Car Shipping Company from the UAE to the UK 0552803439 | RoRo and Container Car Transport from Jebel Ali to Southampton

Home Safe is a car shipping company from the UAE to the UK that arranges the journey of your car from your parking space in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah to your door in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The route is by sea from Jebel Ali Port, on a RoRo vessel to Southampton or in a container, and takes 35 to 50 days from collection to delivery; air takes 4 to 7 days. Prices start from SAR 6,570 (about AED 6,440) for a space in a shared container, from SAR 9,660 (about AED 9,460) for RoRo and from SAR 10,350 for a private container. To book: 0552803439.

In this guide45ShowHide

1. Who ships a car from the UAE to the UK?
2. What does a car shipping company from the UAE to the UK handle?
3. Will Britain accept your Gulf car?
4. RoRo car shipping from Jebel Ali Port in the UAE to Southampton
5. Shipping the car in a private or shared container
6. How long does car shipping from the UAE to the UK take?
7. Price of shipping a car from the UAE to the UK
8. Collecting cars from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates
9. The types of cars we ship and the solution for each
10. Shipping electric, hybrid, classic and luxury cars
11. Protecting and preparing the car before loading in the Emirates
12. Exporting the car from the UAE to the UK: export certificate and export plates
13. A summer traveller on Emirati plates, or a final export?
14. Documents required to ship the car, and what is not accepted
15. British customs on the car and transfer-of-residence relief
16. Registering a left-hand-drive Gulf car in Britain
17. Insuring the car from the Emirates to delivery
18. Delivering cars from the UAE in London, Manchester and Edinburgh
19. Car shipping for individuals, companies and government bodies
20. Air freight for cars from the UAE to the UK
21. Steps to ship your car from the UAE to the UK
22. Tracking the car during the journey
23. Car shipping from the UK to the UAE
24. Home Safe tips before shipping your car to the UK
25. How do you choose a car shipping company from the UAE to the UK?
26. Common mistakes when shipping cars from the UAE to the UK
27. Why Home Safe for shipping your car from the UAE to the UK?
28. Related articles and pages
29. Tags
30. Frequently asked questions about car shipping from the UAE to the UK
31. Which is the best car shipping company from the UAE to the UK?
32. How much does it cost to ship a car from the UAE to the UK?
33. How many days does a car take from Dubai to London?
34. Is RoRo cheaper than a container on this route?
35. How do I obtain the export certificate and export plates in Dubai?
36. Is it permitted to drive and register a left-hand-drive car in Britain?
37. How much are the duty and the tax on a car coming from the UAE?
38. What are the conditions of transfer-of-residence relief for my car?
39. I am travelling with my car for the summer only; do I surrender its Emirati plates?
40. Can a car with bank finance in the UAE be shipped?
41. Can an electric or hybrid car be shipped from the UAE to the UK?
42. May I put my belongings inside the car?
43. Where is the car flown from and where does it arrive?
44. Do you deliver the car in Edinburgh, Glasgow and cities far from the port?
45. Do you bring the car back from the UK to the UAE?

Sea route: cities of the Emirates → Jebel Ali Port → Arabian Sea and Red Sea → Suez Canal → Mediterranean → Southampton or Felixstowe → your address in Britain · Expected time: 35–50 days by sea, 4–7 days by air.

Who ships a car from the UAE to the UK?

An employee who has finished his years in Dubai goes home with the car he bought there for less than he would find in his own country. After him come Emirati and Gulf families who spend the summer in London and want their car outside the house. Then come enthusiasts who buy a rare car from the Dubai showrooms.

The owner	What he usually ships	The most suitable method	His position in Britain
A Briton returning after working in the Emirates	His daily car, a saloon or a 4×4	A private container with his belongings, or RoRo	Transfer-of-residence relief, then registration
A family spending the summer in London	A luxury car or a large family car	Air, or sea sent seven weeks before travel	Temporary entry on its Emirati plates
A student or a person sent to study	A small car	A shared container	Temporary entry, which may run longer for a student
A buyer or collector	A sports or classic car	A single-car container or air	Full import, or the historic-vehicle tax
A company or showroom	Several cars in one shipment	40ft containers on one booking	Commercial import on one declaration

What does a car shipping company from the UAE to the UK handle?

