Shipping A Car To Germany
Moving around a world is a desire many of us have and once you become familiar with the car shipping procedures you will find it easier to handle it. That’s because you can find car shipping companies that will take care of all the details in your place. Some of them will even pick up the car from your door step and deliver it to your new residence. That applies to the process of shipping a car to Germany as well, and as long as you provide the necessary documents (mainly the car’s title) you won’t have to worry about customs and any other taxes that may need to be paid as long as you hire a reliable company.
But in order to make sure that you are not being overcharged for the necessary services you should have an idea of the taxes supposed by shipping a car to Germany and of the rules that apply. The main two types of taxes you will be required to pay are the import duty that usually represents 10% of the car’s value and the value added tax that is about 15% of the car’s purchase price. The total cost will also include freight charges and the required insurance. Another 7% tax is sometimes charged if you import a vintage or collector car. To find out the total amount of taxes that must be paid you should pay a visit to the German Customs authorities because they are the ones that establish these amounts and not the car shipping company.
You will also be glad to know that you can ship to Germany any model of car of any age and the level of taxes paid is similar. All the cars shipped to this destination will be the subject of a technical inspection and if you plan to live in Germany for more than a year you will be asked to acquire a local license. You will also be required to provide an export license if the car is not manufactured in the USA. In addition, you should expect to pay a special tax when you register the vehicle.
When you ship a car to Germany you will also need to prepare the car. You should duplicate the car keys and hand over a set to the car shipping company. You also need to make copies of the car’s papers because, in order to handle the registration process, the car shipping company will need them. If you are shipping a car that is leased or the subject of financing you will need to provide the creditor’s statement that proves he is aware of the car’s relocation. This statement should be legalized. Also legalized should be a document that grants a third party (another person than the car’s owner) the right to pick up the car. You should consider providing a photo id of this person in order to simplify matters.
Don’t forget about insurance if you want any damage of over $500 to be covered. The payment methods accepted by most car shipping companies involve cash, certified checks and even credit cards while the bill will offer details about the services offered and charged. The price paid depends on the distance, the car’s size and weight but also on the shipping method you choose. You can opt for RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) or for an enclosed container that will mean an increase by 25% up to 50% of the price paid. The advantage is that your car will be protected against any possible unfriendly weather conditions. It’s all up to you!
Post tags: Tags: automotive articles, shipping a car to germany
