Guide · Updated October 2026
Shipping a Land Rover to Canada or Australia: Age Rules, Asbestos, Duty and Costs
Canada lets a Land Rover in permanently once it is 15 years old by its month of manufacture, so today one built in or before November 2011, which includes many Puma Defenders; a UK or EU-built one can enter free of duty with proof of origin. Australia needs it to be over 25 years old, with an import approval before it sails and proof that it carries no asbestos. Visitors can tour either country for up to 12 months. RORO sea freight for a Defender is typically £1,340–1,810 from the UK to Canada and US$2,710–3,540 to Australia, based on our quotes in the last 90 days.
Canada, to stay
15 years old by month of manufacture
Canada, qualifies today
Built in or before November 2011
Australia, to stay
Over 25 years old, with import approval
Australia, asbestos
Must be asbestos-free before it ships
Touring
Up to 12 months in both
Defender by RORO
£1,340–1,810 UK–Canada; US$2,710–3,540 to Australia
Canada: the 15-year rule
Transport Canada does not regulate a vehicle at import once it is 15 years old, counted from the month and year on its build label to the date of import. That means a Land Rover that is 15 or more needs no Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection. A lift kit or a restoration that keeps the original character does not stop it qualifying; a vehicle with no identification marks to prove its age does not qualify.
- Duty
- Free for a UK or EU-built vehicle with proof of origin; otherwise 6.1% for a passenger vehicle
- GST and provincial tax
- GST at the border; provincial sales tax or the provincial part of HST when you register it
- Air conditioning
- CAD 100 excise tax if fitted
- Registering it
- Each province decides. Some refuse right-hand-drive vehicles and Quebec needs a mechanical inspection, so check your province first
Australia: the 25-year rule and asbestos
Every road vehicle needs an import approval before it is shipped to Australia. A Land Rover built more than 25 years ago, and not significantly modified in the last 25 years, can apply under the older-vehicle route in the government's ROVER system; assessment takes up to 30 business days and the approval also puts it on the Register of Approved Vehicles, so the state can register it.
Asbestos is banned and the owner is responsible for proving the vehicle is free of it. Brake linings, clutch plates and gaskets on older Land Rovers are the usual risk. A seller's letter is not enough: have the parts tested or replaced before shipping, or Border Force holds the vehicle for testing at your cost.
- Duty
- Free for a UK-originating vehicle with a declaration of origin; 5% for an EU-built one
- GST
- 10% of the value plus duty, freight and insurance
- Luxury Car Tax
- Above the threshold (A$80,809 in 2026-27)
- Cleaning
- It must arrive free of soil, seeds and plant material, or it is cleaned at your cost
Touring Canada or Australia in your Land Rover
- Canada
- Until your declared departure, up to 12 months, with no changes to the vehicle and no carnet. Many travellers then drive into the USA
- Australia
- On a carnet de passages, normally 12 months, with no import approval; the asbestos ban still applies
- New Zealand
- Up to 12 months on a carnet or a temporary import entry, after a biosecurity inspection
How much does it cost to ship a Land Rover to Canada or Australia?
- UK to Canada (Halifax)
- £1,340–1,810
- Europe to Canada (Halifax)
- €1,505–2,020
- UK and Europe to Australia
- US$2,710–3,540
- Overland-equipped, to Australia
- US$3,530–6,040
Typical RORO sea freight from our customer quotes in the last 90 days (the lower and upper quartiles). Destination costs, duty, tax and marine insurance are extra. The vehicle travels inside the ship's enclosed hold.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import a Land Rover Defender into Canada?
Yes, once it is 15 years old by its month of manufacture, so today one built in or before November 2011. It needs no RIV inspection, and a UK or EU-built one enters free of duty with proof of origin.
Can I import an older Land Rover into Australia?
Yes, if it was built more than 25 years ago and not significantly modified since, with an import approval before it ships and proof that it carries no asbestos.
Does my Land Rover need an asbestos check for Australia?
Yes. The owner must make sure it is asbestos-free before shipping. Brake linings, clutches and gaskets are the usual risk, and a seller's letter is not accepted as proof.
What duty does a Land Rover pay in Australia?
Nothing for a UK-originating vehicle with a declaration of origin, 5% for an EU-built one, then 10% GST and Luxury Car Tax above the threshold.
How much does it cost to ship a Defender to Canada?
Typical RORO sea freight is £1,340–1,810 from the UK or €1,505–2,020 from Europe to Halifax, from our quotes in the last 90 days.
Official sources
- Transport Canada: importing older vehicles
- CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1: importing vehicles
- CBSA: Customs Tariff chapter 87 (2026)
- CBSA Memorandum D2-1-1: temporary importation of conveyances
- Australian Government: how to import your older vehicle (25 years or older)
- Australian Government: asbestos in imported vehicles
- Australian Border Force: GST and other taxes
- Australian Border Force: tariff schedule 15 (UK free trade agreement)
- ATO: Luxury Car Tax thresholds
- Australian Border Force: CPD carnets
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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