Route rate sheet · Sea freight · USA to Philippines
Ship a car from the USA to the Philippines
Los Angeles to Port of Manila in a sealed container. One price covers ocean freight, export handling in the USA and marine insurance; destination port charges, duty and VAT are shown separately below.
Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
11,760 km great circle · 25-40 days
Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
At a glance
USA to Philippines car shipping: cost, time and rules
Shipping a car from the USA to the Philippines with IPAS Express costs from $4,580 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with live rates from our shipping desk. Duty and VAT in the Philippines are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples below.
- Ocean freight · 20ft
- $2,300–2,750
- Los Angeles → Port of Manila
- Ocean freight · 40ft
- $3,100–3,600
- Two cars, or one large SUV plus parts
- Port to port, 1 car
- from $4,580
- Ocean freight + export handling + insurance
- Sea transit
- 25-40 days
- Port to port
- Import Duty
- 30% (passenger) / 0% (commercial, EV)
- Applied to CIF value under ASEAN AHTN tariff schedule
- VAT/GST
- 12% VAT
- Applied to CIF + customs duty + excise tax
- Steering
- LHD only
- RHD vehicles banned under Executive Order 156 (2002)
- Age Limit
- Used imports banned
- EO 156 prohibits used vehicle imports except freeport zones
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Rate sheet · Port of Los Angeles → Port of Manila
What it costs, line by line
Insurance is figured on a declared value of $46,600 (reference vehicle: 2025 Ford F-150). Every line comes from the same tables the calculator reads, so the quote you get matches this sheet.
1 car · own 20ft container
Any car up to 5.6 m, sealed; door-to-door available
$4,580per car $4,580- Ocean freight
- $2,750
- Export handling
- $1,728
- Insurance
- $102
- Destination est. (at port)
- $1,680
2 cars · 40ft high-cube
Two cars you ship together, or a group booking
$6,778per car $3,389- Ocean freight
- $3,600
- Export handling
- $2,978
- Insurance
- $200
- Destination est. (at port)
- $1,680
3–4 cars · racked 40ft HC
Compact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking
Quoteper car from ~$2,200- Ocean freight
- $3,600
- Export handling
- on request
- Insurance
- per value
- Destination est. (at port)
- —
RoRo · per car
Oversize vehicles only; not offered for passenger cars
On requestper car —- Ocean freight
- on request
- Export handling
- on request
- Insurance
- —
- Destination est. (at port)
- —
Air freight
Fastest option, 3–7 days; quoted per aircraft load
Quoteper car —- Ocean freight
- on request
- Export handling
- on request
- Insurance
- per value
- Destination est. (at port)
- —
Scroll for line-by-line costs →
| Shipping option | Total · IPAS price | Per car | Ocean freight | Export handling (USA) | Insurance 0.2% | Destination charges · est., payable at port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 car · own 20ft containerAny car up to 5.6 m, sealed; door-to-door available | $4,580 | $4,580 | $2,750 | $1,728packaging $1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $102 | $1,680THC $180 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 2 cars · 40ft high-cubeTwo cars you ship together, or a group booking | $6,778 | $3,389 | $3,600 | $2,978packaging 2×$1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $200 | $1,680THC $180 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HCCompact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking | Quote | from ~$2,200 | $3,600 | on request | per value | — |
| RoRo · per carOversize vehicles only; not offered for passenger cars | On request | — | on request | on request | — | — |
| Air freightFastest option, 3–7 days; quoted per aircraft load | Quote | — | on request | on request | per value | — |
Door pick-up within the port's standard radius adds about $970 per car. Insurance is 0.2% of the declared vehicle value, with a per-car minimum. Destination charges are paid at Port of Manila on arrival and are not part of the total. Duty and VAT are not in this table either: see the landed-cost examples below or run CarImport.AI. Ocean figures are our current route rates and update when the rate table changes.
Included in the IPAS price
- Included: Export packaging, chocking and lashing inside the container
- Included: Export customs clearance in USA
- Included: Terminal handling at Port of Los Angeles
- Included: Ocean freight Port of Los Angeles → Port of Manila
- Included: Marine insurance at 0.2% of the declared value
- Included: Bill of Lading, packing list and tracking
Not included
- Not included: Destination port charges (shown per row; paid at Port of Manila on arrival)
- Not included: Philippines customs duty and VAT
- Not included: Conformity certification and registration inspection
- Not included: Inland collection unless door pick-up is selected
- Not included: Storage or demurrage after the port's free days
- Not included: Personal effects: the car ships empty
Ports & inland reach
Where your car leaves and arrives
Load ports · USA
USA
Port of Los Angeles
Discharge ports · Philippines
Philippines
Port of Manila
Landed-cost examples · the Philippines
Cars worth importing to the Philippines
Each card is a full landed-cost worksheet computed against the destination's live duty rules. Expand one for the breakdown or open its calculator with the destination pre-selected.
