RORO and container · Updated October 2026

Vehicle Shipping from Colombia to the USA

Shipping a car from Cartagena, Colombia to the USA by RORO typically costs US$1,180–1,430 in sea freight for a standard car, or US$2,970–4,080 for a motorhome. Allow about US$760–1,070 in export costs in Colombia and about US$480 in US entry, port and courier fees. Visitors need EPA approval before the vehicle ships. Ships take about 5–9 days to Gulf and East Coast ports.

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Standard car, RORO, Cartagena to the USA

from US$1,180

Typical range US$1,180–1,430 · About 5–9 days to Gulf and East Coast ports

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Car from

US$1,180 sea freight (RORO)

Departure

Cartagena, Colombia

US arrivals

Gulf and East Coast ports; West Coast on request

Export costs in Colombia

About US$760–1,070, paid direct

US customs entry, EPA, DOT, ISF and port fees

About US$450

Methods

RORO, shared container, sole-use container

Container from

US$2,698 (20ft to New York / Baltimore)

Book ahead

2 months to 3 weeks

How much does RORO shipping cost?

Typical RORO sea freight from Cartagena to a US Gulf or East Coast port, including BAF, LSL, bill of lading and an export clearing agent, based on IVSS quotes for this route in the last 90 days. The West Coast costs more. Local costs in Colombia and the USA are extra (see below).

Vehicle	Typical sea freight	Action
Car (saloon/hatchback)	US$1,180 – 1,430	Get a quote
4x4 / SUV	about US$1,500	Get a quote
Van	US$1,500 – 3,230	Get a quote
Campervan / motorhome	US$2,970 – 4,080	Get a quote
4x4 camper / overlander	US$2,150 – 3,500	Get a quote
Expedition truck	US$3,850 – 5,430	Get a quote

How much does container shipping cost?

Container is the choice for classics, high-value vehicles and anything you want to pack with belongings.

Sole-use container from Cartagena to the USA and Canada

Port	20ft	40ft, one vehicle	40ft, two vehicles
Miami / Port Everglades	US$2,798	US$3,340	US$3,897
Houston	US$2,753	US$3,160	US$3,717
New York / Baltimore	US$2,698	US$3,067	US$3,624
Long Beach / Los Angeles	US$4,653	US$5,260	US$5,817
Seattle / Oakland	US$4,653	US$5,260	US$5,817
Montreal, Canada	US$3,758	US$4,205	US$4,762

Includes sea freight, loading and lashing, container transport and export customs clearance in Colombia.

How the container share works

Step	What happens
Booking form	Complete our booking form and we place you on an open share or look for a partner for you.
Deposit	A deposit of US$200 is only taken once a partner has been found.
No partner found	If no partner is found, or you cancel before the booking is finalised, the deposit is refunded in full.
Booking	Container bookings are usually confirmed 4–6 weeks before sailing.

If you cancel after a container share has been allocated, the deposit is kept.

Not included: marine insurance, destination charges, port storage, or costs from a customs inspection, verification or delay. Lithium-ion batteries must be declared before booking. Container prices are confirmed for your sailing.

Why are you shipping your vehicle from Colombia to the USA?

Touring / Overlanding

Continue your trip north

Ship from Cartagena to the USA and keep driving in North America.

Moving to the USA

Import your vehicle permanently

Permanent imports must meet US safety and emissions rules, or be old enough to be exempt.

Classic and collector cars

Ship a classic to the USA

Vehicles 25 years and older are exempt from US safety standards.

Trade and business

Dealers, fleets and machinery

RORO for trucks and plant, or containers to all main US ports and Montreal.

Entry rules

What are the rules for temporary entry, permanent import and transfer of residence in the USA?

A foreign vehicle can visit the USA for up to a year, or stay for good if it meets US safety and emissions rules. Both need paperwork approved before the vehicle arrives.

