Shipping a car from a US auction: the steps after you win

Winning the bid is only the first part of the job. Shipping a car from a US auction to another country involves several people and a fixed order of steps, and knowing them in advance saves you delays and storage costs.

Shipping a car from a US auction: from the yard to the port

Payment and pickup

After the sale, the auction expects payment within its deadline, and that deadline is short. Late payment can bring extra fees or the loss of the car, so read the auction's rules before you bid, not after.

Once the car is paid, it has to leave the yard. Auctions give a limited free period and then charge storage by the day. Your broker or shipper usually sends a towing company with the release documents to collect the car. Many salvage cars do not drive, so the truck needs to be able to load a car that does not start or roll.

Inland transport to the port

The car is then carried by truck to an export port or to a warehouse near it. Before you bid on a car far from the coast, ask your shipper how they would move it and what it costs, since inland transport can be a large part of the total.

Export paperwork and the title

A car cannot leave the US without its ownership document. The shipper needs the original title, or the salvage certificate or other document the state issued, and presents the export documents to US customs before the car is loaded. Some document types, such as certain parts only or non-repairable titles, can limit or block export and registration abroad.

This is why the title type matters before you bid. Check it on the lot page and ask your broker how long the auction takes to release the title after payment.

Container or RoRo

There are two common ways to ship a car overseas:

• Container. The car is loaded and secured inside a shipping container, alone or shared with other cars. It is protected from weather and is often the choice for damaged cars that do not run.
• RoRo (roll on, roll off). The car is driven onto a special ship like a ferry. It can be simpler for running cars, but not every line accepts cars that do not drive, and personal items are usually not allowed inside.

Arrival, customs and registration

When the ship arrives, the car has to clear customs in the destination country. That usually means import duties, taxes and port fees, and in some countries a technical inspection, emissions checks or conversion work before the car can be registered.

These rules are different in every country and they change. Some countries limit the age of imported cars or refuse salvage titles. Check with a licensed customs broker or your local authority before you buy, not when the car is already at the port.

Who does what

• The auction sells the car, takes payment and releases the car and the title.
• The broker bids for you if you cannot bid directly, pays the auction and passes on the documents.
• The shipper or forwarder arranges the truck, the port, the export filing and the ship.
• The customs broker at destination handles the import declaration and the duties.

Sometimes one company covers several of these roles. Ask each one in writing exactly what is included.

Plan the trip before you bid

Bidpier shows the yard location, title details and sale date of every lot, so you can plan transport before the auction. Browse the catalog, compare final bids in the auction prices statistics and see which countries buy which cars on the buyer locations pages. Bidpier does not ship cars: use it to choose well, then talk to your shipper.