First we say where we stand. Home Safe is a Saudi establishment based in Jeddah, with no branch and no yard in the Emirates. Shipments on this route are collected by partner forwarding and clearing agents of ours in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and they are the ones who take the car into Jebel Ali Port or the airport. Our part is to draw up the plan, book the vessel, check the papers and connect the Emirati agent with the British clearing agent, and to make sure you have one person who answers. This is what the service includes:

• Advice before booking: we settle with you the position of the car in Britain, then the method and the port that suit it.
• Collection inside the Emirates: a recovery truck takes the car from the house, the tower or the workplace, so you do not drive it to the port yourself.
• Checking the export papers: fines, mortgage, insurance, the export certificate and its plates, before a space is booked.
• Loading: driving the car onto the RoRo vessel, or lashing it inside the container and sealing it.
• Clearance at both ends: the export declaration with Emirati customs, and the import or temporary admission declaration in Britain.
• Delivery and follow-up: a carrier from the port to your address, and messages at every stage.

The general service is described on the car shipping page, and what concerns all Gulf cars on the car shipping from the Gulf states page.

Will Britain accept your Gulf car?

The short answer is yes, and that is what makes this route easier than other European ones. Britain sets no limit on the age of an imported car, does not require right-hand drive and does not reject Gulf specifications. But it asks a price for entry: a tax approaching a third of the value for anyone not entitled to relief, and a test before registration.

The question	The rule in force in Britain	What it means for a car from the Emirates
Is there a limit on the age of the car?	No age limit	An old car is accepted, and one over thirty years old has a reduced tax
Is left-hand drive accepted?	Accepted and registered	No steering conversion, and limited changes to lighting and the speedometer
Are Gulf specifications enough?	The car is tested individually if it is under ten years old	It carries no British certificate of conformity, so the test is the route
How much do you pay on entry?	10% duty, then 20% tax	Both fall away for a person transferring residence and for a temporary visitor

The practical rule: the car of a person moving home who qualifies for relief is usually worth the trip. An ordinary car whose owner will pay the duty and the tax in full may be cheaper to sell in the Emirates than to ship, and we say so before we price.

RoRo car shipping from Jebel Ali Port in the UAE to Southampton

Jebel Ali is the largest port in the Emirates, south-west of Dubai on the Abu Dhabi road, with a terminal dedicated to cars where RoRo vessels berth. The car enters the yard on its export plates, the customs officer matches its chassis number to the certificate, and then the terminal driver takes it up the ramp to one of the decks of the vessel, uncovered, with no wrapping and no box. There it is strapped by its wheels to the deck floor and stays parked until Southampton, the leading car port on the south coast of England.

Stage	What happens in it	Approximate time
From your address to the Jebel Ali yard	Recovery truck, a photographed condition report and handing the key to the agent	One day from Dubai and Sharjah, two days from the more distant emirates
Export customs and entry to the terminal	Matching the chassis number and closing the export declaration	2–4 days
Sailing	Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez, the Mediterranean, then the Atlantic	About 22–35 days
Discharge at Southampton	Driven to the port compound and inspected	One to two days
British clearance and delivery	Import or temporary admission declaration, then a carrier to your city	3–6 days

Not all car carriers from the Gulf to northern Europe sail direct, and some land the car at a hub port to continue on a second vessel, so we tell you the type of voyage at booking. And if the shipping lines divert their vessels from the Red Sea to the Cape of Good Hope route, the sailing grows by ten days to two weeks. The method is explained on the RoRo car shipping page, and the ports we work through on the ports and gateways page.

Shipping the car in a private or shared container

The container is the most used method between Dubai and Britain, because container ships leave Jebel Ali for British ports more often than car carriers do. The car is put into the container at the agent’s yard, chocks are placed in front of and behind the wheels, the four wheels are tied with straps to the floor rings, and the door is closed with a numbered seal. A 20ft container takes one car, and a 40ft container takes two cars or one car and the furniture of a home. Containers usually arrive at Felixstowe or London Gateway, both close to London.

Point of comparison	RoRo	Private 20ft container	Space in a shared container
How it is loaded	Driven onto the vessel uncovered	Lashed and sealed alone	Lashed with a second car
Must the car run	Yes: start, brake and steer	No, it is winched inside	No
Belongings	Not accepted	Accepted around the car with a list	Few, according to what is available
When it moves	According to the car-carrier schedule	On the first vessel after the papers are ready	When the container is full
Usual arrival port	Southampton	Felixstowe or London Gateway	Felixstowe or London Gateway
Price starts from	SAR 9,660	SAR 10,350	SAR 6,570

Our choice follows the car, not habit. A running family car whose owner is not worried by an open deck suits RoRo or a shared container. A luxury, low-slung or non-running car, and any car travelling with furniture, goes in a private container. Lashing details are on the container car shipping page, and box dimensions on the container sizes page.

