How do I Repatriate a Car to Europe?
Registered owners of automobiles can easily ship their cars back to Europe. All member countries of the European Union require the same customs formalities. Non-EU members have different customs tariffs. Vehicles entering Europe from overseas need to comply with local safety and inspection regulations before they can be registered. Depending on the type of car, costly modifications might be necessary. There are different ways to ship vehicles. The most expensive route is called house to house. The least expensive is called port to port. In all cases, owners need to contract with a certified international shipping company.
Instructions
Shipping The Vehicle To Europe
1. Contact an international shipping company in a huge port nearest to your home. Inquire about rates for "house to house," "port to port" and "house to port" or "port to house" for a car shipment. Call several companies and compare their rates. Also, determine if it's cheaper for you to drive the car to the port yourself or have the shipping company pick it up at your house. Typically, customers living in or near huge international port cities like Los Angeles, Houston or New York save money by driving the car themselves to the point of loading.
2. Fill out a customs declaration form at the point of loading with the shipping company's agent. Remove all tags from the car. If you are a citizen of any of the European Union member countries, you may repatriate your vehicle free of any customs charges if you can prove that your first place of residence was outside the European Union for more than one year, counting from the day of loading the vehicle onto the ship. Attach copies of rental leases, utility bills and work contracts to the customs declaration form to prove absences lasting longer than one year. If you have not lived outside the European Union for more than one year, you need to pay customs worth 19 percent of the car's estimated value at the port of entry in Europe, if the car was bought outside of the European Union. The estimated value of the car is determined by a bill of sale which has to be provided at entry.
3. Keep your copy of the bill of lading in a safe place. Without it you will not be handed over the car at the destination. The bill of lading is an important document which establishes the vehicle's ownership while it is in transit. The title should be attached to the bill lading. The title and the bill of lading are necessary to register the car at the point of destination, together with a valid inspection certificate in most European countries.
