VEHICLE IMPORT FROM THE USA – WE DELIVER AMERICA ON WHEELS
VEHICLE IMPORT FROM THE USA – WE DELIVER AMERICA ON WHEELS
YOUR IMPORT. OUR MISSION.
THE EXPERTS FOR VEHICLE IMPORTS TO GERMANY
Importing a car from the USA? We take it from here.
Ocean freight in a consolidated container starts at USD 900 and usually runs two to seven weeks, depending on the vehicle, the port it leaves from, and where in Germany it is going.
Below is the full guide: costs, procedure, the paperwork you need, and the things that trip people up.
START IMPORTING YOUR VEHICLE
Request a free shipping quote online — it takes a couple of minutes.
Car, motorcycle, or something else entirely: we put together your quote and come back within 24 hours.
Questions, or would you rather talk the project through? Call or email during office hours and one of our logistics people will take you through shipping, procedure, and paperwork.
OUR SERVICES FOR IMPORTING FROM THE USA
- US Vehicle Import Checklist »
- Vehicle Import Options »
- Import Permit »
- US–Germany Import Costs & Timeframe »
- Importing Cars from the USA
- Additional Services »
- Available Ports in the USA and Europe »
- Undercarriage Wash for Your Vehicle »
- German Registration of Your Vehicle
- Additional Shipping Options: Germany/USA
Need More Information on Importing Your U.S. Vehicle to Germany?
YOUR DREAM CAR FROM THE USA – SOON IN YOUR DRIVEWAY
Want to know more before you commit? We are with you at every step.
The guide below covers the import checklist, the transport and import options, and the ports available in the USA and Germany.
Dream car, collector’s item, or the car you will drive to work on Monday — the process is the same, and we keep it clear from start to finish.
US-Car Import Checklist
We handle the whole thing, from checking your documents to preparing the car for registration. Here is what that looks like.
- Eligibility and planning
Before anything ships, we work out whether your vehicle can be registered in Germany and which import option fits your situation. You get a straight answer on requirements, routes, and process.
- Documents
To get started we need:
- Bill of sale
- Certificate of title (original required)
We check the documents, handle the customs paperwork, and prepare everything for import into the EU.
- Costs & duties
You get one calculation with every cost in it:
- Freight rate and cargo insurance
- Wharfage fees, drayage, and delivery in Bremerhaven
- Import duties (customs duty, import VAT, and vehicle tax where it applies)
- Registration and insurance requirements in Germany
- Customs Clearance and Logistics Services
Upon request, CFR handles the complete customs clearance process and all communication with the authorities.
- Transport & shipping
Once the formalities are done, we organize the transport from the seller to Bremerhaven:
- Pickup from the seller
- Ocean transport by container or RoRo
- Insurance and photo documentation
- Coordination of departure and arrival ports
Your vehicle is loaded, secured, and watched by our partners the whole way.
- After arrival in Germany
In Bremerhaven we pick it up again:
- Unloading and customs clearance
- Onward transport or local pickup
- Upon request: an introduction to our partner workshops for homologation, technical modification, TÜV inspection, and registration prep
You end up with a car that is inspected, registered, and ready to drive.
Online Quotes
Quotes are available online for domestic and international vehicle transport services. Count on our reliable, fast vehicle relocation service – our dedicated team of freight forwarding specialists is available by phone at any time to answer all your questions.
Please use our shipping inquiry form or contact us directly by email with any questions:
info@cfr-germany.com
- ADDRESS
Administration & Warehouse:
Alaskastraße 12
D-27580 Bremerhaven
- PHONE
We are available Monday through Friday between
08:00 – 17:00 Uhr
Vehicle Import Options
If you’re in the process of importing your vehicle from abroad, you should consider the following questions:
- Are you importing permanently or temporarily?
- Have you owned the vehicle for more than six months?
- Are you importing the vehicle for a holiday trip?
- Are you relocating to Germany, and was the vehicle registered in your name for at least six months before shipping?
- Do you plan to register it permanently?
The answers determine whether the vehicle comes in duty-free and what you will owe. Do not assume your case works like someone else’s — the conditions vary more than people expect.
For a figure that applies to your import, fill in our free quick-quote form.
Import Permit
Here is what you need to bring a vehicle into Germany.
- Once you've confirmed your vehicle is eligible and selected an import option, gather all necessary documents, including:
- Bill of sale
- Certificate of title
- Are you aware of all the costs involved in importing a vehicle, including:
- Freight rate and insurance premium
- Wharfage fees, drayage, and delivery costs after the vehicle lands in Bremerhaven
- Import duties, including import VAT, customs duty & vehicle tax
- Undercarriage cleaning
- Registration and insurance requirements in Germany
- Customs clearance, customs agents & logistics services
- After that: choose an international vehicle forwarder and a shipping method, settle on your departure and arrival ports, and make sure the vehicle is clean and free of soil and plant debris.