How long does car shipping from the UAE to the UK take?

The sailing alone is between three weeks and five, and the rest is days on land at both ends. What makes the difference between 35 days and 50 days is three things: whether the vessel is direct, whether the container is waiting for a partner, and whether the British papers arrived before the car. The times below are estimates that we fix against the vessel schedule on the day of booking.

Method	From collection to delivery	Note
Private container to Felixstowe or London Gateway	35–45 days	The fastest by sea for anyone whose papers are ready
RoRo to Southampton	38–50 days	Follows the date of the car carrier
Shared container	40–50 days and possibly more	Moves when it is full
Air freight to London or Manchester	4–7 days	After the space on the aircraft is confirmed

What lengthens the time?

• Expired export plates: their validity and that of their insurance is a matter of days, so if the vessel is missed the procedure is repeated.
• The Cape of Good Hope route: the decision of the shipping line, not ours, and it adds about two weeks.
• A relief number not yet issued: the car waits in the British port and storage is charged on it.
• The June and July peak: summer travellers’ cars fill the spaces at sea and in the air alike.

There is no land route that we offer to Britain: the theoretical one crosses many countries and then the Channel, and car carriers do not run it regularly. Times for other routes are on the transit times page.

Price of shipping a car from the UAE to the UK

The price has three parts: collection inside the Emirates, the sea or air freight, and what is paid in Britain after arrival. We publish the starting figure for the middle part because it is the largest and the clearest, and we work out the other two once we know the two addresses. The figures are in Saudi riyals, and the equivalent in dirhams is very close. British taxes are outside the freight.

The car and how it is shipped	What it covers	Price starts from
Saloon in a shared container	Lashing and sea freight to the British port	SAR 6,570
Saloon on a RoRo vessel	From Jebel Ali to Southampton	SAR 9,660
Car in a private 20ft container	Lashing, sealing and shipping to Felixstowe or London Gateway	SAR 10,350
Private 40ft container	Two cars, or a car with furniture	SAR 13,800
Air freight for a saloon	From an Emirati airport to London or Manchester	SAR 36,200
Large 4×4 or van by RoRo	Worked out on length, width and height	Set on request
Collection inside the Emirates and delivery inside Britain	Recovery truck at both ends according to the address	Set on request

Prices circulating in the market: in the Emirates, between AED 7,000 and 15,000 before taxes circulates for shipping a car to Britain. Forwarders in Dubai publish USD 2,800 to 3,000 for RoRo, USD 2,300 to 2,500 for a space in a groupage container, USD 3,000 to 3,500 for a 20ft container, USD 4,000 to 4,500 for a 40ft container and USD 10,500 to 12,000 for air, all of them estimates that exclude the war risk surcharge. Lower figures are also quoted: USD 900 to 1,300 for a small car by sea, 1,200 to 1,700 for a family car, 1,700 to 2,500 for a sports or luxury car, and 2,700 to 4,000 for the faster option. Ask of every figure where it starts and where it ends.

Factor	How it moves the price
Shipping method	Shared is the lowest, then RoRo and the private container close together, and air is several times as much
Size of the car	RoRo is charged by the cubic metre, and a car that does not fit a standard container needs a high-cube one
The emirate	Dubai and Sharjah are next to the port; Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain add a recovery charge
The British city	London is close to the ports, and Scotland is the furthest
Season	Before the summer, air and sea rates towards Europe rise

How do you cut the cost?

• Book a space in a shared container if your date can bear a week or two of waiting.
• Put the car and your furniture in one 40ft container instead of a container for the car and a shipment for the furniture.
• Apply for the British relief early, because port storage on a car waiting for a paper costs more than any discount.

The price items are explained on the pricing factors page.

Collecting cars from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates

All seven emirates are two hours or less from Jebel Ali, so the collection stage takes no more than a day or two. The agent’s driver inspects the car at your door and photographs it, then moves it to the loading yard. Abu Dhabi cars may be loaded at Khalifa Port if there is a suitable vessel from it, but most sailings to Britain leave from Jebel Ali.

