Route rate sheet · Sea freight · USA to UAE
Ship a car from the USA to the UAE
Newark/Elizabeth, Los Angeles to Jebel Ali Port 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
11,020 km great circle · 39-65 days
Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
At a glance
USA to UAE car shipping: cost, time and rules
Shipping a car from the USA to the UAE with IPAS Express costs from $6,885 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with live rates from our shipping desk. Duty and VAT in the UAE are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples below.
- Ocean freight · 20ft
- $4,200–7,250
- Newark/Elizabeth / Los Angeles → Jebel Ali Port
- Ocean freight · 40ft
- $5,700–10,850
- Two cars, or one large SUV plus parts
- Port to port, 1 car
- from $6,885
- Ocean freight + export handling + insurance
- Sea transit
- 39-65 days
- Port to port
- Import Duty
- 5%
- Flat rate on CIF value for all 8703 and 8704 vehicles
- VAT/GST
- 5%
- Applied on CIF + customs duty; GCC-origin vehicles exempt from duty
- Steering
- LHD primary, RHD restricted
- LHD preferred; RHD vehicles face registration limits across emirates
- Age Limit
- No federal limit for new; used vehicles generally under 10 years
- Free-zone re-export has no age cap; mainland registration tightens for older vehicles
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Rate sheet · Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal → Jebel Ali Port
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
$6,885per car $6,885- Ocean freight
- $5,050
- Export handling
- $1,728
- Insurance
- $107
- Destination est. (at port)
- $2,000
2 cars · 40ft high-cube
Two cars you ship together, or a group booking
$11,186per car $5,593- Ocean freight
- $8,000
- Export handling
- $2,978
- Insurance
- $208
- Destination est. (at port)
- $2,000
3–4 cars · racked 40ft HC
Compact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking
Quoteper car from ~$3,300- Ocean freight
- $8,000
- 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 | $6,885 | $6,885 | $5,050 | $1,728packaging $1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $107 | $2,000THC $500 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 2 cars · 40ft high-cubeTwo cars you ship together, or a group booking | $11,186 | $5,593 | $8,000 | $2,978packaging 2×$1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $208 | $2,000THC $500 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HCCompact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking | Quote | from ~$3,300 | $8,000 | 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 Jebel Ali Port 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 Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal
- Included: Ocean freight Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal → Jebel Ali Port
- 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 Jebel Ali Port on arrival)
- Not included: UAE 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 Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal
Port of Los Angeles
Discharge ports · UAE
UAE
Jebel Ali Port
Landed-cost examples · the UAE
Cars worth importing to the UAE
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 United Arab Emirates, worked out on 9 November 2026 with the customs rules in force that day. It lands at 234,713 AED (about US$63,911), and duties and taxes come to 10.3% of its CIF value.
| Item | Share of CIF | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle priceIPAS price for a car sourced in the USA | 171,139 AEDUS$46,600 | |
| Shipping and insuranceUSA to United Arab Emirates | 29,681 AEDUS$8,082 | |
| CIF valueCost, insurance and freight: the customs value | 200,820 AEDUS$54,682 | |
| Customs duties and taxes | ||
| Basic customs duty (5%)5% of CIF | 10,041 AEDUS$2,734 | |
| GST/VAT (5%)5% of CIF plus the duties above5.3% of CIF | 10,544 AEDUS$2,871 | |
| Total duties and taxes10.3% of CIF | 20,584 AEDUS$5,605 | |
| Service and handling | ||
| Premium Import ServiceOptional end-to-end import management by IPAS | 6,530 AEDUS$1,778 | |
| Destination handlingPort terminal and customs clearance handling | 6,779 AEDUS$1,846 | |
| Total landed cost | 234,713 AEDUS$63,911 | |
Available now in USA
Export-ready units from USA
Importing to UAE
Registering a car from the USA in the UAE
What buyers shipping from the USA need to know about the UAE's import duties, steering rules and registration.
Importing a vehicle to the UAE incurs a combined 10% tax burden: 5% customs duty on CIF value plus 5% VAT on the duty-inclusive price. The UAE accepts both LHD (primary) and RHD vehicles, though RHD registration faces emirate-specific restrictions and is rarely approved for passenger use.
Import Process: UAE
- 1
Secure GCC-spec compliance certificate
Obtain a MoIAT (Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology) conformity certificate confirming the vehicle meets Gulf Standards Organization specifications for climate, fuel, and safety.
- 2
File customs declaration at port of entry
Submit the Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, and MoIAT certificate to Dubai Customs or the relevant emirate authority; pay 5% duty plus 5% VAT against the CIF-based assessment.
- 3
Clear the vehicle from port or free zone
Collect the customs clearance certificate (Bayan) and arrange inland transport to an RTA-approved inspection center within the destination emirate.
- 4
Pass RTA technical inspection
Present the vehicle at Tasjeel, Shamil, or an equivalent RTA center for emissions, brake, and steering-compliance testing; imported vehicles face stricter scrutiny than domestic purchases.
- 5
Obtain insurance and register with RTA
Purchase mandatory third-party liability insurance, then register the vehicle with the Roads and Transport Authority in the emirate of residence to receive the vehicle license card.
- 6
Receive license plates and Mulkiya
RTA issues physical number plates and the Mulkiya (ownership certificate) once registration fees (AED 400-1,200) and insurance proof are filed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming RHD vehicles can register anywhere in the UAE
Fix
RHD passenger vehicles face heavy registration restrictions and are typically rejected for personal use across all seven emirates; confirm RTA eligibility in writing before shipping an RHD unit.
Treating free-zone storage as permanent duty avoidance
Fix
Free-zone parking (Jebel Ali, JAFZA) only defers duty while the vehicle stays inside the bonded zone; mainland registration triggers full 5% duty plus 5% VAT retroactively on CIF.
Skipping the MoIAT GCC-spec conformity certificate
Fix
Non-GCC-spec vehicles (e.g., USA, European, or Japanese domestic market models) require certified modifications or face registration denial; budget AED 3,000-8,000 for compliance retrofit if the original spec differs.
FAQ
USA to UAE shipping questions
With IPAS Express, shipping one car from the USA to the UAE costs from $6,885 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 39-65 days. Import duty and VAT in the UAE are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples on this page.
Sea freight takes 30-45 days via the Suez Canal. Air freight takes 5-10 days. All shipments arrive at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai.
Yes, UAE accepts both LHD and RHD vehicles. No conversion is required for LHD vehicles from the USA.
Yes, the RTA requires a MoIAT conformity certificate confirming GCC-spec compliance for climate, fuel octane, and safety standards; non-spec vehicles need certified retrofitting before mainland registration is approved.
RHD passenger vehicles are heavily restricted across all seven emirates and are typically rejected for personal-use registration; limited exceptions exist for classic vehicles and commercial fleets subject to RTA approval.
Free-zone imports (Jebel Ali, JAFZA, KIZAD) keep the vehicle bonded indefinitely with no duty due, while mainland import triggers 5% customs duty plus 5% VAT immediately and requires full GCC-spec compliance for RTA registration.
VAT-registered businesses can reclaim the 5% import VAT if the vehicle is used exclusively for taxable business purposes such as transport, rental, or resale; personal-use vehicles and mixed-use fleets are not eligible for recovery.
Yes, vehicles produced in GCC member states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) with a valid GCC certificate of origin enter duty-free under the Common Market agreement, paying only the 5% VAT on CIF value.
Keep exploring
Related routes and guides
Other origins → UAE
USA → other destinations
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