International Vehicle Shipping from Los Angeles

A car leaving Los Angeles clears U.S. customs before it ever reaches the water, and the destination country then decides whether it can come in at all. Both steps have deadlines, and both are easier to get right in week one than in move week.

SDC is an FMC-licensed door-to-door moving company with almost 20 years of experience moving households overseas. For Los Angeles moves, containers go through the Port of Los Angeles or the Port of Long Beach, depending on the sailing.

SDC ships cars and motorcycles only when they are containerized with household goods. We do not handle vehicle-only shipments, and we do not use roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping. If you only want to send a car, we are not the right fit.

How a Car Ships From Los Angeles

Inside the Container With Your Household Goods

The car travels in the same sealed container as your furniture and boxes. For a three-bedroom home plus a car, plan on a 40-foot container, and often a high cube. Our crew blocks and braces the vehicle with wheel chocks, tie-down straps, and padding so nothing shifts at sea.

A container also keeps the car out of the weather and out of sight at the port, which is the main reason we do not offer RoRo. Your coordinator sizes the container from a survey of the home and the vehicle, not from a bedroom count.

What U.S. Customs Requires Before the Car Leaves

Federal rules (19 CFR Part 192) require the vehicle’s ownership documents to be presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at least 72 hours before export. For a U.S.-titled car, that means the original title plus two copies. A missing or late title does not just slow the car down. It can cost the car its sailing.

• Original title. If a lender holds it, ask the lender for written authorization early.
• Current registration and your government-issued ID.
• CBP Form 5291 (Power of Attorney). It authorizes SDC to file the export paperwork for you.
• Proof of ownership history. Many destinations count months of ownership, so keep purchase records and past registrations together.

Start this the week you book, and keep the title somewhere you can reach quickly.

Then the Destination Decides

A car that clears Los Angeles can still be refused or taxed on arrival. The rules differ sharply by country, so confirm the route for your destination before the car goes into a container.

Germany

Duty-free treatment requires that you have owned and used the car for at least six months before the vessel departs. A U.S.-spec car typically needs modifications to be registered, and it must pass an individual acceptance test (Einzelabnahme) by TÜV or a similar approved body before the local traffic authority registers it. German motor vehicle tax then applies. Our guide to shipping a car to Germany with household goods covers the steps in order.

China

China does not allow non-diplomats to import vehicles. A private car stays in the U.S., and we will tell you that before you spend anything on preparation.

Mexico

A car is not part of the Menaje de Casa and needs its own approval. Temporary residents can generally bring a foreign-plated car under a Temporary Import Permit from Banjercito. Permanent residents cannot get that permit, so the car would have to be permanently imported within a model-year window, or kept inside a border free zone.

Other destinations, including France, Italy, and Portugal, set their own ownership periods and registration steps. Ask your coordinator for the rules that apply to your country.

Preparing the Car

• Clean it thoroughly, undercarriage included. Soil and plant debris can trigger agricultural inspections and fees.
• Remove personal items, unless they are listed and approved as part of your household goods inventory.
• Run the tank down to about a quarter or less.
• Disable the alarm and pull electronic tags such as your FasTrak transponder.
• Photograph the interior and exterior before the car is loaded.

Timing From Los Angeles

A full container from Los Angeles runs about 6 to 12 weeks door to door to most destinations, depending on the country and the sailing. That is a planning range, not a guarantee, and your coordinator will give you a range for your destination. Aim to book 6 to 8 weeks before your pack date, and earlier in the summer peak.

The 72-hour customs step happens before loading, so the document check belongs at the start of the schedule, not the end.

How the Car Is Insured

Household goods can carry broad coverage when SDC packs them, but vehicles are insured differently: under a limited total-loss option, not all-risk. Photographs and a condition record before loading matter if a claim ever comes up. The moving insurance guide explains the options.

Questions About Shipping a Car From Los Angeles

Can I ship just my car?

No. We ship a vehicle only inside a container with household goods.

What about a motorcycle?

The same rule applies. It ships in the container with your household goods, braced and strapped like a car.

My car still has a loan. Can it go?

Yes, but the lender has to authorize the export in writing and the title requirement still applies. Contact the lender before you book, since that approval is the slowest piece.

Can I pack things in the trunk?

Only if they are on the household goods inventory and approved for the shipment. Anything loose and unlisted can draw questions from customs.

What about my dog or cat?

SDC does not ship pets. We can refer you to trusted partners, so call 877-339-0267.

Planning a move out of Los Angeles with a car? Send your coordinator the year, make, and model, your destination country, and whether the title is clear, and we will say whether the car can go and what to line up first. Call 877-339-0267 or request a quote. For the full vehicle process across destinations, see our international car shipping guide, and for the customs side of the move, our customs regulations guide.