Emirate or city	Areas we collect from	Collection note
Dubai	Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, Al Barsha, Mirdif, Deira	Tower car parks need the building management’s permission for the recovery truck to enter
Abu Dhabi	Al Reem Island, Saadiyat, Khalifa City, Mohammed bin Zayed City, Yas	About 110 km to Jebel Ali
Sharjah and Ajman	Al Nahda, Al Majaz, Muwaileh, Al Rashidiya, Al Jurf	Collection outside the rush hours of the Dubai road
Al Ain	Al Jimi, Al Muwaiji, Zakher, Hili	A slot arranged a day ahead
Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain	Al Nakheel, Al Hamra, Al Dhait, Al Salamah	Grouped with the northern cars where possible
Fujairah and Khor Fakkan	Al Faseel, Merbah, Dibba, Kalba	The east coast, with a mountain road to Dubai

We do not offer to move an Emirati car by land to a Saudi port to be shipped from there, because that is an extra border and extra papers for no benefit. Anyone who wants a car in the Emirates coming from the Kingdom will find its land route in the article on car shipping from Saudi Arabia to the UAE.

The types of cars we ship and the solution for each

We do not sell one solution for every car. We start with three questions: how long and how high it is, how much it is worth, and how urgently its owner needs it. From the answers come the type of container or vessel, the level of insurance cover and the loading date.

Vehicle	The method we suggest	What we check
Saloon and hatchback	Shared container or RoRo	Whether it is worth the cost of entry and registration there
4×4 and large family car	RoRo, or a high-cube container	Height with roof bars, and width across the mirrors
Luxury and low sports car	Single-car container or air	Ground clearance and the approach angle into the container
Classic	Private container	Originality of parts, which is the condition for the reduced tax
Electric and hybrid	Usually a container	The shipping line’s conditions for the battery
Motorcycle	A wooden crate in a container or by air	Draining the fuel and disconnecting the battery

Shipping electric, hybrid, classic and luxury cars

These are four categories that are not treated like an ordinary car, each for its own reason: the electric and the hybrid because of the battery, the classic because its parts are scarce, and the luxury car because of its value and its low stance.

• Electric and hybrid: the instrument panel is checked, and a car showing a battery warning is not accepted. The battery is charged to the level the carrier asks for, not to full, transport mode is switched on where there is one, and the 12-volt battery is disconnected in the container. The chemistry and capacity of the battery are stated in the booking.
• Classic and one-off cars: pushed into the container by hand or by winch and driven only a few metres. A tray goes underneath for any drop of oil, and the engine and chassis numbers and the original parts are photographed, since these photos serve you before British customs when you ask for historic-vehicle treatment.
• Luxury and sports: long ramps that ease the entry angle, fabric straps on the tyres that do not touch the rims, a soft inner cover that keeps container dust off, and covers for the seat, the steering wheel and the floor.

Lashing and wrapping methods are explained on the packing and lashing page.

Protecting and preparing the car before loading in the Emirates

On RoRo the car is not covered, so its protection is to be clean, locked, empty and well strapped. In a container the protection adds a breathable fabric cover and moisture-absorbing bags, because the journey begins in the heat of the Gulf and ends in the damp of the North Sea. This is what the owner prepares before the recovery truck arrives:

• Wash the car outside and underneath, because clinging sand is queried at the British port.
• Empty the cabin and the boot, and remove the road-toll tag, parking cards and any private tracking device.
• Leave about a quarter of a tank, and check the coolant if the car will arrive in winter.
• Photograph the body, the glass, the rims, the cabin and the odometer reading, with the date showing on the photos.
• Disable the alarm, hand over one key, and keep the second and the original papers with you.

A fuller list is in the car shipping guide.

Exporting the car from the UAE to the UK: export certificate and export plates

A car that will not return is struck off its Emirati record before it enters the port. The body that issues the export certificate is the vehicle licensing authority of the emirate in which the car is registered: the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, and the traffic and licensing departments in Abu Dhabi and the other emirates. The original plates are handed in, export plates are fitted in their place, and short export insurance is bought. We check all the papers before loading.

Step	The rule in force in Dubai	What we point out
Settling fines	All fines and road-toll charges on the vehicle file are paid	A single fine blocks the certificate
Releasing the mortgage	A letter from the bank reaches the licensing authority	Ask for it at least a week ahead
Technical inspection	Required if the registration has expired or the car is unlicensed	A car with valid registration does not usually need it
Submitting the application	Through the Authority’s website or app, or the customer happiness and registration centres	At a centre it is usually issued in the same visit
Fees	AED 100 for the certificate, AED 70 for the plates and AED 20 knowledge and innovation fee	We confirm the fee in force on the day of submission
Export insurance	A short policy of about 14 days	Bought after the sailing date is firm
Export plates	Blue, and valid for a limited number of days	Not usable once expired, so not requested early

The procedure in the other emirates is close to this and is submitted through the digital channels or the centres of the licensing authority there, with differences in fees and naming, so we confirm what applies in your emirate before shipping. Britain asks about the date of first registration and how long you have owned the car, so ask for a copy of the registration card before you hand in the original.

