Shipping a Car to Qatar

Shipping Your Car to Qatar? Car Shipping from the USA to Qatar starts at a cost of $1,695 USD with an estimated turnaround time of 4-6 weeks, depending on the make and model of the car, the port of origin, and the method of shipment. Below, we explore everything you need to know about shipping your car to Qatar in our 2025 guide.

Shipping a Car to Qatar: Checklist

Vehicle Import Options

Shipping a Car to Qatar: Costs & Time Frame

Shipping a Car to Qatar: Options

Additional Services

Ports Served in the US and Qatar

Cleaning Your Vehicle of Biosecurity Concerns

Plating Your Vehicle in Qatar

Other Qatar/US Shipping Options

Shipping a car from the United States to Qatar can be relatively easy if you carefully prepare and choose a reliable and trustworthy shipping company.

Here’s a rough breakdown of the EASY process you’ll need to go through to ship your car overseas to Qatar.

After you’ve determined that your vehicle is eligible for import to Qatar, narrowed down some of the best car shipping companies, and selected a suitable car shipping option, you should gather all of the necessary documentation, including:

Obtaining all of the necessary paperwork can take a while when shipping a car to Qatar, so the process should be started well before you plan to ship your vehicle.

Before starting the international car shipping process, you should be sure that you understand all of the costs involved in shipping a vehicle to Qatar, including:

Once the relevant paperwork is complete, you can select an international car shipping company and preferred shipping method to handle your car shipment from the United States to Qatar.

Don’t forget to determine your vehicle’s departure and destination ports.

More information on the process of shipping a vehicle to Qatar can be found here.

As you engage in the process of car shipping to Qatar, some of the most important questions to consider include:

• Do you have a valid residence permit for Qatar? You will need to obtain a residence permit before shipping your vehicle to Qatar. As obtaining a residence permit can take up to 6 weeks, it is best to start applying for one in plenty of time.
• Do you plan to permanently keep your car in Qatar or is this just a temporary move?
• Is your vehicle for personal use, or do you plan to resell it or use it for commercial purposes? The process for importing your vehicle will vary depending on its intended use.
• Is your vehicle a left-hand drive? Only left-hand drive vehicles are permitted for import into Qatar.
• How old is your vehicle? If your car is over one year old, you will need to submit a pre-alert with detailed vehicle information to the Qatari authorities 7 to 10 days before it arrives in Qatar. Meanwhile, importing a vehicle older than 5 years will require prior approval from the Customs Authority, Metrology Department, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This will likely involve additional inspections or documentation to ensure that the vehicle meets relevant safety and environmental standards.

These questions and more will determine whether your car is eligible for shipping to Qatar. Your actual tax rate is also based on these details.

When shipping a car to Qatar, you should never assume that your international shipping scenario is the same as someone else’s.

Notably, when shipping your car to Qatar, it’s important that it complies with the emissions standards set by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standardization Organization (GSO). If your car does not meet these standards, you may be unable to import it, you may face a penalty fee, or it might require modifications to comply with customs regulations.

To obtain an estimate of the cost to ship a car to Qatar, fill out our free quick quote form.

Vehicle Import Approval

Upon arrival of your vehicle shipment to Qatar, the vehicle must be declared to Qatar Customs.

You’ll need the following documentation:

• Original Car Title Certificate
• Sales Contract / Bill of Sale
• Registration Certificate (or any equivalent official document)
• Valid Residence Permit
• Your Passport for Identification Purposes
• Certificate of Conformity (ensuring your vehicle meets Qatari regulations)
• Proof of Valid Qatari Insurance
• Copy of Driving License

Things to Consider

To obtain an estimate of the cost to ship a car to Qatar, fill out our free quick quote form.

Car Shipping from USA to Qatar can be performed using a shared container, a sole container or a roll-on/roll-off service. It is important to find the best solution to meet your shipping needs.

Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) – Roll-On/Roll-Off (RoRo shipping) is a common method used to ship vehicles on a Qatar ship. Vehicles are loaded onto a ship that contains a cargo area built like a very big parking garage. International RoRo shipping tends to be cheaper as, other than the shipping charge, you are required to pay only port charges and customs clearance charges.

Transits tend to be faster than with the shared container service, as the vessels depart on a weekly basis.

Shared container service – This method for car shipping to Qatar requires multiple vehicles to be loaded into one shipping container. While there are more fees involved to ship a car from the USA to Qatar with shared container service than with the roll-on/roll-off shipping method, due to the fact that the container must be processed, these charges are shared between the various clients who are using the shared container shipping together. Such fees include a trucking charge, terminal handling charge, customs clearance, and charge for unloading the vehicles at a bonded warehouse.