US–Germany Import Costs & TRANSIT TIMES
A standard vehicle shipped roll-on/roll-off from the Port of Los Angeles to Bremerhaven starts at around USD 900, with a transit time of four to seven weeks. What moves that number: make and model, where the car is now, the nearest port, the transport method, service availability, and the final destination in Germany.
Budget for storage, customs inspections, and import duties as well. Duty and import VAT are calculated on your vehicle’s purchase price plus transport costs.
Vehicle Tax & Customs Duties in Germany
Before purchasing and importing a vehicle from the USA to Germany, check whether your vehicle’s technical specifications meet Germany’s registration requirements. Since the USA is not an EU member state, import duties generally apply to shipments into Germany.
For vehicles under 30 years old, a 19% import VAT and a 10% customs duty apply. Vehicles over 30 years old and in original condition can be imported duty-free, with a 7% import VAT. However, please note that this determination is made at the discretion of the processing customs officer, and there is no way to influence this decision.
Some imports come in duty-free:
- Passing through Germany or visiting on holiday? A security deposit is all that is required.
- Relocating to Germany? The vehicle can come in duty-free with your household goods, as long as you have owned it for at least six months before shipping.
The final amount depends on the details of your shipment. Fill in our free quick-quote form and we will calculate it.
Online Quotes
Quotes are available online for domestic and international vehicle transport services. Count on our reliable, fast vehicle relocation service – our dedicated team of freight forwarding specialists is available by phone at any time to answer all your questions.
Please use our shipping inquiry form or contact us directly by email with any questions:
info@cfr-germany.com
- ADDRESS
Administration & Warehouse:
Alaskastraße 12
D-27580 Bremerhaven
- PHONE
We are available Monday through Friday between
08:00 – 17:00 Uhr
Importing Cars from the USA
Three ways to get a car across: consolidated container, dedicated container, or roll-on/roll-off.
Consolidated Container
Several vehicles share one container. It costs more than RoRo because the container itself has to be handled — terminal charges, drayage, loading and unloading, clearance fees — but those costs are split between the vehicles inside. The trade-off is waiting: the container only sails once it is full.
Full Container Load (FCL)
Same process, one vehicle. The costs that get shared in a consolidated container are all yours here.
Container shipping is the most secure option. We photograph the vehicle when it arrives and keep photographing through loading, right up to the moment the doors close. Nobody touches it again until the container is opened at the destination, where we photograph it once more. Because the car is sealed in, you can ship items inside it — as long as they are stowed so they cannot damage the vehicle or each other. Note that CFR is not liable for items left inside the vehicle.
We load exclusively with our steel ramp system, which protects against damage and loss better than the wooden ramps much of the industry still uses.
Roll-On/Roll-Off
The vehicle is driven onto a parking deck and secured there. It is the cheapest option, because the only extras are port fees and clearance fees.
Additional services:
Sourcing Vehicles
Selling? We keep an extensive list of buyers looking specifically for vehicles overseas. Commission or flat fee, your choice.
Other Services
Domestic trucking, customs information and documentation support, track and trace, and a full vehicle inspection report.
Available Ports in the USA and Europe
Departure Ports – USA
- Oakland
- Los Angeles
- Houston
- Miami
- Jacksonville
- Savannah
- Charleston
- Northfork
- Baltimore
- New York
Destination Ports – Europe
- Bremerhaven
- Hamburg
- Rotterdam
- Antwerp
REGISTERING YOUR VEHICLE IN GERMANY
Every imported vehicle needs to be registered before it goes on German roads, and registration starts with a TÜV inspection.
If the car needs homologation or technical modifications to pass, we will introduce you to our partners — they are around the corner from our warehouse in Bremerhaven, so nothing has to be moved across the country.
Our Bremerhaven office can also arrange vehicle inspections and other services connected to your shipment.
To arrange the transport of your vehicle from the USA to Germany, as well as any additional services, please fill out our free quick-quote form.
PERSONAL. RELIABLE. ACCESSIBLE.
Contact US
Your shipment gets a named contact who stays with it from the first call to the final handover. Complex project cargo, handling at short notice, customs and special clearance — talk to someone who already knows your case.
- PHONE
Monday to Friday,
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CET)
Use our shipping inquiry form, or email us directly:
- ADDRESS
Administration & Warehouse:
Alaskastraße 12
D-27580 Bremerhaven
Container
Handling
FREIGHT FORWARDING
SERVICES
Warehouse
Planning
Vehicle
Logistics
YOUR SPECIALIST FOR CONTAINER HANDLING AND TRANSSHIPMENT LOGISTICS
Container Freight Revolution — based in Bremerhaven
Container Freight Revolution (CFR) handles containers and transshipment at one of Europe’s busiest ports. We cover the whole chain: planning, physical handling, warehousing, and customs and special clearance. Our team works from storage and handling areas inside the Port of Bremerhaven, which keeps distances short and decisions fast. Standard containers, project cargo, or something that does not fit either description — tell us what you need to move and we will build the solution around it.