A summer traveller on Emirati plates, or a final export?

None of the above about striking off and blue plates is needed by someone who takes his car for two months and then comes back. He takes it out on its plates, brings it into Britain on temporary admission and returns with it to its file. The rule in force is that he asks the licensing authority for a vehicle tourism certificate showing that it is travelling temporarily, with its details attached in English, and we confirm the form that applies in your emirate at booking.

Point of comparison	Temporary trip and return	Final export
Plates	Emirati, as they are	Handed in, and export plates fitted
The Emirati document	Vehicle tourism certificate	Export certificate
In Britain	Up to six months within twelve for a non-resident	Clearance, then test and registration
Duty and tax	Not paid as long as it will leave	10% and 20%, or the relief for a person moving home
Conditions of use	By its owner alone, with no lending, sale or hire	No restriction after registration
Insurance	A short British policy for a car on a foreign plate	An ordinary British policy

The temporary admission declaration for a shipped car is made by the clearing agent at the port. The Emirati policy does not cover British roads, so insurance is arranged before the vessel arrives. A customs carnet is not a condition for Britain, but it helps anyone who will drive on to other countries, and it is explained on the triptik and carnet page.

Documents required to ship the car, and what is not accepted

The file is assembled in the Emirates and read in Britain, so every Arabic paper needs an English text. We ask for photos first by WhatsApp and check them, then the originals are handed to the agent or travel with you, not inside the car.

Document	Who issues it	Where it is required
Vehicle registration card	The licensing authority of the emirate	Booking, and customs at both ends
Export certificate or tourism certificate	The licensing authority	Jebel Ali Port or the airport
Emirates ID and passport	The owner	All stages
Mortgage release or no-objection letter	The financing bank	The licensing authority
Purchase invoice or valuation of the car	The seller or a valuer	British customs and insurance
Transfer-of-residence approval number	HM Revenue and Customs	The import declaration
Bill of lading or air waybill	The shipping line or the air carrier	Collecting the car

The car is not loaded in these cases until they are dealt with:

• Outstanding fines, an unreleased mortgage or a court hold on the vehicle file.
• A visible oil or fuel leak, which the port terminal refuses.
• A non-running car booked on RoRo; its solution is the container.
• Gas cylinders, spare fuel, fireworks, weapons and the like inside the car.
• Plants, soil or food of animal origin, whose entry into Britain is restricted.

The full lists are on the shipping documents and prohibited items pages.

British customs on the car and transfer-of-residence relief

The Emirates is outside any agreement that reduces the duty on cars with Britain, so your car is treated like any car from a third country. The duty is worked out on its value plus freight and insurance, and the tax is then worked out on the result. These rates and conditions change, so we confirm what applies before the car moves.

Case	The rule in force	Its main condition
Ordinary import	10% duty, then 20% value added tax	Payment before release
Person transferring residence	No duty and no tax	12 months outside Britain, six months of ownership and use, and a prior application
Non-resident visitor	Temporary admission with no duty and no tax	The car leaves within its period
Historic car	5% tax with no duty	Over thirty years old, in original condition with no substantial change

The relief application is filed online with what proves your residence in the Emirates: the residence visa, the tenancy contract and a payslip or utility bills, together with the registration card showing the date the car was registered in your name. Its review takes weeks, so it is filed before the vessel is booked, not after. Once the car arrives, HM Revenue and Customs is notified of it within 14 days through the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals system, and without that notification the licensing agency will not accept its registration. Our service at this stage is described on the customs clearance page.

Registering a left-hand-drive Gulf car in Britain

Cars in the Emirates are built to Gulf specifications: stronger cooling, the steering wheel on the left, a speedometer in kilometres and lighting set for driving on the right of the road. Britain drives on the left, so what is asked is that your headlamps do not dazzle oncoming traffic and that the driver reads his speed in miles. These changes are carried out before the test date.

