Guide · Updated October 2026
Shipping a Caravan to Australia, New Zealand or Canada: Rules for Visitors and for Moving
A towed caravan ships by RORO like a car: it goes on the ship towed or on a trailer, with or without the car that pulls it, and it is priced by its length, width and height. The rules differ from a motorhome's: Australia treats a caravan as a trailer, which a visitor brings on a carnet and a migrant needs import approval for; New Zealand checks it as a trailer before it can be used; and Canada only lets a UK or European caravan stay permanently once it is 15 years old. We quote caravans individually, with the tow car on the same booking.
Method
RORO, towed on or on a trailer
Price set by
Length, width and height
Australia, visitor
Carnet; no import approval needed
Australia, moving
Import approval for a trailer
New Zealand, visitor
Safety check and WoF before use
Canada, moving
15 years old or older
Shipping the caravan and the car together
Most people ship the caravan and the tow car on the same sailing, so both arrive together and clear customs once. The caravan is priced on its own length, width and height, so give us the measurements including the drawbar, bike rack and any roof fitting. It travels inside the ship's enclosed hold. Gas bottles must be removed, or empty with a gas-free certificate.
Australia
- Visiting
- A caravan on a carnet de passages needs no vehicle import approval
- Moving there
- Every road vehicle, trailers included, needs an import approval before it arrives. Caravans of 4.5 t or less come under the trailer rules, and migrants who owned and used one abroad for at least 12 months can use the personal-import route
- Biosecurity
- It must arrive clean inside and out, including the chassis, lockers and awning
- Asbestos
- Importing asbestos is banned and the owner is responsible: check older caravans, especially brakes, gaskets and boards
New Zealand
- Visiting
- A temporarily imported caravan does not need full entry certification, but an entry certifier checks it before it gets a Warrant of Fitness (WoF). A braked caravan needs a breakaway brake, and all need a rear number-plate lamp
- Trailer classes
- TA up to 0.75 t, TB up to 3.5 t, TC over 3.5 t
- Freedom camping
- Since 7 June 2026 only a green self-containment warrant counts, and the toilet must be fixed and usable inside the caravan
Canada
A visitor can keep a caravan in Canada until the departure date they declare, up to 12 months, for personal use only and without selling it. To stay permanently, a caravan built to UK or European standards must be at least 15 years old.
Before you ship
- Empty the water and waste tanks and dry the caravan to stop mould at sea
- Remove or certify gas bottles as gas-free
- Pack nothing loose: personal effects rules differ by country and carrier
- Photograph every side and note the chassis number for the paperwork
- Keep the registration or ownership papers: a caravan without a registration document needs a bill of sale or ownership record
Frequently asked questions
Can you ship a caravan to Australia?
Yes, by RORO, towed on or on a trailer. A visitor brings it on a carnet de passages with no import approval; someone moving to Australia needs an import approval, which for a caravan of 4.5 t or less comes under the trailer rules.
Can I ship my caravan and car together?
Yes. Most people ship both on the same sailing so they arrive together and clear customs once. The caravan is priced on its own size.
Do I need a carnet for my caravan in Australia?
A visitor's vehicle comes in on a carnet de passages, and a caravan that comes in on one needs no vehicle import approval.
Can I use my UK caravan for freedom camping in New Zealand?
Only with a green self-containment warrant, which needs a fixed toilet usable inside the caravan. Blue warrants stopped counting on 7 June 2026.
Can I import a UK caravan into Canada permanently?
Only once it is 15 years old or older, as it is built to foreign standards. A visitor can keep one in Canada for up to 12 months.
Official sources
- Australian Border Force: importing a motor vehicle
- Australian Government: guide to concessional RAV entry approvals (trailers, personal effects)
- Australian Border Force: CPD carnets
- Australian Government: asbestos in imported vehicles
- NZTA: vehicle classes
- Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board: self-contained vehicles
- Canada: Temporary Importation (Tariff Item No. 9803.00.00) Regulations
- Transport Canada: importing a vehicle from countries other than the US
This guide summarises the rules as published in October 2026. Rules change; we confirm what applies to your vehicle when we quote.
Related routes and guides
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IVSS is a member of BIFA, the British International Freight Association, and FIATA, the international federation of freight forwarders.
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