Shipping Car to Thailand

Shipping Your Car to Thailand? Car Shipping from the USA to Thailand starts at a cost of $1,395 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 Thailand in our 2025 guide.

Shipping a Car to Thailand: Checklist

Vehicle Import Options

Shipping a Car to Thailand: Costs & Time Frame

Shipping a Car to Thailand: Options

Additional Services

Ports Served in the US and Thailand

Cleaning Your Vehicle of Biosecurity Concerns

Plating Your Vehicle in Thailand

Other Thailand/US Shipping Options

Shipping a car from the United States to Thailand 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 Thailand.

After you’ve determined that your vehicle is eligible for import to Thailand and selected one of the best car shipping companies and a suitable auto shipping service, you should gather all of the necessary documentation, including:

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

Before starting the car shipping process, you should be sure that you understand all of the costs shipping a vehicle to Thailand involves, including:

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

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

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

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

• Do you plan to permanently keep your car in Thailand or is this just a temporary move?
• Do you have a residence permit that is valid for at least one year?
• Is the vehicle left- or right-hand drive?
• How old is the vehicle?

These questions and more will determine whether your car is eligible for shipping to Thailand. Your actual tax rate is also based on these details. When shipping a car to Thailand, you should never assume that your international shipping scenario is the same as someone else’s.

Notably, left-hand drive motor vehicles are not eligible for import into Thailand. Also, imported vehicles must be less than five years old from the date of manufacture. You will only be able to import one vehicle into Thailand per person and vehicles can only be imported into Thailand by Thai citizens or permanent residents.

Importantly, Thailand has recently updated its vehicle emissions standards to align with stricter environmental regulations. It follows the Euro emissions standards, set by the European Union..

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

Vehicle Import Approval

When your imported vehicle arrives in Thailand, it must be declared in Thailand Customs for customs checks.

You’ll need the following documentation:

• Vehicle Registration Certificate (or any equivalent official document)
• Power of Attorney (if required)
• Bill of Lading
• Original Purchase Invoice
• Your Passport (for identification purposes)
• Certificate of Origin (to prove where the vehicle was manufactured)
• Import Permit
• Import Declaration Form (completed and submitted to Thai Customs)
• Proof of Valid Thai Insurance
• Valid Work Permit or Residence Certificate

Things to Consider

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

Car Shipping from USA to Thailand 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) – 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 Thailand requires multiple vehicles to be loaded into one shipping container. While there are more fees involved to ship a car from the USA to Thailand 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 container. 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 Thailand.

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 dedicated 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.

Once your vehicle reaches its destination in Thailand, 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 Thailand, 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 Thailand, 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 – Thailand

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

Before shipping to Thailand, 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 Thailand. 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 Thailand from the U.S. must be registered at a local Department of Land Transport Office. This process must be carried out as soon as possible after import. You will not need to register a vehicle that is being temporarily imported into Thailand as long as it is re-exported within the allocated time limit. Before registering your vehicle, you must ensure that you have a suitable Thai insurance policy in place that meets all local requirements.

To register your car with the Thai authorities, you will need to gather together all of the necessary documentation, including:

• Vehicle Ownership Certificate/Original Title
• Original Commercial Invoice
• Vehicle Registration Document
• Proof of Residence (either a valid work permit or residence certificate that has been issued by the Immigration Bureau)
• Customs Goods Declaration Number/Clearance Statement
• Proof of Payment of Thai Taxes and Duties
• Vehicle Inspection Certificate
• Proof of Valid Compulsory Thai Insurance (Por Ror Bor)

You should be able to register your vehicle through the online Department of Land Transport (DLT) e-Service portal. You will need to provide your vehicle details, upload the required documents (see above), and pay the necessary registration fees. The required fees will vary depending on your vehicle type, but they will typically include a registration fee, a license plate fee, an inspection fee, a service charge, and an annual road tax.

Further information about the registration process can be found on the Thai government’s Department of Land Transport page here.

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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