A car in Florida raises one worry before any other: the state is a long way south, and it is not obvious where a ship to Britain would leave from. It is closer than it looks, and the sailing from this side of the country is one of the shorter ones.
This guide covers what is particular to Florida: the port, the drive north, and Florida's electronic titles, which catch out more buyers than anything else. For the full process from collection to registration, read our guide to shipping a car from the USA.
- Nearest main port
- Savannah, Georgia
- Guide shipping price
- From £1,450 (USA)
- Time at sea
- Around 2 weeks from the East Coast
- Import tax
- 10% duty + 20% VAT
Savannah, just over the state line
Our main US ports are New York, Savannah, Houston and Oakland, and My Car Import lists them as the most common collection ports. Of the four, Savannah is the closest to Florida, just north of the Georgia border.
The Port of Savannah lines the Savannah River, about 18 miles from the Atlantic, and is run by the Georgia Ports Authority. Georgia's roll-on roll-off vehicle traffic goes through the Port of Brunswick, so cars leaving from Savannah itself travel in containers.
Miami is on My Car Import's list of other notable US ports. The port a car actually leaves from depends on where it is and what is sailing, and your quote will say which one we plan to use.
Collection from the Keys to the Panhandle
We collect from anywhere in the USA, whether that is a dealer in Orlando, a private seller in Tampa or a storage unit in the Keys. We truck the car to the port with open or enclosed transport, and it is insured on the way.
Florida is a long state, and the inland leg is part of the price. A car in Jacksonville is a short hop from Savannah. One in Miami has most of the length of Florida to cover first. Our guide to the cost of shipping a car from the USA explains how distance and size move the figure.
An East Coast sailing
Sailings from the East and Gulf coasts take around 2 weeks at sea, about half the West Coast time. Before that, allow about 2 weeks for paperwork, the export filing and loading. Customs and the work at our end come after the car lands.
If the car leaves from Savannah, it crosses sealed inside a container. It is strapped down at the US end and opened by our own team at Castle Donington. That suits classics, convertibles and anything you would rather nobody drove on and off a ship. Our guide to how cars are loaded into a container shows how it is done.
Florida titles are often electronic
US Customs needs the original title, or a certified copy, at least 72 hours before the car is exported. Our guide to US export rules covers the detail. In Florida the snag is that the title may only exist electronically.
Florida county tax collectors explain that an owner with an electronic title and no lien can ask for it to be printed on paper. It can be requested online or by post, or in person as a "fast title", which is printed the same day. A seller who does this before the sale saves everyone a wait.
That printing route is for titles with no lien. If there is still a loan on the car, the lender is involved. Our guide to shipping a car with finance outstanding sets out what to do.
Ask the seller whether the title is paper or electronic. If it is electronic, ask them to get it printed before you pay. Without the paper title in time, the car misses its sailing.
Your Florida paperwork
0 of 5 done
Moving home from Florida
If you are coming back to the UK after living in Florida, your own car may come in tax free. You need to have lived outside the UK for at least 12 months and owned the car for at least 6, and HMRC has to approve Transfer of Residence before the car ships. Our guide to moving to the UK from the USA with your car covers the move as a whole.
Once it lands
A Florida car needs the same lighting work as any American car: amber rear indicators, side markers, a rear fog light and headlights set up for driving on the left. Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads goes through each change.
After that, a car under 10 years old takes an IVA test on our own lane, one between 10 and 40 takes an MOT, and one over 40 needs no MOT. We make the NOVA notification and register the car with the DVLA through our dealer-level account, usually within 10 working days.
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Step 1
Title sorted
The seller prints an electronic title, or you get a certified copy. Send us a photo to check.
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Step 2
Collection
We collect anywhere in Florida and truck the car north to the port.
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Around 2 weeks
Paperwork and loading
Export filing, US Customs at least 72 hours before export, then the car is loaded into a container.
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Around 2 weeks
At sea
The East Coast sailing to the UK.
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In the UK
Customs, test and registration
Customs and NOVA, lighting work, an IVA test or MOT, then DVLA registration.
What it costs
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the USA starts from around £1,450. That is shipping only. Import tax, registration, other services and the work to make the car road legal are on top, and so is a long drive up from South Florida.
A car from the USA pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT on the price plus shipping. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. The import tax calculator gives you a rough figure before you commit.
Questions people ask
Which port do cars from Florida ship from?
Of our main US ports, Savannah in Georgia is the closest to Florida. The port a car actually uses depends on where it is and what is sailing, and your quote will say.
How long does it take to ship a car from Florida to the UK?
Around 2 weeks at sea from the East Coast, plus about 2 weeks before sailing for paperwork and loading. Customs, conversion, testing and registration follow.
What if the Florida title is electronic?
An owner with an electronic title and no lien can ask for it to be printed on paper, including as a same-day fast title in person. US Customs needs the original title or a certified copy before the car can leave.
Will my car go in a container or by RoRo?
Cars leaving from Savannah travel in containers, because Georgia sends its RoRo vehicle traffic through Brunswick. A container keeps the car sealed until our team opens it.
Can I bring my car home from Florida tax free?
Possibly, under Transfer of Residence, if you have lived abroad for at least 12 months and owned the car for at least 6. HMRC must approve it before the car ships.
Got a car in Florida? Send us the details and where it is on the quote form and we'll price it from the driveway to yours.
