Shipping a car from the USA to South Africa is easier than you think! Especially when you partner with the best in the industry: Ship Overseas. Enlist our help as you navigate this process — we are happy to provide this guide chock full of important information. We bring almost four decades of experience to the table, backed by attention to detail and skill on all levels.
Get a free quote now. Just provide us with the Year/Make/Model of your car, Pickup Zip Code or Departure Port, and Destination Country, in this case, South Africa. Ship Overseas offers weekly sailings from three ports in the USA to one port in South Africa.
Start off your journey with a free quote, as we only need the Year/Make/Model of your car, Pickup Zip Code or Departure Port, and Destination Country in South Africa. From Durban to Cape Town, we’ve got you covered.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car to South Africa?
The base price to ship a car from all three U.S. ports to South Africa is $1,975. Keep in mind this may not be your final price. These factors and more may alter your price tag.
Your final price may change with:
The area of the U.S. your car is departing from. For instance, it costs less to ship from the East Coast than the West Coast, meaning it will cost you more to depart out of Freeport TX than Baltimore MD.
The transportation method you choose. Some people live close enough to the departure port that they can take their own car there. This is a less expensive option. Some people live too far from the nearest port and choose to pay our truck drivers to transport their car from their home to the port. This is a more expensive option.
The size of your vehicle. You will pay more to ship a larger car than a smaller one, meaning you will spend more to ship a truck or SUV than a compact car.
I feel bad as I see a lot of people writing bad comments about this company. I've NEVER had a problem with them. NEVER.(Regarding the negative reviews..)Ship overseas is not an insurance provider, but rather a shipping company -- you must make sure to get insurance when shipping your vehicle so that no damages occur to it. They don't own the ship, nor workers, and of course as a result cannot guarantee the people on the ship won't damage your car.ShipOverseas is my go-to when I have to ship my cars. Which sounds funny to say, but I've actually shipped my car multiple times with them.Jack, one of the agents and owner is always very helpful, and does a great job of putting in trust in clients by making sure you understand the process in detail.I've transported my CLA45 AMG from the US to Belgium, without a problem, and have shipped it back, and am now buying a new car and shipping it back!You could say I'm somewhat of a (very happy) repeat customer – Photos for reference!
We highly recommend Shipoverseas services! Not only are they specialized in shipping gas/diesel motor operated cars but also specialize in shipping EV vehicles as well. We used there International shipping services to ship a 2022 Porsche Taycan to Dubai. The car arrived in less than a month in perfect shape, same as leaving our location. We worked with both Jack and Gary, both were great communicating and providing a timely status update. We will definitely be a regular customer! Thank you Jack and Gary!
Thank you Miron and Ship Overseas Team for helping me ship my car to Finland. I appreciate your response when I needed answers. Also many thanks for helping me find an agent in Kotka, Finland.I will definitely refer your company to my friends and colleagues.
We got a really good services. Jack always answers your so many questions with a short delay , for sure in the day , most of the time in the hour ( and in the minute too ). Really good communication. That's why we choose Ship Over Seas from the other company quotes we received. Good services , good prices , that's the criteria for our choice we don't regret at all. Thanks again.
Shipped my car to Nigeria . It was fast and easy . Best part they handles majority of the work . Very convenient and definitely will go through them again .
Shipped my car from NC to Puerto Rico. They took care of the transport of my car from NC to the port in FL, and then on the ship from FL to PR. The staff was very responsive to all communications I sent, especially while my car was in transit. I always knew exactly where my vehicle was. Very kind and helpful staff, especially when I was just calling to inquire in the beginning. Will use them again if I ever need to ship my car back stateside.
Very helpful, quick response to questions. Shipped my car to Costa Rica, no issues what so ever. I had shipped cars previously with other companies but Ship Overseas helped with the best solution which for my needs was RORO. I will definitely ship with them again, thanks again SHIP Overseas..
Shipped my vehicle from Newark, NJ to Southampton, United Kingdom safely and quickly. All the complicated paperwork was laid out clearly for me to figure out the process. I was able to drive my own car in England a few weeks after dropping it off in the US. Would recommend!
We shipped our car to Uganda from California and the services were exceptionally good 👍, regular feedback and updates were excellent and provided a peace of mind.
I used Ship Overseas back in 2019 to ship my 2008 Harley Softtail from Galveston Texas to Belgium. I forget exactly how long it took, perhaps in the two month range. However, the bike did eventually arrive and was completely ready for me at pickup. They even handled all the import paperwork etc. My only complaint would be that somehow the bike had accumulated almost 100 extra miles on it from when I dropped in off, and picking it up. Perhaps they needed to run it around the boat a few 1000 times. Also, there were a couple of parts missing from my saddle bags. Lesson: NEVER leave anything that can't be bolted to the object you are shipping. Otherwise, great service and a very good shipping experience.
