UK Car Shipping to Argentina

Cost of Shipping a Car from the UK to Argentina (Zárate)

The total cost of shipping depends on the vehicle make, model and most importantly size. We work directly with all shipping lines in the UK to arrange regular and reliable vehicle exports from the UK to Argentina (Zárate).

Approximate — call for the latest rates. These are indicative shipping rates from our published rate table for Zárate. They move with the market and with the vehicle, and a full export quote covers the UK-side work listed below as well, so treat them as a guide rather than a final price. The table does not publish a RoRo rate for Argentina, so that one is quoted per booking — we do sail it, and the schedule below shows the departures. See the full rate table or ask us for an itemised quote.

What a full export quote covers

• Loading and lashing vehicle into ship
• UK customs export and clearance
• UK port handling charges
• DVLA documentation and export certification
• Export documentation (e.g. Bill of Lading)
• Posting of the Export Documents from UK by UPS/DHL
• Shipping of the vehicle from the UK to Destination Port

Not covered

• Pre-Export Inspection (if required)
• Marine Insurance (container only)
• Collection and/or delivery of the vehicle
• All destination country's import fees

Apart from import duty, taxes, port storage and demurrage at the destination, which the importer always pays, we can add any of these to your quotation, priced separately, along with customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent.

Shipping to Argentina

Our Argentina sailings call at Zárate, a river port on the Paraná de las Palmas. Terminal Zárate, a private port whose partners are Murchison and Cotia Trading, opened its vehicle terminal there in June 1996, the first in Latin America designed for vehicles, and added a container terminal in 2001. On the current schedule most RoRo sailings arrive in 5-6 weeks and most container sailings in 6-8 weeks, and both change ship on the way.

The ban on used cars is set by Article 7 of Decree 110/99, which says used motor vehicles cannot be nationalised, and the 2025 reform of the wider used-goods regime (Decree 273/2025) left it standing. The exceptions are narrow. They include cars owned by Argentine citizens returning to live in Argentina after at least a year abroad, by foreign citizens who obtain residence and by foreign officials on an official mission, some special-purpose vehicles, and collector or historic cars more than 30 years old with an FOB value of at least US$12,000.

A collector car needs authorisation from the Secretariat of Industry and Trade before it can be cleared. The importer applies through the government's TAD online system, and the authorisation is sent electronically to the Dirección General de Aduanas, part of the revenue and customs agency ARCA. Under Resolution 300/2025 it is valid for one year from notification, and the importer may not sell or give away the car for two years from the date the authorisation is issued. Registration is then with the national motor vehicle registry, the DNRPA. Keep the purchase invoice and the V5C, since the application turns on the car's age and FOB value.

We work directly with the shipping lines serving Argentina, delivering to Zárate, and handle the whole UK side for you: sourcing the vehicle, tax-free supply from the selling dealer where the car qualifies, collection, UK customs clearance and export documentation, and loading onto the ship. Sailings leave from London Gateway, Tilbury and Liverpool.

Documentation Required for Booking

• Car Registration Document (V5 or Logbook) and Vehicle Invoice (or value).
• ID (one government-issued photo ID and one utility bill showing address).

Payment Terms / Modes

• A £1,000 deposit secures a vehicle we source or buy for you. It is part of the price, not an extra fee. If you cancel, our terms and conditions say what is refunded.
• The balance is due in full, in cleared funds, before the vehicle is loaded, unless your quotation sets out different terms.
• Bank transfer preferred. Card payments up to £5,000, with no fee on personal debit or credit cards.
• Letters of credit, cheques, money orders and cash are not accepted.

Our Other Services

Car Sourcing and Buying on your behalf

Buying and exporting a car to Argentina doesn't need to be stressful. UK Vehicle Exporters specialises in sourcing and exporting vehicles from the UK, with trusted shipping partners and support at every stage, from choosing the vehicle through to loading it onto the ship.

Tax-Free Vehicle Supply and UK VAT

UK Preferential Origin (Reduced Import Duty)

Some UK-built vehicles may qualify for reduced or zero import duty. That depends on the UK having a trade agreement with the destination country and on the car meeting that agreement's rules of origin. During your quote, we'll confirm whether the vehicle you're interested in qualifies.

VAT-free Supply of VAT-Qualifying (VATQ) Cars

A VAT-registered dealer can sell a new car, or a used car that carries VAT on its full price, free of UK VAT when it is exported and HMRC's conditions are met. Used cars of that kind are known in the trade as VAT-qualifying: typically ex-rental or ex-lease cars, where the hire or leasing company reclaimed the VAT when it bought them. On a VAT-inclusive price, the VAT is one-sixth. A used car sold under the second-hand margin scheme is different: VAT is due only on the dealer's margin, and HMRC does not let a dealer zero-rate it as an ordinary export. We are not VAT registered, so the saving comes off the dealer's price, not as a refund from us. We arrange the export to Argentina and give the dealer the proof of export it needs.

HMRC's Personal Export Scheme (PES)

The Personal Export Scheme lets overseas visitors and UK residents who are leaving the UK, and will stay outside it with the car for at least six months, buy a car free of VAT and use it here before it is exported. Only VAT-registered businesses can operate the scheme, so you buy from a dealer that runs it. The car must leave within 12 months of delivery for an overseas visitor, or 6 months for a UK resident, or the VAT becomes payable. It can suit anyone relocating to Argentina: we find a dealer that runs the scheme and ship the car when you are ready. How the scheme works.