How to Ship a Car from Hong Kong to UK
Car Shipping Process
We have a dedicated team in Hong Kong who will be in touch with you directly the moment you place a booking with us.
They will assist with advice on getting the car to our Hong Kong depot for loading, or we will be happy to quote for a car collection service.
We then will load your vehicle into a 40ft container securely and fully insured for your peace of mind.
Import Tax and Duty Explained
Most of the cars we ship from Hong Kong to the UK are under ten years of age, therefore it is vital that you can prove you have lived outside of the UK at least 12 months and owned the car at least 6 months of that period in order to meet strict UK import rules.
This will also mean you qualify for Transfer of Residence import tax relief and so will pay no tax or duty. So to summarise the import duty and tax for importing a car from Hong Kong to the UK:
- If you have lived in Hong Kong at least 12 months and owned the car at least 6 months of that period, there is zero tax and zero duty to pay.
- If the car is over ten years of age and you have not previously owned it then expect 10% duty on a current value for the car and 20% VAT.
- If the car is over thirty years of age then there would be no duty and just 5% VAT on a current valuation of the car.
UK Vehicle Testing & Road-Readiness
Shipping cars from Hong Kong that are less than ten years old can be tricky, but luckily our in-house IVA and import specialists have the experience to ensure your vehicle is suitable to be imported into the UK and registered for British roads.
Our team of in-house IVA and MOT technicians carry out any modifications needed to convert the car for UK use and prepare the car for the next road-readiness steps.
Our administration team will then help prepare the paperwork needed to move your vehicle toward UK road use in the quickest possible time.
