Question 1

How long does shipping from the UK to the USA take?

Accepted Answer

On direct transatlantic services, containers from Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway or Liverpool reach New York and the US East Coast in roughly 10–20 days port to port: quicker on loops where the UK is the last European call, slower where it is the first and the ship calls at continental ports before crossing. Los Angeles/Long Beach is reached through the Panama Canal or by transshipment and takes roughly five to seven weeks, so for a West Coast delivery we also price East Coast discharge plus rail or truck. RoRo car carriers sail from Southampton to the East Coast. For door to door, add UK collection, export cut-offs and US clearance; we confirm the sailing and transit for each booking.

Question 2

What are the tariffs and customs charges when shipping from the UK to the USA?

Accepted Answer

Since 24 July 2026 most UK-origin goods pay their normal US duty plus a flat Section 301 layer added on top — unlike EU goods, whose layer only tops the total up to a cap. UK whisky, many UK medical devices, antiques, original artworks and civil aircraft parts are exempt from that layer. Section 232 goods follow their own terms under the Economic Prosperity Deal: UK-built new cars inside an annual quota of 100,000 pay a reduced Section 232 rate and cars over it the full one, steel and aluminum with UK-sourced metal pay a lower UK rate on their full value, and machinery on the steel and aluminum derivative lists pays Section 232 instead of the layer. Origin is where goods were made: a German-built car bought in London is German. Customs fees apply on top, and rates change, so our licensed customs brokers confirm the total for each HS code at quoting.

Question 3

Can I import a car from the UK to the USA?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if it was built at least 25 years ago, counted to the month of manufacture, or was originally made to US standards. A classic is declared on the DOT HS-7 under box 1, and EPA admits it on form 3520-1 when it is at least 21 years old and in original configuration. Right-hand drive is no bar: federal law does not prohibit it, though state inspection rules apply. A car 25 years or older falls outside Section 232 and pays its base rate plus the Section 301 layer on UK goods; a newer UK car can come in only if it was built to US specification. A valuable car more than 50 years old can also need a UK export licence. Registration is a state matter, and California requires CARB certification for most direct imports. We ship by RoRo from Southampton or in a shared or sole-use container, which most collectors prefer.

Question 4

How do I import Scotch whisky from the UK to the USA?

Accepted Answer

As a licensed importer. You need a TTB importer's basic permit, an approved COLA for each label before the shipment is released from customs, FDA registration of the distillery as a food facility and Prior Notice before arrival, plus state licences to sell through the three-tier system. Scotch and other UK whisky have been exempt from the Section 301 layer on UK goods since 24 July 2026; gin, rum and liqueurs are not, and federal excise tax is paid at entry on all spirits. We ship cased spirits by full or shared container from the distillery or bonded warehouse, and our licensed customs brokers file the entry with the TTB and FDA data.

Question 5

How much does it cost to ship a container from the UK to the USA?

Accepted Answer

It depends less on the ocean rate than most buyers expect. The main drivers are collection from your supplier and the UK port it sails from, the sailing and the season, whether your goods fill a 20ft or 40ft container or move as LCL, and the US end: duty, clearance and delivery inland. For a West Coast address there is also a routing choice between a long all-water transit to Los Angeles and East Coast discharge plus rail. A 20ft suits heavy goods such as machinery and stone; a 40ft or 40HC suits furniture, antiques and cars. We quote door to door against your actual collection and delivery addresses, with exclusions listed up front, rather than a published rate.

Question 6

Do I need an EORI number to export from the UK to the USA?

Accepted Answer

The UK exporter does. Goods leaving Great Britain need an export declaration in HMRC's Customs Declaration Service, and the exporter needs an EORI number starting with GB; a Northern Ireland exporter may need one starting with XI. Our WCA partner agent in the UK files the declaration and handles the port side; the US importer needs nothing from HMRC. Two UK licences are worth checking before booking. Antiques and other cultural goods more than 50 years old and above Arts Council England's value thresholds need an export licence, and anything containing ivory or other protected species needs Ivory Act and CITES paperwork, if it can be exported at all. Military-listed and dual-use items, including some aerospace parts, need a licence from the Export Control Joint Unit even for the US.

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