One disadvantage is that you might face a longer wait before your vehicle departs, as the container must have a full load before shipping to Qatar.

Full container load – You have the added benefit of a fully enclosed container, just like our shared container service, but the 20 ft container is dedicated solely to your vehicle. Since there’s no wait for other cars to be loaded, you’ll enjoy a shorter wait before departure. However, additional terminal handling fees and other charges won’t be shared with other vehicle owners.

Our most selective customers prefer the high level of safety and expediency offered when shipping cars with exclusive container shipping. When your vehicle is received, we’ll photograph and document the vehicle’s condition as well as the loading process. Your vehicle will be loaded using our modern steel loading system, which is not only environmentally friendly, but doesn’t rely on outdated wood ramps and nails that other shipping companies use, which can damage your vehicle.

After your car is loaded onto your own private container, it is locked and secured. This will ensure no one gains access to your car before reaching its final destination. Since the vehicle is fully enclosed in a secure container, we invite our clients to pack and transport other personal items inside the vehicle. However, everything must be loaded securely, as we won’t be responsible for loss or damage of any kind to transport vehicles.

Once your vehicle safely reaches its destination in Qatar, our agent will unlock the container, document the vehicle’s condition, and photograph the entire unloading process. Every step of the shipping process is not only handled carefully but documented for your peace of mind.

Compared to our roll-on/roll-off shipping option, enclosed container shipping is not only more secure when shipping to Qatar, but much faster due to frequent departures each week.

Sourcing vehicles – Overseas clients who wish to buy a vehicle can turn to our long list of car buyers developed in our nearly thirty years in the auto industry, who can find and purchase vehicles for an additional fee or commission.

Other services – Some of the auto transport services we offer in overseas territories include domestic pickup, vehicle import assistance, tracking of your shipment, customs clearance in the USA and a full vehicle inspection report.

Departure Ports – United States

The location your vehicle will depart from depends on the method of car shipping to Qatar, where your vehicle is located, your budget, and which services the nearest port offers. We have multiple departure locations from which we can ship cars from the USA, including Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Miami, Savannah, and more.

Destination Ports – Qatar

Here are the entry ports in Qatar that we can ship a car to.

Before shipping to Qatar, the undercarriage of your car must be cleaned and free of foreign soil to prevent the introduction of invasive plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. This can be accomplished through steam cleaning or other thorough cleaning methods.

CFR Classic can assist with finding an appropriate cleaner to help ensure you comply with this requirement before car shipping to Qatar. We do not recommend washing the interior of the vehicle as it can cause mold during transport. Vacuuming the interior is usually more than sufficient prior to car transport.

All cars shipped to Qatar from the U.S. must be registered with the Qatar Ministry of Interior before they can be legally driven on Qatari roads. The registration application form can be downloaded from the official Qatar e-Government Portal, Hukoomi. The form is only available in Arabic and can be filled out in advance or at the registration office. Non-Arabic speakers can provide their details at the department and have the form translated into Arabic for an additional fee of Qatari Riyal (QR) 15 (approximately $4.11).

Once completed, you must take your registration form and vehicle to the Ministry of Interior’s Traffic Department at Madinat Khalifa (their office hours are from 7-11 am and 4-7 pm).

Your imported vehicle will also need to pass a FAHES vehicle test as part of the registration process. The test fee is QR 75 (approximately $20.63) and suitable test centers can be found on the FAHES website. There is usually a grace period so that you can address any issues that cause your vehicle to fail this test, however, it is advisable to check with the Traffic Police about specific requirements before importing your vehicle.

In order to register your car with the Qatari authorities, you will need to gather together all of the necessary documentation, including:

• Ownership Certificate/Original Title
• Vehicle Registration Document
• Passport, Driver’s License, and/or Residence Permit (to prove your identity and residency status in Qatar)
• Customs Declaration/Clearance Statement
• Valid Inspection Certificate
• Qatari Insurance Documents (valid for 1 year)

To register your vehicle in Qatar, you will need to pay the necessary registration fee of QR100, which is approximately $27.40. You will also have to pay additional costs if you wish to customize your vehicle number plate.

After presenting this information and paying the relevant taxes, duties, and registration fee, your vehicle will be registered and issued with Qatari license plates.

More information about the registration process can be found here on the Qatari government’s vehicle registration page: https://hukoomi.gov.qa/en/service/request-vehicle-registration-and-licensing

International Car Shipping
Classic Car Shipping
Motorcycle Shipping
Boat Shipping
Air Freight
Cargo Shipping
Moving Household Goods

This information was updated in January 2025. All information, time frames, pricing, and regulations are subject to change. Please contact a sales representative for the most current rates and information.

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