Option	Who it is for	Duty and tax	What you need
Temporary entry (visitors and tourists)	Nonresidents, including US citizens living abroad, importing for personal use.	Nonresidents can bring a vehicle in duty-free for their own transport when they arrive with it.	EPA approval before shipping, DOT form HS-7 (nonresident, box 5) with your passport details, the foreign registration and the bill of lading.
Permanent import	Anyone keeping a vehicle in the USA.	Cars pay 2.5% duty and most pickups and vans 25%. Vehicles under 25 years old, new or used, also pay the Section 232 tariff: 25%, or 15% in total for EU, Japanese and Korean-built cars. Tariffs change often.	Vehicles at least 25 years old are exempt from US safety standards. Older than 21 years: exempt from EPA emissions rules if the engine is original. Younger vehicles must be built to US standards or converted and certified.
Returning resident	Owners bringing back a vehicle originally built for the US market.	Duty-free if you took a US-registered vehicle abroad for personal use and bring it back (19 CFR 148.32), or if it is US-built and returned unimproved (HTSUS 9801.00.10). Section 232 may still apply; our broker confirms.	A vehicle with its original US certification label can be imported as a conforming vehicle (DOT HS-7, box 2A).
Transfer of residence	People moving to the USA with their vehicle.	No US duty relief for a vehicle when you move: the household-effects exemption covers furniture and similar effects, so the vehicle pays duty and any Section 232 tariff as a permanent import.	The vehicle follows the permanent import rules above.

A temporary import lasts up to one year and cannot be extended. The vehicle must stay registered abroad, must not be sold in the USA, and must leave when the year ends.

Official sources: NHTSA: importation and certification FAQs (25-year rule, nonresident box 5, box 2A) · EPA: learn about importing vehicles and engines · 19 CFR 12.73: emission rules, nonresident personal use up to one year · 19 CFR 148.45: nonresident vehicles free of duty · CBP: Section 232 FAQs, automobiles · eCFR: 19 CFR 148.32 vehicles taken abroad · USITC: Harmonized Tariff Schedule

Customs clearance is through our broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own broker. Rules change; we confirm them for your vehicle before you ship.

Touring / Overlanding

Can I bring my travelling vehicle into the USA?

Most travellers ship from Cartagena to a Gulf or East Coast port and carry on through the USA and Canada. Get the paperwork approved before the ship sails, not when it arrives.

What to send us

Copy of passport and vehicle registration
Your Colombian temporary import permit
Addresses in Colombia and the USA
EPA exemption letter, once you have it

Before you ship

Clean the vehicle inside and out, including the underside
Remove soil, plants and food, and any untreated wood
Be in Cartagena about a week before sailing
Attend the narcotics inspection on sailing day

West Coast

Tourist vehicles shipping to the West Coast must show proof of entry into the USA, such as an I-94. Without it, ship to the Gulf or East Coast.

Insurance

Liability insurance for foreign vehicles in the USA and Canada is getting harder to find. We give you contacts with your booking.

Shipping home

When your trip ends we ship from the USA and Canada to the UK, Europe, Australia and Africa.

EPA non-resident exemption for foreign vehicles →

Importing to the USA

How do I import a vehicle from Colombia to the USA permanently?

A permanent import must clear US Customs and Border Protection and meet EPA and NHTSA rules. Clearance is by our broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own broker.

Safety and emissions: Check the age and build of the vehicle against the rules in the entry table above before you ship.
Import duty: US duty depends on where the vehicle was built. We confirm the rate for your vehicle with the broker before you ship.
US costs: About US$450 for customs entry, EPA and DOT forms, ISF and US port fees, plus a courier fee of about US$30.
Colombian vehicles: A permanent export of a Colombian-registered vehicle takes two to four weeks or more and has extra fees. Our local agents can help.
Documents: Title or registration, bill of sale, passport, bill of lading, EPA form 3520-1 and DOT form HS-7.

Trade and business

Do you ship for dealers, importers and businesses?

We ship single vehicles and regular volumes from Colombia to the USA for dealers, importers and businesses, including trucks and plant on RORO.

RORO

Regular sailings from Cartagena to Gulf and East Coast ports, with the West Coast on request. Oversized units are charged by the cubic metre.

Containers

Sole-use 20ft from US$2,698 to New York or Baltimore, and to Montreal for Canada. See container prices above.

Other destinations

We also ship from Colombia to Panama, Mexico and Europe.

Price match

We will try to match or beat any valid quotation.

Get a business quote

Why ship with IVSS?

Advice you can use

Temporary and permanent import, paperwork and insurance, explained before you book.