ShipOverseas was a great partner in shipping a Chevy Bolt EV to Helsinki Finland. The representatives provided easily understood descriptions of the roll on-roll off process, required paperwork, payments, etc. We drove the car onto the Galveston, TX dock with an accompanying guide. It was 100% smoothly accomplished. The car was transferred in Germany without problems (it is an electric vehicle with some unique starting characteristics) and offloaded near Helsinki, Finland. The photo shows incredibly clean conditions at the destination despite weeks at sea. I can highly recommend ShipOverseas for safe, economical, and successful vehicle shipping.
Our company, Jackson Creek Mfg., Inc. has used Ship Overseas, Inc. numerous times to ship vehicles overseas and have always received excellent service. Great company to work with!
Used to ship from NY to Germany. Process was easy and straightforward. Saved money versus buying a second vehicle overseas. Would use again.Good communication throughout. Thank you.
If you never had your car shipped before, I can tell you that it can be a very fearful, and stressful event, but I can vouch 1st hand that this agency took all the thought fear and stress away! We moved my XT-5 from DFW to overseas (Bahrain). We didn't have any issues, and it was relatively fast considering it's been shipped across the seas. I will 100% recommend this company to anyone and everyone. Hassle-free and delivers what was promised. I'll definitely be using them whenever we decide to return stateside!
i shipped an 89' Land Rover Defender from italy to the US without troubles, they took care of all docs and around 60 days later the car was at the port in VA. i'd definitely use them again in the future.
I shipped two cars from Savannah to Germany. Super easy process and the rates were better than anyone elses that i was getting for the same route. Would recommend them to anyone for their shipping needs. They helped along the way to get the documents needed and explained the process clearly so i knew exactly what needed to be done to have my cars on the boat that I needed them to be on. Pickup on the other side was easy as well with who shipoverseas was partnered with where my vehicles arrived. They were in contact with me often so i knew that the vehicles were on time and when to have everything ready. I will certainly be in touch again when it's time to return from my oversea travels. Thanks for the smooth process!
My car purchase and shipping to the Middle East was full of challenges and complications, however the one thing that was 100% smooth was the part handled by Miron from Ship Overseas. Great service and communication from beginning to end. Highly recommend.
This company and team were tremendously professional & also the least expensive company I found. I researched quite a few before settling on ShipOverseas. I’m glad I chose them, they were able to deliver my vehicle to my destination port in Korea when others said they could only deliver to one port in Korea and for less money. I will definitely use them again and recommend anyone shipping anyone to consult with ShipOverseas.com. Well done!
Hello Tere! Last summer I sent my car to Estonia. I was scared little bit because it was my first time ( maybe even last!) to do this kind of thing. But it went very smoothly - unexpectedly . Most difficult thing was driving myself to the port, but I did it! I could order somebody from Ship Overseas, but it cost money. And paperwork was pretty normal. The same day, I left to the airport, I got phone call that they sent car title to my old address. Wow! I thought that this title goes directly to the Estonian port, but I was wrong. They sent this very important paper over to my son.It arrived on time when I was ready to show car documents to the toll office. Everything ended very well ! Thanks to Ship Overseas. And , by the way, sending my car to Estonia was much, much cheaper than other companies offered. I am thankful !!!
Ship Overseas is a 6 star organization. They have answered all my shipping questions and provided rapid thorough service each and every time. Look no further, Your overseas shipper search is over.
Very trustworthy company, they were always available to resolve issues with the correspondant at destination, no surprises, my Boat arrived as promised
Shipped several cars with this company to Nigeria.Exceptional service. Drawback is the vehicle hauling that wasn't reliable. Granted no fault of ship overseas.Ship Overseas is my go to shipper.
I have worked with this company for many years. We started shipping cars overseas in 2004. They are the BEST! They take a serious interest in making sure your car gets where it needs to go and will walk you through all the steps to make it a smooth move! We have shipped many cars to the UK and Germany as well as several to Bahrain, I cannot imagine using anyone else. Jack, Paul, Miron and April all made my job a lot easier for over 18 years
Om my GOSH! Words can't express how grateful I am for the experience I had with Ship Overseas. Living and working overseas can be a challenge but when I called they knew exactly what to do. Other shipping companies gave a long list of the things I needed, the paperwork, questions, and the costs. Overseas got me situated in one phone call. It was fabulous!!
