FastLane Forwarding – New Quotation Request

Import From Canada to the UK

We are delighted to announce our weekly import service from Canada to the UK. We can currently import classic cars, commercial shipments and personal goods from Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal and many more.

Most individuals and companies find the idea of importing goods very daunting. As a result, they continue to buy overpriced items locally as opposed to importing cheaper goods from overseas. We can eliminate all the stress relating to the whole process of importation from Canada to the UK. We will collect the goods from your premises or supplier and deliver to the nearest exit point in Canada. Once cargo is at the departure port, we will take care of all customs requirements in Canada to ensure the cargo receives proper authorization to leave the country.

Shipping options

NEED AN ESTIMATE?

We can provide you an estimate to import your
item as soon as possible!

As soon as we have authorization to ship cargo, we will arrange to ship the goods either via air or sea, depending on your requirements. Large cargo such as classic cars, machinery and household items will need to be shipped by sea as this tends to be more cost effective.

For vehicles, we currently offer RORO and container services from Halifax to the UK. RORO service involves the loading of cars into the lower decks of cargo ships. This is particularly suitable for older cars, and cars not of significant value. For cars of high value eg classics and exotic cars, we recommend shipping in steel enclosed container.

Calculating duty and taxes on Arrival

Most goods imported in the UK have a “duty free” status meaning you do not have to pay the usual 20% duty imposed on goods from Canada. For a full list of goods exempt from customs duty, please contact us on +441482581292, and we will try and offer guidance on this for you.

As well as duty, goods imported in the UK from Canada have to pay VAT on the value of the goods. However, some goods pay a reduced amount of vat due to their classifications. Classic cars over 35 years of age for example, only incur 5% vat as they are classed as having historic importance (BTI scheme 9705).

Similarly, if you have owned a vehicle in Canada for more than 6 months and lived there for more than 1 year, you will pay no vat or duty. However, proof will be needed by way of existing vehicle title and insurance certificate

Import Requirements

Temporary imports for less than 3 months
Classic cars imported without container are pretty straightforward to clear through customs and you can normally collect your vehicle within a week of it arriving. Classic cars in containers on the other hand will need to be unloaded from the containers before you can collect them. This usually involves us collecting the container from the port and transporting it to one of our depots in the UK for unloading. Once unloaded, we will advise you on a suitable date for collection.