehicles in the United Kingdom are required to have repeaters on the side of the car alongside the front indicators. Most vehicles from the USA do not have side repeaters or need them modifying to meet UK standards.

Headlights

What Needs Changing?

Headlights may need adjusting to ensure that they have a beam pattern that does not blinds other road users and meets UK testing standards.

Rear fog light

What Needs Changing?

Most vehicles from the United States don’t have rear fog lights fitted. However, they are required by law in the United Kingdom. We incorporate them into existing light clusters or add a subtle LED rear fog light strip.

Reverse light

What Needs Changing?

We may have to rewire and reposition your reverse light within existing lighting clusters to ensure all the necessary lighting requirements are correctly positioned for UK standards.

Ensuring your vehicle is compliant in the United Kingdom is important but so is maintaining the classic look of your new Australian vehicle.

Use the experts to import your vehicle into the UK by getting a quote today... Fill in your vehicle details and we will come back to you with a quote to import your vehicle from Australia.

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Frequently asked questions about modifying your vehicle...

What if my vehicle does not pass IVA and MOT testing?

If your vehicle requires additional work above what would normally be required to be considered roadworthy, then we will provide you with a detailed remedial estimate for you to sign off.

Can you import all ages of vehicles?

Of course, we deal with pre-war vehicles all the way to the latest muscle cars coming from the States.

I want to keep my car looking authentic, will the light conversion preserve the car’s looks?

Our skilled technicians convert the lighting units of your car using LED technology which means the look and feel of your vehicle remains American.

Are you sure you can register my vehicle?

We’ve registered everything from trikes to school buses. The only issues that may stop us from registering a vehicle is it being beyond repair and unroadworthy, or a lack of paperwork that we cannot otherwise overcome using dating evidence.

Will my vehicle need a light conversion?

If vehicles are over 40 years old, the customer has the option not to conduct a lighting conversion, it is best to get in touch for a more specific quote.

How long does the process take?

Once the vehicle is at port in the US, shipping it can take between 2-4 weeks. You can expect port clearance in the UK to take a week before either visiting out premises or being delivered directly to your UK address. If undergoing a full lighting conversion your car will be registered 4 weeks after it arrives with us. If it arrives directly to your home and is being registered remotely, it will take 2 – 4 weeks.

ENQUIRE ABOUT IMPORTING YOUR AUSTRALIAN CAR

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We have helped countless transferring residents to bring their Australian vehicles into the United Kingdom and we are more than happy to assist.

Transfer of Residency (ToR)

Apply for your ToR and once approved give us your unique reference number.

Import your car

Let Import American Cars deal with the customs clearance and import your vehicle into the UK.

Leave it to us

We'll take care of the entire car importation process on your behalf. Next time you see the car it will be UK registered and ready for collection or delivery.

TRANSFER OF RESIDENCY SUPPORT

Ensuring your application for tax relief for you move is correct and guidance on applying and approval.

Correct formatting and information provision whilst you make your application.

Phone and email support during your application to make sure it is correct.

Concierge submission service if required.

GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE MOVING PROCESS

Moving can be stressful, so leave the import of your car to us.

Customs, transport, import and registration advice during the process.

Dedicated account manager throughout your move.

Timely updates on the progress of your import.

TAX FREE CUSTOMS CLEARANCE

Handling the process with UK Revenue and Customs

We make your customs submissions on your behalf.

We clear the vehicles at port customs with full tax relief.

Once cleared we collect the vehicle from port and bring it to our facility for testing.

COORDINATION WITH REMOVALS PARTNERS

We can work alongside your removals partner and deal with your car import.

We can takeover your car import once cleared from port in the UK.

Co-ordination of timescales to suit your move.

We make relevant bookings for testing for your car whilst it is in transit to the UK.

Frequently asked questions about transferring your residency to the United Kingdom

Can I ship household goods in my vehicle?

Yes, as long as it does not impede the ability to drive the vehicle. We will also need an inventory of the items you have put in the vehicle.

Can I bring over spare parts with my car?

How much tax will I have to pay for my vehicle upon entry into the United Kingdom?

If you are a transferring resident and have filled out a Transfer of Residency application which has been approved, you will have no taxes or duties to pay on the vehicle.

Is my vehicle insured at all times during the import?

Your vehicle is insured throughout each step of the process. Our marine insurance covers you for total loss, with an excess of £450.

What if my car is in a container with my household goods?

No problem, we can takeover in the UK and deal with the testing and registration of the vehicle once cleared from port in the UK.

Can a car be shipped with outstanding finance?

Proof of the vehicles ownership and a cleared balance is required before any vehicle can leave the USA.

ENQUIRE ABOUT IMPORTING YOUR AUSTRALIAN CAR

Get a Quote