Import a car from the USA and Canada to the UK
Buy at Copart or IAA, ship to Southampton and clear customs in the UK. Here are the steps and an estimate of the full cost.
How it works
1Find the car and get alerts
Save a search for the make, model and budget you want. SalvageAlert watches Copart and IAA and alerts you as soon as a matching lot is listed.
2Bid through a broker
Most lots can only be bid on with a dealer licence. An export broker bids for you, pays the auction and prepares the export documents.
3Towing to the export port
The car is towed from the auction yard to a port such as New Jersey, Savannah, Houston or Montreal and loaded into a shared container.
4Ocean shipping
Shipping to Southampton usually takes four to eight weeks, depending on the route and on how quickly the container fills.
5Customs and registration
On arrival a customs broker declares the car and pays the import taxes. After repairs and a technical inspection the car can be registered.
Cars you could ship to United Kingdom this week
Live lots at the North American auctions the calculator prices from, under a ceiling a shipped car still makes sense at, soonest sale first. Open one and the calculator on its page prices it at your door.
IAA Canada · Ottawa, ON
2024 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN SE/WOLFSBURG
Front
Bid CA$5,400Oct 28
IAA Canada · Ottawa, ON
2008 TOYOTA YARIS RS
Front
Bid CA$75Oct 28
IAA Canada · St-Nicolas, QC
2014 TOYOTA RAV4 LE
Right Front
Bid CA$400Oct 28
IAA Canada · Ottawa, ON
2025 RAM 1500 REBEL
Repossession
Bid CA$5,100Oct 28
IAA Canada · Garson, ON
2016 RAM 2500 LARAMIE
Front
Bid CA$425Oct 28
IAA Canada · St-Eustache, QC
2024 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER GT/GT NOIR/GT PREMIUM
Rear
Bid CA$9,600Oct 28
IAA Canada · Stouffville, ON
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GLK 250 BLUETEC
Front
Bid CA$1,250Oct 28
IAA Canada · Ottawa, ON
2010 MAZDA MAZDA3
Charity
Bid CA$1,000Oct 28
IAA Canada · Ottawa, ONLanded cost calculator
Enter a bid to see what the car costs once it has cleared customs. Towing, shipping and port costs are pre-filled with typical values you can change.
- Winning bid
- $5,000
- Auction buyer fees
- $1,058
- Towing to the port
- $500
- Ocean shipping and insurance
- $1,600
- Customs value
- $8,158
- Import duty (10%)
- $816
- VAT (20%)
- $1,945
- Port, unloading and broker
- $750
- Estimated landed cost
- $11,669≈ £8,755
10% duty applied: not built in Canada, or no proof of origin.
Estimate only. Confirm the final figures with your customs broker; exchange rates are indicative.
Import taxes
A car imported into the UK pays customs duty of 10% on its customs value: the price plus auction fees and transport to the UK. A car built in Canada enters duty-free with the exporter's statement of origin; a car built in the US pays the full 10%. Import VAT of 20% is then charged on the value including duty. A left-hand-drive car can be registered in the UK, but a car under ten years old usually needs an IVA test before the DVLA will register it, and its headlights must be adjusted for driving on the left.
What SalvageAlert costs
Starter is £19.99 a month and Unlimited £39.99 a month. Plans are billed in GBP, and you can start with a free account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy at Copart or IAA from abroad?
Yes. Most lots can only be bid on with a dealer licence, so buyers abroad bid through a licensed broker who buys the car for them and arranges the export.
How are import taxes calculated?
A car imported into the UK pays customs duty of 10% on its customs value: the price plus auction fees and transport to the UK. A car built in Canada enters duty-free with the exporter's statement of origin; a car built in the US pays the full 10%. Import VAT of 20% is then charged on the value including duty. A left-hand-drive car can be registered in the UK, but a car under ten years old usually needs an IVA test before the DVLA will register it, and its headlights must be adjusted for driving on the left.
How long does delivery take?
Allow one to two weeks for payment and towing to the port, then four to eight weeks of shipping and a few days for customs clearance.
Can I register a car with a salvage title?
Often yes, once it is repaired and passes the technical inspection your country requires. Rules differ by country and by type of damage, so check with the registration authority before you bid.
How does SalvageAlert help?
It watches Copart and IAA for your saved searches and alerts you the moment a matching car is listed, with sale history, fee estimates and VIN details on every lot.
Get alerted when the right car is listed
Create a free account, save a search and see matching lots as soon as they appear.
The same catalog over an API
Pull every lot, photo and VIN from IAA and Copart into your own listings, price sheets or customer alerts — one key, JSON in, no scraping.