Exporting a car can be a lengthy process that involves a large amount of paperwork and a variety of different costs. Typically, those interested in exporting cars must attempt to negotiate a low-cost transportation deal with a commercial cargo carrier such as a shipping firm or a rail company. Additionally, exporters must familiarize themselves with both domestic and foreign rules about registering vehicles. Many nations charge either import or export tariffs on vehicles and so anyone thinking of exporting cars should try to identify the export route that is the least expensive in terms of overall cost.
Manufacturers often rely on trucks or trains when exporting cars across land borders. Freight companies sometimes offer discounted rates to business partners that purchase large quantities of cargo space; exporters often try to ship multiple cars at one time rather than sending a series of shipments involving small numbers of vehicles. Additionally, a firm may be able to negotiate a further pricing discount by entering into a long-term export deal with a shipping firm rather than negotiating a one-off transportation deal. People and entities that ship cars by boat often get the best deals when shipping cars on large commercial boats since costs are split with many other vendors whereas it can be expensive to hire a small boat just to ship a small number of vehicles.
Before a car can cross an international border, the vehicle owner must present the customs officers with a vehicle title. Laws in many nations prevent people from exporting financed vehicles unless the lender has provided the vehicle owner with written consent to take the car across the border. Newly constructed cars do not have titles since these vehicles do not yet belong to anyone. In such instances, the vehicle owner must present the customs officers with a document known as a statement or certificate of origin that explains where the car was built. Anyone who attempts to export a car with a title of a certificate of origin is liable to run into legal issues that could include penalty fees.
Nations around the world require vehicle owners and distribution firms to pay taxes whenever vehicles cross international borders. The size of these tariffs varies between nations so exporters normally try to choose the shipping route that involves the car having to cross the least number of international borders. Additionally, anyone involved in exporting cars must take into account the shipping costs and tariffs when pricing the vehicle. In some instances, exporting cars is not cost effective if these charges mean that exported cars are more expensive than vehicles already available for sale in the destination country.