Ship Overseas has great rates and staff! After using them to ship my car to Germany I knew I would use them when returning to the US as well. I did get quotes both times from numerous companies but no one could beat Ship Overseas. Shipping is a breeze with them and their staff are great at getting back to you in a timely manner!
They handled my car's transport 100% positive. It was not their fault that my radio was stolen somewhere along the path, port houston, Sirius leader, or port Limon, God only knows.
The departure ports from the USA to South Africa include:
Freeport, TX
Baltimore, MD
Jacksonville, FL
There is just one arrival port in South Africa: the Port of Durban. It happens to be the busiest portin South Africa and the second-largest container port in Africa.
How Long Does it Take?
It takes 50 days for your car to get to South Africa.
Additional Information
South Africa does not allow the importation of used vehicles as they have their own new vehicle manufacturing plants. Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota etc are all represented there.
When used vehicles are permitted entry into South Africa, they have to be classics cars older than 25 years. A special Import Permit is required which can be obtained from the South African Bureau of Standards. No shipping must be done until this has been obtained.
A clear Title of Ownership with no Liens on the Title.
If you bought a car new, then your name must be listed on the front of the Title as the registered owner.
If the vehicle has been sold, then both the Seller and Buyer have to sign the back of the Title in the spaces as detailed on the back of the Title.
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot have more than a ¼ tank of gas.
Visit the CIT website, to see if South Africa requires you to file for a FERI, ECTN, BSC or an ASHI, before it enters the country.
Additional Information
Vehicle Import Duty For South Africa
If you are in USA, contact the South African Embassy for the latest import duty.
South African Embassy 3051 Massachusetts Ave NW District of Columbia, 20008 (202) 232-4400
If you are in South Africa, contact South African Revenue Service (SARS).
Offering weekly sailings from ports in the USA to South Africa
Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from U.S. seaports to Durban and Port Elizabeth in South Africa. To get there, choose from two main car shipping methods:
RoRo Shipping – These are vessels that can ship wheeled cargo efficiently, whereby vehicles must be in good working order because they will have to be driven onto the ship via a ramp.
Container Shipping – Your car is placed inside a container and then strapped down securely for the journey. Depending on the option you choose, your vehicle could be riding solo or with other cars.
Shipping Cars for Military
Ship Overseas does not ship cars for the military to South Africa.
Documents Required to Ship a Car to South Africa
You will need these documents to ship a car to South Africa:
Original Title
ID
Salvage Titles
Only second-hand vehicles with special SABA Permits are allowed to be shipped.
Vehicle Age Limit
Ask your Customs broker. Yes, there is a vehicle age limit for shipping cars to South Africa, but there is a workaround.
Ship a Car to Durban
Durban, the third most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town, is the largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Perched on the east coast of South Africa, Durban is known as the busiest port in the country and one of the major centers of tourism due to its warm subtropical climate and beautiful beaches. Durban forms a portion of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which includes surrounding towns and is home to 3.44 million. As such, it is one of the biggest cities on the Indian Ocean coast.
Port Elizabeth, known for short as The Bay, is one of the major cities in South Africa, nestled in the Eastern Cape Province, nearly 500 miles east of Cape Town. Known locally as PE and nicknamed “The Windy City,” Port Elizabeth stretches along the beautiful Algoa Bay, one of the major seaports in South Africa.
Port Elizabeth, the southernmost city on the African continent, was founded in 1820 to house British settlers. We ship here quite often, and therefore know the rules and regulations.
For the latest vehicle import tax amount for South Africa, ask your Customs broker.
Destination Handling Charge
The destination handling charge for shipping a car to South Africa is approximately $200.
Do You Need Marine Insurance?
This is recommended but we don’t require it. You would receive insurance in the amount of 1.75% of the value of the vehicle for FULL coverage of theft, vandalism, damage and total loss with a $500 deductible. Coverage starts once your car has been loaded onto the ship and lasts until the time it is collected and signed for. Total Loss is 1.25% charge for the value of the vehicle.
If you feel that Marine Insurance is too expensive to cover your car 100%, you can opt for partial coverage of 50% to 75% of the value. You would have to pay out of pocket for any damage that exceeds your covered amount though.
We told you shipping a car to South Africa was easy! Got more questions? Call us toll-free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840.
Shipping Method for Shipping a Car to South Africa
Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from all three U.S. seaports listed above to the Durban port. We only offer RoRo shipping from the U.S. to South Africa, not container shipping.