Item	On the Gulf car	What is required before the test
Headlamp beam	Dips towards the right of the road	Replacing or adjusting the headlamps so that it dips left
Speedometer	Kilometres per hour	Showing miles per hour, by changing the dial face or programming the display
Rear fog lamp	Absent or on the left side	A lamp in the centre or on the right
Window tint	Dark on the windscreen and front side windows	Removing whatever exceeds the permitted limit
Direction indicators	Red on some American-origin models	Separate amber indicators

The rule in force is that a car that has not completed ten years since manufacture goes through the Individual Vehicle Approval test, while an older one needs only the annual MOT roadworthiness test. The papers are then submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, which issues the registration certificate and the plate number. The low emission zone covers all the boroughs of London and collects a daily charge from a non-compliant car, with a congestion charge on top in the centre.

Insuring the car from the Emirates to delivery

Three policies follow one another on the car, and none replaces another. The Emirati policy ends at the port, and the short export insurance covers only the road to it. Between Jebel Ali and your door in Britain, the value of the car is protected only by marine or air transit insurance written in your name. As for the shipping line, its liability under the bill of lading is a limited sum that comes nowhere near the price of a car.

• Cover: all risks from collection to delivery, including handling damage, theft, fire and the car’s share of general average if it is declared.
• Value: the market price of the car plus the freight, and a written valuation for a rare one.
• The claim: built on the condition report and the loading photos, and on a remark written on the delivery note before signing.

The types of policy are on the cargo insurance page.

Delivering cars from the UAE in London, Manchester and Edinburgh

An exported car arrives with no valid plates, so it is not driven from the port; it is lifted onto a British car carrier to the address. London is the most requested destination and the closest to the three ports, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham lie in the Midlands and the north of England, and Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland are the furthest. We also deliver in the countryside on a date agreed in advance, to the house or the workplace. The distances in the table are approximate from Southampton.

City	Approximate distance	Delivery after release	Note
London	About 130 km	The same day or the next	Narrow residential streets, so the car is unloaded at the nearest spot that takes the carrier
Birmingham	About 210 km	One day	It has a clean air zone in the centre
Manchester	About 370 km	One to two days	Air freight also arrives there directly
Leeds	About 380 km	One to two days	Grouped with the Yorkshire cars
Glasgow	About 700 km	Two to 3 days	Its centre is a low emission zone
Edinburgh	About 720 km	Two to 3 days	Old cobbled districts, and delivery in daylight

The key is handed over after the inspection, not before it. You compare the car with the condition report photographed in the Emirates, and whatever you find is written on the delivery note before signing, and then you receive the key and the customs documents you will need for registration. The full service is on the door-to-door shipping page.

Car shipping for individuals, companies and government bodies

Individuals are the most numerous customers on this route, but commercial shipments are the largest in volume. The basis is the same and the arrangement differs:

• For individuals: a date built on your travel date, and an economy option and a fast one to choose between.
• For companies and showrooms: scheduling several cars on successive sailings, a list of chassis numbers, a consolidated invoice and a periodic cost report.
• For embassies and government bodies: official correspondence, compliance with the protocol the body requires, and diplomatic exemption requested from the competent British authority before shipping.

Air freight for cars from the UAE to the UK

The Emirates has some of the most frequent flights to Britain in the region, and that is what makes air a realistic option here rather than a theoretical one. The car is handed in at the airport’s cargo village, strapped by its wheels to a metal pallet, and lifted into a freighter or into the hold of a wide-body passenger aircraft if its dimensions allow. It lands at Heathrow or Manchester, is cleared at airport customs and is then moved under cover to the address. The whole time is 4 to 7 days.

• Who it suits: luxury and urgent cars, a show or race car tied to a date, and anyone spending the summer who does not want to send the car two months ahead.
• Departure airports: Dubai International and Al Maktoum International, Abu Dhabi airport and Sharjah airport; the airport chosen is the one with a flight that accepts the car.
• Safety conditions: the car is classed as dangerous goods, so its fuel is reduced to the level the carrier requires, its battery is secured and a special declaration is prepared for it.
• Size: height and width decide the aircraft, and a tall car may find space only on a freighter.
• Price: starts from SAR 36,200 for a saloon and is worked out on weight or volume, whichever is greater.
• Papers: the same as by sea, with an air waybill.

Air does not shorten the British paperwork: the relief number or the temporary admission declaration must be ready before take-off. Air services for goods other than cars are on the air freight page.

