How long does it take?
Most of the time is the ship. The rest is paperwork at one end and testing at the other, and that is where weeks can be won or lost.
It is the first thing almost everyone asks. The answer is a range, because a few parts of the journey depend on things nobody controls exactly: when a bank releases papers, when a ship sails, how a car does at its test.
What we can do is show you where the weeks go. The estimator below lets you set the things that change the picture most, and draws each stage as a bar.
The stages, in order
| Stage | Typical length | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Paperwork and finance | 0-2 weeks | 1-4 weeks if finance has to be settled first |
| Road to Cape Town | 0-1 weeks | 1-2 weeks from outside the Western Cape |
| Sailing and export clearance | 1-2 weeks | When the next suitable sailing leaves |
| At sea | 4-6 weeks | The ship and its route |
| UK customs and unloading | About 1 week | Cleared by our own customs team |
| Prep and test | Under 1 to 2 weeks | IVA, MOT, or no test over 40 years |
| DVLA registration | About 2 weeks | Around 10 working days |
Estimate your timeline
Sets which test it needs.
Typically 10 to 17 weeks, adding every stage in the table above.
shortest how late it can run
Typical ranges, not a promise. Your quote gives your dates.
The South African end
Before anything moves, the papers have to be right. The original registration certificate needs to be in your name, and a SAPS police clearance for the vehicle is normally needed for export.
Finance is the big variable. While money is owed, the bank holds the registration certificate, so the account has to be settled and the papers released before the car can go. That can take a few days or a few weeks, depending on the bank. Start it the moment you know the car is coming.
Then the car goes by road to the port. We usually ship from Cape Town, so a car already in the Western Cape has a short trip. From Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal it is a longer one, and we book the truck so you do not drive it down yourself.
Waiting for the ship, then the voyage
Cars usually travel in a shared container with other cars we are bringing over, which keeps the cost down. The container goes on the next suitable sailing, and export clearance is done at the port while it waits.
The sea journey itself is around 4 to 6 weeks. It is the longest single stage and the one nobody can shorten. You can follow it in our customer portal, and the car is covered by marine insurance for the voyage.
The UK end, all on one site
This is where we make up ground. Our customs agents are in-house, so clearance does not wait on a third party. The container is unloaded at our own site in Castle Donington, and the car goes straight into our workshop.
What happens next depends on the car's age. Under 10 years old, it needs an IVA test, which we run on our own site every week. From 10 years old it needs an MOT. Over 40 years old, no MOT is needed before registration. South African cars usually need little prep: the speedometer has to show miles per hour, and a rear fog light goes on if it is missing.
Once it has passed, we apply to the DVLA on our dealer-level account. Registration takes around 10 working days. Then it is plates on, and delivery to you, open or enclosed.
The parts you can speed up
- Settle finance early. It is the stage with the widest range.
- Get the registration certificate into your name before collection day.
- Start the police clearance as soon as the car is confirmed.
- Apply for Transfer of Residence before the car arrives, if you are moving, so it is not a loose end when the car lands.
- Tell us about modifications up front, so any work is planned before the car lands.
Our before it leaves checklist puts all of that in order.
If the car is already on its way
Sometimes a car is shipped by someone else and lands before anyone has thought about the UK end. We can pick it up from there: customs, prep, testing and registration. See already in the UK for how that works.
Questions people ask
How long is the sea journey from South Africa?
Around 4 to 6 weeks, sailing from Cape Town to a UK port such as Southampton or London. Ships vary, and some call at other ports on the way.
What usually slows an import down?
Paperwork at the South African end, most often finance that has to be settled before the bank releases the registration certificate. Starting that early is the single best way to save time.
Can I have the car before it is registered?
If it is over 40 years old, yes, it can be delivered before registration. Younger cars are tested and registered first, and we deliver them once they have UK plates.
How long does DVLA registration take?
Around 10 working days once the car has passed its test. We register cars on our own dealer-level DVLA account, so we submit the application ourselves.