Shipping a Car from France

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You can import a car from France to the USA so long as the vehicle is in compliance with American safety and emissions standards. Most cars that operate in France are built to European Union (EU) safety standards, which are very similar to, or, sometimes, even stricter than US requirements. So, in most cases, you should be able to import a car from France without too many problems, especially if the car is meant for personal use and will be re-exported out of the US when the owner leaves the country.

Shipping Options

You can ship a car from France to the US in a container ship or on a less expensive Roll on Roll off (RoRo) vessel. The main advantage with container shipping is that your car will be transported in a separate container of its own, which means that it will be well protected from weather and other potential sources of damage during transit. With RoRo shipping, your car will be transported to its destination on an open car deck onboard a special-purpose RoRo ship along with hundreds of other cars. You can choose either option when shipping a car from France.

Car Shipping Services in France

You can ship a car to the US from several major cities in France, including Paris, Marseilles, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Avignon. When you ship a car from France, your car will, typically, be transported to a US port on the East Coast, and then hauled over land to its ultimate destination. Typically, a shipping company will require between three and four weeks to transport a car from France to the US.

Documents for Shipping a Car

Before shipping a car from France, make sure you have all of the required documentation. Your shipping company will require a copy of the car’s registration, its title, and an export clearance document from your bank if you have an outstanding loan against the vehicle. US customs officials will require the same documents. In addition, they will also require a bill of lading from your shipper, the original bill of sale for your vehicle and proof of vehicle ownership.

US Quality Requirements

If you are planning on importing a car from France to the USA, make sure that the vehicle is fully compliant with American requirements for car safety and emission standards. Cars that are compliant with US requirements can be imported by paying a customs duty of 5 percent. You can import a non-compliant car on the condition that you bring it into compliance within 45 days. The task of bringing the car into compliance can only be performed by a Registered Importer, and can end up being very costly. Always remember to factor in and plan for these costs when importing a car from France to the United States.

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