Here is the full landed cost of one car, a 2025 Ford F-150 shipped from the USA to the Philippines, worked out on 9 November 2026 with the customs rules in force that day. It lands at 5,367,734 PHP (about US$85,064), and duties and taxes come to 55.1% of its CIF value.
| Item | Share of CIF | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle priceIPAS price for a car sourced in the USA | 2,940,567 PHPUS$46,600 | |
| Shipping and insuranceUSA to Philippines | 355,077 PHPUS$5,627 | |
| CIF valueCost, insurance and freight: the customs value | 3,295,644 PHPUS$52,227 | |
| Customs duties and taxes | ||
| Basic customs duty (15%)15% of CIF | 494,343 PHPUS$7,834 | |
| Additional duty (20%)Base or related charges differ from CIF; see the duty structure above23.3% of CIF | 768,018 PHPUS$12,171 | |
| GST/VAT (12%)Base or related charges differ from CIF; see the duty structure above16.8% of CIF | 552,965 PHPUS$8,763 | |
| Total duties and taxes55.1% of CIF | 1,815,327 PHPUS$28,768 | |
| Service and handling | ||
| Premium Import ServiceOptional end-to-end import management by IPAS | 150,751 PHPUS$2,389 | |
| Destination handlingPort terminal and customs clearance handling | 106,012 PHPUS$1,680 | |
| Total landed cost | 5,367,734 PHPUS$85,064 | |
Available now in USA
Export-ready units from USA
Importing to Philippines
Registering a car from the USA in the Philippines
What buyers shipping from the USA need to know about the Philippines's import duties, steering rules and registration.
Philippines is strictly LHD-only — RHD vehicles are banned under EO 156 and will be seized on arrival. Expect a total tax burden of 12% on EVs to 101.6% on luxury passenger cars, plus a mandatory Bureau of Customs (BOC) Import Permit before shipment.
Import Process: Philippines
- 1
Obtain BOC Import Permit
File Import Entry and Internal Revenue Declaration (IEIRD) with Bureau of Customs before shipment; EO 156 compliance verified.
- 2
Ship to Manila or Subic Port
Vessel transits 18–28 days from USA or 10–14 days from Japan; Subic Freeport offers tax-deferred storage.
- 3
Pay Customs Duty, Excise, and VAT
Settle 30% duty on CIF, flat-rate excise on MSP (4–50%), and 12% VAT through authorized agent banks.
- 4
Clear BOC and Release Cargo
Submit Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, and proof of payment; customs examination typically 3–5 days.
- 5
Pass LTO Inspection and Emission Test
Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) verifies VIN, emissions, and LHD compliance at accredited center.
- 6
Register with LTO and Receive Plates
Pay registration fees, secure Certificate of Registration (CR) and Official Receipt (OR), and obtain license plates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Attempting to import a right-hand-drive vehicle
Fix
RHD is banned under EO 156 — Customs will seize the car with no refund. Only ship LHD units; convert RHD vehicles before export.
Claiming balikbayan or returning-resident status without eligibility
Fix
Only Filipinos abroad 1+ year with a 6-month stay can use this path, and used imports remain banned. Import a new LHD unit through standard BOC channels instead.
Underestimating excise tax on luxury vehicles
Fix
The TRAIN Law 50% bracket applies to the ENTIRE MSRP once it exceeds ₱4M, not just the excess. Run an MSRP-based estimate in the calculator before committing.
FAQ
USA to Philippines shipping questions
With IPAS Express, shipping one car from the USA to the Philippines costs from $4,580 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 25-40 days. Import duty and VAT in the Philippines are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples on this page.
No. Executive Order 156 (2002) bans all RHD vehicles on public roads; Customs seizes non-compliant imports on arrival with no refund.
Only returning Filipino residents abroad 1+ year with a 6-month stay qualify, and even then used vehicle imports remain banned under EO 156 except inside freeport zones.
Flat rates apply to the entire MSRP: 4% up to ₱600K, 10% up to ₱1M, 20% up to ₱4M, and 50% above ₱4M — not marginal brackets.
Yes. File the Import Entry and Internal Revenue Declaration (IEIRD) with BOC before vessel departure; arrival without a permit risks seizure and abandonment.
Budget ₱8,000–₱25,000 ($140–$440) for MVIS inspection, emission test, Certificate of Registration, Official Receipt, and plates — typically 5–10 business days after customs release.
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