Steps to ship your car from the UAE to the UK

Order matters more than speed here, because a step taken ahead of its time has to be repeated. These are eight steps in the sequence we work to:

1. You send to 0552803439 a photo of the registration card, the model of the car and its year of manufacture, the British city, and whether the car will return.
2. We reply with the suggested method, an itemised price and the time, and with the duty or relief that awaits the car in Britain.
3. The British relief application is filed if you are moving home, and you ask for the bank letter if the car is financed.
4. We book the space on the vessel or the aircraft, and the date of delivery to the port is fixed.
5. Fines are paid, and the export certificate, its plates and its insurance are obtained, or the tourism certificate.
6. The agent collects the car from your address, its condition report is written, and it enters the port and the export declaration is closed.
7. The vessel sails, the bill of lading number reaches you, and we follow the British clearance before it arrives.
8. Customs releases the car, it is moved to your address, and you inspect it and receive the key.

Tracking the car during the journey

The vessel itself is followed on marine traffic maps by its number, and the container by its number on the shipping line’s website. We write to you at every move: the car entering the Jebel Ali yard, its loading, the departure of the vessel, its passage through the Suez Canal, its arrival at the British port, the release and the hour of delivery. By air these stages shrink to days and are followed by the air waybill number. Details of the service are on the shipment tracking page.

Car shipping from the UK to the UAE

The route works in both directions, but the conditions of the Emirates are not a mirror of those of Britain. A summer traveller’s car that left temporarily goes back to its file with no duty. A car bought in Britain enters as an import, and the rule in force is customs duty of 5% and value added tax of 5%, that the car to be registered is no more than ten years old, and that its steering wheel is on the left. This last condition rules out most cars on the British market, which are right-hand drive. We confirm the conditions in force before you pay for the car, and the destination page is shipping to the UAE.

Home Safe tips before shipping your car to the UK

This is the gist of what car owners ask about once it is too late, so we say it beforehand:

• Update the car’s registration and renew whatever has expired among its papers three weeks before the shipping date.
• Work out the duty, the tax, the modifications and the test before you decide, and compare the total with the price of a similar car in Britain.
• Do not cancel your Emirati residence before you have gathered what proves it for the relief application.
• Ask for a British insurance quotation for a left-hand-drive car before shipping, because some insurers do not cover it.

The comparison between all the methods is on the shipping methods comparison page.

How do you choose a car shipping company from the UAE to the UK?

The shipping market in Dubai is wide, and the offers in it are many and look alike on the surface. What separates them shows in the questions the office puts to you, not in the promises it writes.

What you notice	What it indicates
Asks about your tax position in Britain before the price	Knows that the tax can be several times the freight
Distinguishes the export certificate from the tourism certificate	Will not strike off the plates of a car that is coming back
Names the arrival port and the type of voyage	Its time is built on a schedule, not on a guess
Mentions the variable surcharges in the price	You will not be surprised by an invoice above the offer
Writes a condition report and offers insurance in your name	Bears what happens between collection and delivery
Has a commercial registration and a clear contract	A party you can go back to

Common mistakes when shipping cars from the UAE to the UK

Seven mistakes recur on this route, and each of them costs money or weeks:

• Shipping the car and then applying for transfer-of-residence relief after it has sailed.
• Obtaining the export plates before booking, so that they expire with the car in the yard.
• Exporting a car owned for less than six months while expecting the relief.
• Settling for a price to the port without asking about handling, clearance and the carrier in Britain.
• Neglecting to change the headlamps and the speedometer before the test, so the car fails and the fee is paid twice.
• Selling or lending the car in Britain while it is in temporarily, or exempt on condition that it is kept.
• Leaving the road-toll tag and personal items in a car going on RoRo.

Why Home Safe for shipping your car from the UAE to the UK?

Because we do not promise what we do not have. We say that we work in the Emirates through agents, and we say that the British tax may make shipping not worthwhile for your car, and then we leave the decision to you.

To book: 0552803439 by call or WhatsApp, from 7 am to 11 pm. Or from the request a quote page.

Related articles and pages

• Car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UK
• Car shipping company from the UAE to Switzerland
• Car shipping company from Qatar to the UK
• Car shipping company from Kuwait to the UK
• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UK
• Car shipping from Saudi Arabia

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Frequently asked questions about car shipping from the UAE to the UK

Which is the best car shipping company from the UAE to the UK?

The one that starts from Britain rather than from the Emirates: it asks whether you will register the car there or visit with it and return, and then picks the Emirati document and the vessel on that basis. Home Safe is a registered establishment in Jeddah that runs this route through agents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and clearing and transport partners in Britain, on 0552803439.

How much does it cost to ship a car from the UAE to the UK?