RoRo Shipping (Roll On/Roll Off)
If your car is still in working order, and you plan to ship a single vehicle to South Africa, RoRo shipping is a wise choice. In fact, it’s the only choice! But you will be happy to know this is the most popular, cost-effective and efficient method of shipping a car. You also get reliable departure and arrival dates, as well as protection for your vehicle from the elements. That’s because all vehicles are tied to the deck with no exposure to the ocean water and air.
This convenient and affordable choice is designed to transport wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, motorhomes, campers, trailers buses, construction vehicles and boats. But keep in mind they have to be able to be driven onto the ship on their own power.
If you are shipping a single vehicle to South Africa, Roro is a wise decision. Not only is it cost-effective and efficient, it also comes with more reliable departure and arrival dates than you would get with container shipping(keep reading).And all vehicles are tied to the deck with no exposure to the ocean, so your vehicle is protected against external elements.
Second, you may ship your car to South Africa in a shipping container, either shared or exclusive. Here’s the 411 on each.
Shared Container Shipping
This translates to more difficult planning processes for you, as it’s highly possible you may be waiting an extra week until the container is filled with the rest of the cars. You’re best off deciding on this method when shipping two or more vehicles.There is no guarantee of a fixed departure date as with Roro, due to the fact that each container must be filled with vehicles in order for it to be loaded onto the container ship.
Your car, loaded along with three other vehicles into a container, gets protection from the elements, plus you can ship additional items in the trunk or the backseat of your vehicle at the same time. Another advantage? You can ship vehicles that do not work. For example, we have many clients who buy broken-down classic cars in the USA for shipping to South Africa.
Exclusive container shipping, meaning your vehicle is the sole vehicle in the container, is best for high-end and exotic vehicles like Bentleys, Ferraris, Aston Martins, etc.That’s because you get added protection and attention to detail during transport. This is also a wise option if you prefer to ship personal belongings inside your car.
Exclusive container shipping is more expensive compared to RoRo and shared container shipping. But if you have a generous budget and a nice car that can’t risk damage, you’ll want to pay more for the added peace of mind. If your vehicle is not in operational condition, you can still use this option.
Many military members choose us to ship their cars, SUVs, RVs, motorhomes, heavy machinery, boats, yachts and motorcycles.We are happy to serve the Active Military community,shipping cars from the USA to South Africa and importing cars internationally into the USA from South Africa. Ship Overseas has been a chosen provider of international car shipping services for more than three decades, backed by rich experience as a freight forwarder. Active members of the military who want to ship their cars to South Africa from the U.S. should give us a call for more information. At that time, we can go over factors such as modifications, weight, time limits and licensing that affect military shipping.
Luckily, you get yet another choice. Answer this question: do you want tobring your car to the port, or would you prefer we come get it from you?
Open and Enclosed Auto Shipping
If you prefer we get it, a truck driver will pick up the vehicle from you for transport to the destination port for shipping to South Africa, either by open auto shipping or enclosed.
Open Auto Shipping – The most common type of car shipping method we have, this also happens to be the least costly. But it’s a very safe and cost effective method if you want to transport vehicles like sedans and minivans to the port for sailings to South Africa.
Our transport trucks have the capacity to carry up to nine or 10 cars at a time, or as few as five cars. The transport truck driver will load and unload vehicles while making their way along the national trucking route. Each transport truck is filled to capacity,which disperses the overall shipping costs among all cars on board.
Enclosed Auto Shipping – This method is more expensive but if you are the owner of a luxury, exotic, specialty, or vintage car, it’s well worth the additional expenditure. Yes, it may cost more, but your risk is lowered as well. Why? The vehicle is not exposed to the elements during transport, shipped along with two other vehicles and, using a special ramp or lift-gate, is carefully driven onto the truck.
We think so. In fact, it’s always in your best interests to protect your vehicular investment. It’s just smart! Which is we why we suggest you buy the optional marine insurance.
We provide FULL COVERAGE Marine Insurance against Loss or Damage from the time your car is loaded onto the ship, the cost of which is 1.75% of the value you wish to insure the car for.
If you can’t afford to pay outright for any repairs, damage or loss to your vehicle, think ahead and buy the Marine Insurance. The chance of something unfortunate happening is rare, with this only becoming a real issue perhaps during hurricane season from June till November. Think: rougher than usual seas! Learn more about Marine Insurance by clicking on the link below.
In your quest to ship a car from the USA to South Africa, we hope this page has been helpful. Whether you want to ship a car to Durban or Port Elizabeth, we can help get it there safely.If you have additional questions, give us a call toll free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840.
