Shipping a Car to Greece With Your Household Goods

Greece’s car rules are generous on paper and unforgiving about emissions. Some American cars cannot be registered there at all, depending on their emissions, and you want to know that before the container is packed, not after it lands.

SDC is an international shipping company serving all 50 states, and we ship cars to Greece only when they travel inside a container with your household goods. We do not handle vehicle-only shipments, and we do not use RoRo. What follows covers the Greek side of the process.

Two Routes to Bring a Car

Greece’s relocation exemption allows one car of each category per person, and it gives you two ways to qualify.

• Bring your own car. You must have used it at your previous residence for at least six months before the certificate is issued, and you must own 100% of it when you apply. A leased car can qualify if it becomes your full and exclusive property before the application goes in.
• Buy a new or used car anywhere. You pay the registration fee and VAT in Greece. For new cars bought by people moving from regions that include America, the registration fee exemption is 80% up to 2,000 cc and 50% above, and VAT is still paid.

Both routes depend on the same Certificate of Transfer of Habitual Abode that covers your household goods. Our household goods certificate guide walks through that paperwork.

The Emissions Wall

Cars that meet Euro 0, 1, 2, or 3 standards, or that use conventional technology without provable pollutant emissions, cannot be included in the certificate or registered in Greece. That is the part that surprises people. A US-market car does not come with a Euro class on its title, so you will need documentation that proves its emissions compliance.

If your car is older, check with the Greek Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s Vehicle Technology Directorate before you pay to ship it. Shipping a car that cannot be registered is an expensive way to learn the rule.

The One-Month Clock

A vehicle has to clear customs within one month of entering Greece, and inside the certificate’s twelve-month validity. The household goods can clear in installments over the twelve months. The car cannot. So plan the car and the container to arrive together.

What Happens If You Sell It Early

For a year after clearance, you cannot transfer, lease, pledge, loan, or let anyone else use the car. After that, part of the registration fee comes due if you sell within five years: 50% in years one to two, 40% in years two to three, 30% in years three to four, and 20% in years four to five. After five years, nothing is due and customs approval is no longer needed. Before that, you need Customs’ approval to transfer.

Where the Car Goes on the Paperwork

Annex I of the relocation declaration lists household items in Space A, a car in Space B, and other vehicles in Space C. Passenger cars on the list are limited to those with up to nine seats. Larger vehicles, goods trucks, and special vehicles are excluded.

On the US Side Before It Sails

Before a car leaves the US, US Customs and Border Protection expects the original title and copies at least 72 hours before export. If a lender holds your title, get it released early, because a car without its title in hand cannot be exported. The same issue can matter in Greece. The Greek exemption requires full ownership when you apply, so if you still have a loan on the car, ask your consulate whether it affects your eligibility. Paying it off first is the clean route.

Is It Worth Shipping?

A car that is a few years old, fully paid for, and clearly emissions-compliant is a good candidate. A decade-old car with no emissions paperwork is not, because the cost of shipping and the risk of being unable to register it can add up to more than the car is worth. Run the check first, then decide. Our coordinators would rather tell you not to ship it than watch it sit at a Greek port.

Questions We Hear

Can two spouses each bring a car?

Greek guidance allows one private passenger car per person, and eligibility is assessed individually, so each spouse who qualifies can claim one.

Does the car have to be inside the container with my furniture?

With SDC, yes. A car ships only when it is containerized with household goods. Our car shipping guide covers the general process for other destinations.

What about a motorcycle?

Greek guidance allows one vehicle of each category, and Annex I has a space for vehicles other than cars. A motorcycle can be listed there, and it ships with SDC only inside the container with your household goods. Check its emissions class the same way you would for a car.

Should I decide about the car before I apply for the certificate?

Yes. Annex I lists the car in the same declaration as your household goods, so settle the question first. Adding a vehicle after the fact is the kind of change that costs weeks.

Is the registration fee exemption the same for every buyer?

No. The reduced fee applies to new cars bought by people moving from listed regions, and VAT is not waived. Ask before you buy.

Thinking about bringing a car? Send us its year, make, and model, plus when you hope to arrive in Greece. We will tell you whether it is worth shipping and how to line it up with the container. See the Greece moving guide or call 877-339-0267.