Shipping a Motorhome to the USA for Touring: Costs, Ports and the One-Year Rule

How much does it cost to ship a motorhome to the USA?

Typical RORO sea freight from our customer quotes in the last 90 days (the lower and upper quartiles):

UK to the USA

Motorhome £2,310–3,280; 4x4 camper £1,340–2,860; expedition truck £3,440–5,140

Europe to the USA

Motorhome €2,700–3,810; 4x4 camper €1,810–3,270; expedition truck €3,940–5,850

Home from the USA to the UK

Motorhome US$2,860–3,980; 4x4 camper US$2,200–3,470; expedition truck US$4,130–6,010

Home from the USA or Canada to Europe

Motorhome US$2,520–3,440; 4x4 camper US$1,690–3,020; expedition truck US$3,560–5,100

US import costs: about $450 (customs, ISF, EPA/DOT filing) plus port fees. Marine insurance is extra unless stated. Price is set by length, width, height and weight, so declare the measurements including bike racks, roof boxes and ladders.

Which ports do the ships use?

UK departures

Southampton, Liverpool, Tilbury, Felixstowe, London Gateway, Bristol

US arrival ports

New York/New Jersey, Baltimore, Brunswick, Jacksonville, Galveston, Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma

Port to port

6–21 days port to port

Baltimore and New York/New Jersey suit an East Coast start; Galveston suits Texas and the south, and Los Angeles and Seattle/Tacoma the West Coast. Many travellers also start in Halifax, Canada, and drive across the border: see our Canada guide.

Shipping a motorhome to Canada →

The one-year non-resident rule

If you live outside the USA, you can import a vehicle registered abroad for your own use for up to one year without making it meet US safety and emissions standards. NHTSA says the year cannot be extended under any circumstances, the vehicle cannot be sold in the USA, and it must be exported within one year of entry. A non-resident's own vehicle used for travel by you, your family and guests enters free of duty.

DOT form HS-7

Box 5: non-resident importing for personal use for up to one year, with your passport number and country of issue

EPA approval letter

Apply to the EPA for the non-resident exemption well before shipping; the letter must be in hand before the vehicle is imported

EPA form 3520-1

Code O, non-resident personal use for up to a year, with the EPA letter attached

Importer Security Filing (ISF)

Filed by the US customs broker before the vehicle is loaded

Box 7 on the HS-7 is for research, demonstrations and racing, not for tourists. We help you prepare the forms and give customs clearance support: we clear through our US broker, introduce a local agent or work with your own broker.

Importing a car into the USA: the 25-year rule, EPA and DOT →

Your ESTA or visa sets how long you can stay

The vehicle may stay up to a year, but you may not. On the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) you can stay up to 90 days and cannot extend; short trips to Canada or Mexico count towards the 90 days. Anyone planning a longer stay needs a visitor visa. Plan the trip so the vehicle leaves within its year, and tell us early if you want to fly home and come back: we confirm the rules for your vehicle before you ship.

Insurance, gas and road limits

• Motor insurance is needed before you drive. We give you contacts and introductions to insurers that cover foreign-registered vehicles; we do not sell it. Check the policy covers the country where the vehicle first arrives
• Marine cargo insurance for the crossing, through us: motorhomes from €300 single trip or €600 multi-trip, up to €50,000 value, with contents up to €15,000 for motorhomes insured through us
• Gas bottles must be removed, or empty with a gas-free certificate, for shipping. European bottles and regulators often do not fit US refill points, so many travellers buy a local propane cylinder
• Road size and weight limits are set by each state; check them before you plan an expedition truck route
• Clean the vehicle inside and out: the USA refuses vehicles carrying soil or organic matter

Preparing your vehicle for shipping: the checklist →

What can I leave inside?

Some carriers allow limited tourism items in motorhomes, such as bedding, cutlery and camping gear, stowed out of sight so the vehicle looks empty. They travel at your own risk unless covered by our contents insurance, and they must be declared to US customs. The vehicle travels inside the ship's enclosed hold, lashed in place.

Get a shipping quote