Car Shipping from Dubai to the USA
Ship a car from Dubai to the USA inside a sealed, single-car container — the standard for collectors importing dry-climate, low-mileage Gulf cars under the 25-Year Rule. Delta Global exports from Jebel Ali to every major US port and handles the UAE side and ocean freight door-to-port; your US customs broker completes CBP entry. We’ll help you check eligibility before you ship.
How Long Does Car Shipping from Dubai to the USA Take?
~30–40 days
Jebel Ali → US East Coast (NY/NJ, Baltimore, Savannah).
~40–50 days
Jebel Ali → US West Coast (LA / Long Beach).
Transit varies by coast and routing — we confirm the current schedule for your port when you book.
Why Ship Your Car in a Container
Enclosed container
- Fully sealed — protected from salt air, weather and deck damage
- No third-party drivers; sealed at Jebel Ali, opened at destination
- Non-running, project and modified cars welcome (winched in)
- Load spare parts & declared personal effects around the car
- Reaches any container port worldwide
RoRo (drive-on deck)
- Car sits exposed on an open vehicle deck
- Handled and driven by port staff
- Running cars only
- No personal items inside
- Limited to RoRo terminals
Container shipping is a premium, secure service — dearer and slightly slower to arrange than RoRo. For any car you value, that trade-off is worth it.
How Many of Your Cars Fit in One Container?
Every shipment is your own dedicated container — we don’t share your box with other owners. Cars are driven or winched in, then chocked and lashed to the securing points. Switch the tabs to see capacity by container size.
20ft — 1 car
A single vehicle, floor-loaded and lashed to the container’s securing rings. The most secure option for one high-value or classic car.
40ft — 2–4 cars
Two cars loaded flat nose-to-tail, or three to four using purpose-built steel racking — strong economics for dealers.
45ft High-Cube — up to 6 cars
With racking, a 45ft HC carries up to six vehicles depending on their size — the lowest cost per car for bulk movements. The real limit is payload weight, so sedans stack better than large SUVs.
Importing a Car into the USA from Dubai
What Delta Global Handles, and What Happens at the US port
Clear scope, no surprises. We move the car out of Dubai and across the water; a licensed agent at the destination clears it in.
We handle
- RTA Vehicle Export Certificate & de-registration
- Clearing fines, Salik and bank-finance blocks
- Dubai Customs export declaration
- Professional loading, chocking & lashing in the container
- Ocean freight from Jebel Ali + the Bill of Lading
- Optional all-risk marine transit insurance
Handled at destination
- CBP customs entry (via your US broker)
- ISF “10+2” filing & customs bond
- DOT HS-7 / EPA 3520-1 forms
- Duties incl. any Section 232 tariff
- Collection from the port
Why Ship to the USA with Delta Global
Enclosed & Sealed
A dedicated container from Jebel Ali — no open decks, no third-party drivers, no salt-air damage to paint or chrome.
UAE Export Done For You
RTA export certificate, de-registration, bank-finance clearance and Dubai Customs export — handled in-house.
Dealer & Bulk Rates
Racking for up to six cars per 45ft HC, trade pricing and a dedicated account contact for regular volume.
COC & SOC Options
Carrier-owned (COC) or shipper-owned (SOC) containers — we arrange whichever suits the carrier and your route.
13+ Years on the Lane
An established Dubai freight forwarder — documentation done right so your car clears smoothly at the other end.
Insured in Transit
Optional all-risk marine transit cover and a condition report at loading protect your car’s agreed value.
Car Shipping Dubai to USA — FAQ
What is the 25-year import rule?
A vehicle at least 25 years old, measured from its month and year of manufacture, is exempt from US DOT/FMVSS safety standards — so it can be imported without a Registered Importer. It’s the route most Dubai collector-car buyers use.
Do you offer shared containers to the USA?
No — every shipment is your own dedicated container, which is exactly what collectors want for a valuable classic.
Who files the ISF and customs entry?
US customs entry, the ISF (“10+2”) and the customs bond are handled by your US customs broker or importer of record. We ship the car door-to-port and provide all the documents they need, including the Bill of Lading.
How much duty will I pay importing a car to the USA?
The base rate is 2.5% on passenger cars, but a 2025 Section 232 tariff of 25% may also apply. Because this is changing, confirm the current applicable duty with your broker at import rather than relying on a fixed figure.
Why ship in a container instead of RoRo to the USA?
A sealed container fully protects the car and is far more secure — the standard for the valuable classics and low-mileage Gulf cars typically imported from Dubai.
Ship Your Car from Dubai to the USA
Send the VIN, manufacture date and destination port — we’ll check 25-year eligibility, advise container type and ship door-to-port.
What Car Shipping from Dubai Costs — and What Moves the Number
We quote per shipment instead of publishing one headline rate, because the same car to the same port can differ by thousands of dirhams depending on the factors below. What we will give you is a firm, itemised number fast — not a low number that grows later.
The six things that decide your price
- How many cars you send at once — the biggest lever by far. One car in a 20ft container carries the cost of the whole box. Six cars in a 45ft high-cube split that same box six ways. If you can consolidate, your cost per car falls sharply.
- Container size: 20ft holds 1 car, 40ft holds 2–4, and a 45ft high-cube holds up to 6 with proper racking.
- Vehicle size and whether it can be racked — a compact saloon stacks neatly; a large SUV, pickup or van takes more of the box and cannot always be racked above another vehicle.
- Destination port, and how far inland it goes — a main-line port is cheaper than a feeder port that needs transhipment.
- Space and season — freight rates move. A rate quoted this week is not a rate that holds for three months, and anyone telling you otherwise is guessing.
- COC or SOC — carrier-owned or shipper-owned container changes both the rate and the free-time you get at the other end.
Container vs RoRo — the honest comparison
RoRo is usually the cheaper option per car, and for a single ordinary vehicle to a major RoRo port it is often the sensible choice. We do not sell it, and we will tell you when it is the better fit. We ship cars sealed inside containers only, because that is what protects a high-value or modified vehicle: it is not driven by strangers, not exposed on an open deck, and spare parts or accessories can travel with it. If you are moving several cars, container also usually wins on price once the box is shared between them.
What our quote includes — and what it does not
Included: collection in the UAE, professional loading and lashing inside the container, the container itself, sea freight to the destination port, and UAE export documentation. Not included: destination customs clearance, import duty and local taxes — this is a door-to-port service, and we say so upfront rather than surprising you with a bill at arrival. We will tell you what the destination side typically costs so you can budget the whole move.