Ship a Car to USA from France
Ship Overseas- Your Trusted Partner in International Car Shipping
Shipping a Car From France to the USA
If you are facing shipping a car from France to the USA, you need someone you can rely on to make the process go smoothly. For that, turn to Ship Overseas. Whether you’re moving from France, selling someone a vehicle in the USA or just making a return trip, check out this basic information you need to know before placing an order with us.
For a free, no-obligation quote, please give us the Year/Make/Model of your car, Pickup Zip Code or Departure Port in France, and Destination Country, in this case, the USA. Ship Overseas offers weekly sailings out of Belgium (not France) to six ports in the USA.
What to Know When Shipping a Car to the USA From France
Temporary auto imports into the USA are available for other vehicles for up to one year. Non-residents can no longer import a private use vehicle into the USA for up to 1 year WITHOUT pre-approval from the EPA in advance of arrival. The vehicle must have less than ¼ tank of gas.
Vehicles must pass United States EPA & DOT standards so it can pass U.S. Customs. Motor vehicles less than 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) in order to be imported permanently into the United States.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car From France to the USA?
Please call us for a custom quote toll free at 888-805-4994.
There are some things that will dictate your price. Did you know…
- It’s cheaper to ship a car than it is to ship an SUV or truck?
- It depends on who’s driving? Whether the car is driven to the port by yourself or a friend, or if you need one of our truck drivers to get it there for you. This may occur when you live too far from the port and you can’t bring it yourself when you factor in gas, lodging, time off work, etc. The same goes on the other end when receiving the shipment in the U.S.
- It’s cheaper to ship a car to the East Coast USA from France rather than the West Coast USA?
How Long Does it Take?
The on-water voyage time for each U.S. port, in days, is as follows:
| NewYork | 12-19 |
| Baltimore | 15-21 |
| Charleston | 16-24 |
| Brunswick | 16-25 |
| Galveston | 18-25 |
| Port Hueneme | 27-31 |
Departure and Arrival Ports
Keep in mind, we do not ship directly from France. Your vehicle will be taken to the Zeebrugge port in Belgium for transport to the USA.
Your vehicle will arrive at one of six ports in the USA:
- New York, NY
- Baltimore, MD
- Charleston, SC
- Brunswick, GA
- Galveston, TX
- Port Hueneme, Ventura County CA
Documents Required to Ship a Car to France
You will need the passport of consignee if you want to ship a car from France to the USA. The consignee is the individual receiving the goods at the destination port.
You will need to provide this documentation and possibly more:
- Bill of Lading
- Bill of Sale
- Registration from country of origin
- Proof of ownership
- EPA Form 3520-1 showing emissions compliance
- DOT Form HS-7 showing safety compliance
- Manufacturer’s label on engine showing emission requirements have been met
Customs Broker Information
Your customs broker/agent is Paul Alpren and the cost for his services is $28
Destination Handling Charge
The destination handling charge (DHC), also known as the Terminal Handling Charge (THC), for shipping a car from France to the USA is between $215 and $275.
Do Returning Citizens Have to Pay Import Fees (Terminal Handling Charges)?
You will pay THC+US Customs Entry (Duty only if applicable).
Vehicle Age Limits
This generally applies to classic cars. For US Spec vehicles, there is no age limit. For non-US Spec vehicle, cars must be a minimum of 25+ years old.
How Much is Import Tax?
Import tax is 3% (this number includes 2.5% Duty + HMF & MPF fees). HMF is the Harbor Maintenance Fee and MPF is the Merchandise Processing Fee.
Salvage Titles
No salvage titles are accepted.
Do You Need Marine Insurance?
We recommend it. We offer 1.75% of the value of the vehicle for FULL coverage of theft, vandalism, damage and total loss with a $500 deductible. Coverage is not required to ship a car. Coverage starts at the time your car is loaded onto the ship in France and lasts until it is collected and signed for at the arrival port in the USA. Total Loss is 1.25% charge for the value of the vehicle.
If you don’t want to pay for 100% coverage, you can buy partial coverage of 50% to 75% of the value. However, it’s your responsibility to pay out of pocket for any damage exceeding the covered amount.
See? We told you it was easy to ship a car from France to the USA! Ship Overseas can give you a free quote and more info when you call us toll free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840. Or, use our online form for a fast quote.
Shipping Method for Shipping a Car to France
We only offer RoRo shipping from France to the U.S. not container shipping. Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from the port in Belgium (not France) for transport into the United States.
RoRo Shipping (Roll On/Roll Off)
RoRo is a great choice when shipping a car that is able to make it up the ramp and onto the ship on its own. This is our most cost effective and popular method of shipping cars from the USA to France, plus it’s efficient and reliable, offering set departure and arrival dates (kind of like an airport). We use RoRo to transport wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, motorhomes, campers, trailers, buses, construction vehicles and boats.
All cars are tied to the deck with no exposure to the ocean water and air so you get the ultimate in protection from the elements.
Weekly sailings from Fos Su Mer and Le Havre in FRANCE to USA
Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from the ports of Fos Su Mer and Le Havre in France to any U.S. seaport you choose. You will be responsible for getting the vehicle to the port in France for shipping to the USA. From there, Ship Overseas uses one of these two methods:
RoRo Shipping – RoRo ships, meant specifically for transporting wheeled cargo such as cars and motorcycles, entails vehicles being driven onto the ship of their own power (just like a big parking garage ramp).
Container Shipping – Your car is shipped inside a container, along with other cars, if you select shared shipping, or it can make the journey all by itself if you choose exclusive
Should I purchase Marine Insurance?
In a word, yes. At least, this is what we strongly recommend. In times of rough seas, particularly hurricane season from June to November, the potential for shifting and damage is slightly elevated. You want to be covered for any necessary repairs, damage or loss, and you don’t want to have to pay for those out of pocket. Keep in mind, the chance of damage or loss is very slim, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
We offer FULL COVERAGE Marine Insurance against Loss or Damage from the time your car is loaded onto the ship. The cost is 1.75% of the value you wish to insure the car for.
If you’re now ready to begin the process of shipping a car or other vehicle from France to the USA, we would be happy to assist. Please give us a call toll free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840.