It starts from SAR 6,570, about AED 6,440, for a saloon space in a shared container to the British port. RoRo starts from SAR 9,660, a private 20ft container from SAR 10,350, a 40ft container from SAR 13,800 and air freight from SAR 36,200. Collection inside the Emirates and delivery inside Britain are set on request according to the two addresses.

How many days does a car take from Dubai to London?

By sea, 35 to 50 days from the day it is collected in Dubai until it stands outside your address in London, of which 22 to 35 days are sailing, depending on the route of the ship and whether it changes vessel at an intermediate port. By air, 4 to 7 days including clearance at both airports.

Is RoRo cheaper than a container on this route?

Not always. On many routes RoRo is the lowest-cost method, but car carriers heading from the Gulf to northern Europe are fewer than container ships, so its price comes close to that of a private container. The cheapest option here is usually a space in a shared container.

How do I obtain the export certificate and export plates in Dubai?

From the Roads and Transport Authority, through its website, its app or one of the customer happiness centres and vehicle registration centres. Fines are paid and any mortgage is released first, then the original plates are handed in and the certificate is issued together with blue export plates and short-term export insurance. The fee in force is AED 100 for the certificate and AED 70 for the plates plus a knowledge and innovation fee of AED 20, and we confirm what applies before you submit.

Is it permitted to drive and register a left-hand-drive car in Britain?

Yes. British law does not require the steering wheel to be moved to the right, and many left-hand-drive cars run there on British plates. What is needed before the test is a change to the direction of the headlamp beam, a speedometer showing miles per hour and a rear fog lamp in the correct position.

How much are the duty and the tax on a car coming from the UAE?

The rule in force is customs duty of 10% on the value of the car with its freight and insurance, then value added tax of 20% on the total. Both are waived for a person transferring residence to Britain under conditions, a visitor’s car enters temporarily with neither duty nor tax, and an original historic car over thirty years old pays a reduced tax of 5% with no duty.

What are the conditions of transfer-of-residence relief for my car?

That you have lived outside Britain for at least 12 consecutive months, that the car has been in your ownership and use for six months before the move, and that you do not sell or hire it out within 12 months of its entry. The application is made online to HM Revenue and Customs before shipping, and with us the car does not move from the Emirates before the approval number is issued.

I am travelling with my car for the summer only; do I surrender its Emirati plates?

No. A car that will return stays on its plates and registration, and leaves on a vehicle tourism certificate from the licensing authority of your emirate instead of an export certificate. In Britain a non-resident visitor uses it for up to six months within twelve months with no duty and no registration, provided it is not lent or sold there and leaves within its period.

Can a car with bank finance in the UAE be shipped?

It does not leave before its position with the bank is settled. The mortgage is recorded electronically on the vehicle file, so no export certificate is issued until the mortgage release letter reaches the licensing authority. Anyone travelling with it temporarily needs a no-objection letter from the financing body.

Can an electric or hybrid car be shipped from the UAE to the UK?

Yes, by sea, on conditions set by the shipping line: a sound battery with no warnings, a low state of charge specified by the carrier, and a statement of the battery type in the booking. Some RoRo lines restrict the acceptance of used electric cars, in which case the container is the way.

May I put my belongings inside the car?

On RoRo, no: the car is driven in more than one port and nothing is accepted in it apart from its original tools. In a private container, cartons and belongings can be shipped around the car, not inside it, with an English packing list that goes with the car in the relief application for a person transferring residence.

Where is the car flown from and where does it arrive?

From the airports of the Emirates that have large cargo terminals: Dubai International and Al Maktoum International in Dubai, Abu Dhabi airport and Sharjah airport, according to the flight available. It usually arrives at Heathrow in London or at Manchester airport, is cleared there and is then moved on an enclosed carrier to the address. The price starts from SAR 36,200 for a saloon.

Do you deliver the car in Edinburgh, Glasgow and cities far from the port?

Yes. After release at Southampton or Felixstowe the car is loaded on a British car carrier and reaches Edinburgh and Glasgow in two to three days, Manchester and Leeds in one to two days, and London and Birmingham on the same day or the next. The charge for this leg is set on request.

Do you bring the car back from the UK to the UAE?

Yes. A visitor’s car that left on a tourism certificate returns to its Emirati file with no new import. A car bought in Britain, however, is usually right-hand drive, and the rule in force in the Emirates is that only left-hand-drive cars are registered for road use, so we check that with you before the purchase, not after it.