Car Shipping Port Elizabeth
Shipping a car to another country can seem stressful and must be done per strict regulations with customs and international auto conveyance companies. When you hire an auto shipper to transport your car internationally to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, you must provide specific documents to the transport company before shipping. These documents include:
- Driver’s License
- Social Security Number (Card)
- Title to Vehicle
- Insurance Certificate for Vehicle
- Power of Attorney Affidavit if the car will need to be picked up or delivered
Your agent will help prepare you for the shipment of your car so that everything goes smoothly. The agent at the transport company will give you details on shipping methods available, documents you will need for customs, paperwork that will need to be filled out, and what you will need to do to get your vehicle ready for international travel. They will also let you know if you can ship items along with your vehicle, depending on your delivery type. If you need someone to pick your car up at your home or office and deliver it to the exit post nearest your location or pick it up in Port Elizabeth, your agent will include that in your total shipping cost. You can also speak to someone at U.S. Customs to get further information on international import and export regulations. If you want more detailed information on the cost of sending your car overseas and what you may need to do before shipping, you can read this article for more information.
Vehicle Regulations in Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth has strict policies on shipping a car into the city. The present regulations are as follows:
- Only right-hand driving vehicles are allowed to be imported
- Only one car per individual or family is allowed for import
- Residents returning to South Africa must pay full import duties and taxes to customs.
- Immigrants to Pretoria may not sell the vehicle for at least two years.
- Those who will be temporary residents must pay full import duties and taxes and have a valid temporary import permit.
- Foreign Diplomats do not pay any import duties or taxes but must provide their Diplomatic Certificate.
- The South African Embassy will provide a Special Import Permit when applied for while the car is still in the United States before importation; therefore, this must be taken care of before entering Pretoria, South Africa.
You will also need to provide the following paperwork to customs when your car reaches the checkpoint for clearance:
- Temporary License
- Passport
- Bill of Sale
- Import Permit
- Original Vehicle Registration
- Car Title
- Forms D.A. 304A and P1.160 (three copies of each)
For more information on customs regulations, you can contact the South African Embassy in Washington, DC, which will direct you to regulations about Port Elizabeth specifically.
How to Transport
Sending your vehicle to Port Elizabeth is possible through several different routes. If you need to move any domestic products with your automobile, choose a method that enables carrying personal stuff. Before committing to the delivery process, get an all-inclusive quote from the shipping agent that includes the costs of shipping pickup and/or delivery and any other applicable fees. You can send your car to Port Elizabeth in one of these ways.
RoRo Shipping- When you use RoRo Shipping, your car will be driven onto the carrier ship and secured for the overseas journey. When it arrives at the port of entry, it will be driven off the ship. You cannot load any personal items into the vehicle for RoRo Shipping. RoRo Shipping is the most preferred way to ship a car internationally and the least expensive way.
Container Shipping—Shipping your vehicle in a container is the best option when personal items need to be shipped with it. While it will cost a little more because you have to pay the container fee, it allows you to relocate easily and have your personal possessions with you.
Air Shipping- Air moving is the way to go when you need your automobile fast. When you ship by air, you can have your car delivered much faster than when you ship by sea. You can also send personal items when you ship by air cargo.