Trusted agents only

We only use agents we know, which avoids surprise costs.

Kept informed

We update you at every stage, from booking to collection.

We have done it ourselves

We have shipped our own vehicle around the world.

How does shipping from Colombia work?

Book 4–8 weeks ahead. We handle the booking and paperwork, and help with customs.

1
Get a quote
Fill in the 2-minute form for instant pricing.
2
Book your sailing
We confirm the carrier, date and port delivery instructions.
3
Prepare
Clean the vehicle, remove loose items, send your registration document and passport copy.
4
Drop off
At the terminal, normally 4–7 days before sailing.
5
Sea crossing
We track the vessel and keep you updated until arrival.
6
Clearance and collection
Customs is cleared by our broker, a local agent or your own; collection is normally 2–3 working days after arrival.

Do I need marine insurance for the crossing?

Your road insurance does not cover the sea crossing. We arrange All Risks marine insurance from the departure port to the arrival port, with or without a condition survey.

Motorhomes, expedition trucks and 4x4 campers: when insured through us, personal items inside the vehicle are covered up to €15,000, where your route allows belongings in the vehicle.

Insured value up to €25,000€200 single trip, €400 multi-trip
Insured value up to €50,000€300 single trip, €600 multi-trip
Insured value up to €100,000€425 single trip, €850 multi-trip
Higher values, up to €1,000,000In bands, shown on your quote; above that, ask us

Excess €500 per claim. Cover is subject to the insurer's policy wording, which we send with your booking confirmation. Damage, theft and claims

Questions about shipping from Colombia

How much does it cost to ship a car from Colombia to the USA?

RORO sea freight for a standard car typically costs US$1,180–1,430, based on IVSS quotes in the last 90 days. Add about US$760–1,070 in export costs in Colombia and about US$480 in US entry, port and courier fees.

Can I bring my foreign-registered vehicle into the USA as a visitor?

Usually yes, for up to one year. Apply for EPA approval before the vehicle ships; the exemption letter can take up to three weeks.

Which US port should I choose?

Gulf and East Coast ports are the cheapest from Cartagena. The West Coast costs more, needs a bond and, for tourist vehicles, proof of your entry into the USA.

Can I ship in a container?

Yes. Sole-use containers go to most main US ports and to Montreal, and shared containers run subject to availability. A US$200 deposit is only taken once a share partner has been found.

Does my vehicle need to be clean?

Yes. The USA applies strict quarantine rules: the vehicle must be free of soil, dust, seeds and residue, inside and out, or it may be cleaned at your cost or refused.

Does the 25-year rule apply?

For a permanent import, vehicles at least 25 years old are exempt from US safety standards. Younger vehicles must be built to US standards or converted.

When are the next sailings?

Live schedules from the carriers we book with. Dates move; we confirm yours at booking.

Colombia to the USA

RORO

Next sailing: Toledo from Cartagena on 12 Nov 2026, arriving Galveston on 18 Nov 2026 (6 days). About 9 sailings a month. Updated 11 Nov 2026.

Calls at Galveston

RORO sailings from Cartagena and Santa Marta to the USA, Nov 2026 – Jan 2027
Vessel	From	Departs	Galveston
Toledo	Cartagena	12 Nov 2026	18 Nov 2026
Toronto	Cartagena	21 Nov 2026	29 Nov 2026
Torrens	Cartagena	22 Nov 2026	29 Nov 2026
Tosca	Cartagena	6 Dec 2026	14 Dec 2026
Morning Conductor	Cartagena	19 Dec 2026	27 Dec 2026
Toledo	Cartagena	21 Dec 2026	29 Dec 2026
Toronto	Cartagena	3 Jan 2027	11 Jan 2027
Morning Carol	Cartagena	12 Jan 2027	20 Jan 2027

Calls at Freeport, Texas

Vessel	From	Departs	Freeport, Texas
Viking Brasilia	Cartagena	13 Nov 2026	29 Nov 2026
Viking Brasilia	Cartagena	16 Nov 2026	29 Nov 2026
Polaris Leader	Cartagena	20 Dec 2026	28 Dec 2026
Polaris Leader	Cartagena	21 Dec 2026	29 Dec 2026
Viking Brasilia	Cartagena	15 Jan 2027	23 Jan 2027