Import calculator
Import a car from the USA to Germany
Total cost of buying a car at a US auction and shipping it to Germany: auction fees, towing, shipping to Bremerhaven and Germany import taxes.
Total landed cost in Germany
$10,026.94
Bid $5,000 + $5,026.94 in fees, shipping and taxes
- Buyer fee
- $775
- Virtual bid fee
- $110
- Gate fee
- $95
- Environmental fee
- $15
- Title mailing
- $15
- Towing to port
- $350
- Ocean shipping to Bremerhaven
- $1,300
- Import duty (10%)
- $766
- VAT (19%)
- $1,600.94
10% EU import duty on the CIF value, then 19% German VAT on the value plus duty. Estimates only; customs brokers, registration and local fees are extra. Exchange rates are approximate.
Fees from the auctions' published standard-vehicle schedules, checked 5 November 2026. Storage and late-payment fees are not included.
Check the lot's VIN before you bid
Auction photos don't show earlier accidents, flood titles or odometer rollbacks.
Import taxes in Germany
10% EU import duty on the CIF value, then 19% German VAT on the value plus duty.
Shipping
Most cars go in a shared 40-foot container from a US east-coast port to Bremerhaven, typically about $1,300 per car and 20–30 days door to door. Prices change with the season and the departure port, so type your own quote into the calculator.
Good to know
- The car needs a TÜV individual approval (Einzelabnahme) and usually lighting changes.
- Vehicle tax is charged yearly by CO₂ and engine size after registration.
Check the car before you bid
US auction cars often have a past: earlier accidents, a flood title in another state, or a previous rebuild. A VinCode report shows title brands, total-loss events, odometer readings and earlier auction sales for the VIN. See the fees on their own in the Copart and IAA calculators.
Other destinations
UAE · UK · Netherlands · Poland · Lithuania · Ukraine · Georgia · Canada