Car, Boat & Heavy Equipment Shipping to Jamaica
Seaway Export ships from Savannah, Miami / Port Everglades, and other ports to Kingston in 4–12 days port to port, with weekly sailings on the main lane and rates from $1,200.
From Miami to Kingston in under a week. Cars up to six years old, pickups, vans and machinery ship in containers or RoRo once the Trade Board import permit is in place.
Jamaica at a Glance
1 port · Container · RoRo- Shipping from
- $1,200+
- Ocean transit
- 4–7 days (Florida) · up to 12 days from Houston
- Arrival ports
- Kingston
- Import duty + VAT
- 20% duty + SCT + 15% GCT (compounded)
- Age limit
- Cars up to 6 years
No obligation · Response within 1 business day
Shipping to Jamaica: What You Need to Know
Jamaica is a short sailing from Florida, and the rules that decide whether a car clears are set before it ships. The Trade Board must issue an import permit for the specific vehicle first, and its age limits apply at importation: cars, SUVs and pickups up to 1,500 kg unladen can be no more than 6 years old, while heavier pickups and panel vans can be up to 10. Damaged and salvage vehicles are prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Import Policy, whatever caused the damage.
Vehicles arrive at Kingston. Taxes are compounded on the CIF value: import duty first, then special consumption tax (SCT) on CIF plus duty, then 15% GCT on the running total, so a 1.5 litre petrol car pays about 66% of CIF and a car over 2,000 cc about 80%. Jamaica drives on the left and right-hand drive is the norm; a left-hand-drive U.S. car needs the same permit, and we confirm it will be licensed before you buy. Buyers include returning residents, families and dealers importing for resale.
Key takeaway
Get the Trade Board import permit before the car ships, keep cars within 6 years and buy clean titles only: damaged and salvage vehicles are prohibited.
Shipping Routes & Transit Times to Jamaica
| U.S. Departure Port | Arrival Port | Ocean Transit | Sailing Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami / Port Everglades, FL | Kingston | 4–7 days | Weekly |
| Savannah, GA | Kingston | 6–10 days | Weekly |
| New York / New Jersey | Kingston | 7–11 days | Weekly |
| Houston, TX | Kingston | 7–12 days | Bi-weekly |
Transit times are port-to-port estimates and exclude U.S. export processing and import clearance at destination.
Shipping to Jamaica from U.S. Ports
Seaway Export is headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. Cargo for Jamaica is booked from four primary U.S. gateways — Savannah, New York / New Jersey (Newark), Houston and Los Angeles / Long Beach — and we pick the one closest to your cargo or with the earliest suitable sailing.
Headquarters
Savannah, GA
Garden City Terminal · Ocean Terminal
6–10 days · Weekly
ContainerRoRo via BrunswickPrimary gateway
New York / New Jersey
Newark · Port Elizabeth · Bayonne
7–11 days · Weekly
ContainerRoRoPrimary gateway
Houston, TX
Bayport · Barbours Cut
7–12 days · Bi-weekly
ContainerRoRoPrimary gateway
Los Angeles / Long Beach
Los Angeles · Long Beach
Quoted per sailing
ContainerRoRo via Port Hueneme
Secondary gateways are booked on request; transit and frequency are confirmed at quote time.
Ports in Jamaica
Arrival ports we book for Jamaica, with the services each one receives.
Kingston
Main portContainer RoRo Flat rack / open top
RoRo and out-of-gauge service depend on the carrier's schedule and are confirmed at quote time.
What It Costs to Ship to Jamaica
Indicative per-unit rates from U.S. ports. Your exact rate depends on vehicle dimensions, departure region, and current vessel space.
| Service | Typical Rate | What to Know | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared 40' HC container | $1,200 – $1,900 | Consolidated with other vehicles; sails when the box is full | Standard sedans & SUVs |
| Dedicated 20' container | $2,200 – $3,200 | One vehicle, sealed for you | High-value or classic cars |
| Dedicated 40' HC container | $3,000 – $4,300 | Fits 3–4 vehicles, or a vehicle plus cargo | Families, dealers, multi-car buyers |
| RoRo (roll-on / roll-off) | $1,200 – $2,000 | Driven on board, no container; running units, no personal items | Running cars, trucks, wheeled machinery |
| Flat rack / breakbulk | Custom quote | When the cargo will not containerize; usually the most expensive option | Oversized equipment, wide boats |
Rates shown are indicative ranges from the U.S. East Coast and are confirmed at booking. · Rates reviewed October 2026
Rates move with fuel surcharges and season. Request today's exact rate for your vehicle and hear back within 1 business day.
Price My ShipmentWhat Your Shipment to Jamaica Includes
Included
- Ocean freight booking from the U.S. port to the destination port
- Container loading, blocking and bracing at our partner warehouse, or RoRo terminal delivery
- U.S. export filing: AES/EEI and title validation with CBP
- Dangerous goods declaration when the cargo needs one (EVs, hybrids, lithium batteries)
- Bill of lading, booking confirmation, and departure and arrival notices
Optional and recommended
- Marine cargo insurance, strongly recommended: 1.75% of declared value, $200 minimum. Without it, carrier liability is limited to about $500 per package under COGSA.
- U.S. pickup from an auction yard, dealer or address, quoted only when you choose it
- Personal items packed inside a container (not allowed on RoRo)
Not included — handled by the importer
- Import customs clearance at destination
- Import duties, VAT and other destination taxes
- Destination terminal handling, port storage and release fees
- Registration, homologation and inspections in the destination country
For some destinations we can introduce an independent licensed clearing agent; ask at quote time.
Jamaica Import Duties & Taxes
Information only — assessed and paid by the importer at destination.
| Category | Import Duty | VAT / Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol cars, 1,000–2,000 cc | 20% | 20% SCT + 15% GCT | About 66% of CIF in total |
| Petrol cars over 2,000 cc | 20% | 30% SCT + 15% GCT | About 80% of CIF in total |
| Hybrid cars | 20% | 15% GCT, no SCT | About 39% of CIF in total |
| Damaged or salvage vehicles | Prohibited | — | Motor Vehicle Import Policy, section 16 |
Indicative rates for general guidance. Destination customs makes the final assessment, and the importer pays duties and taxes on arrival. Ask your clearing agent to confirm the figure for your exact vehicle before you buy.
Import rules for Jamaica
The short version for a used U.S. vehicle. The sections on this page carry the detail, and we confirm each VIN before you buy.
- Used cars
- Up to 6 years old
- Traffic
- Drives on the left
- Left-hand-drive U.S. cars
- Confirm per VIN
- Salvage titles
- Banned
- VAT / GST at import
- 15%
Rules verified October 2026
Compare import rules for every countryDocuments You'll Need
Export side (we handle)
- Original vehicle title (Certificate of Title) — lien-free
- Bill of sale or commercial invoice
- Copy of passport or government ID for the export filing
- U.S. AES/EEI export filing — we file it
- Dangerous goods declaration for EVs and hybrids — we prepare it
- Packing list for personal items, if any
Import side (your clearing agent will ask for)
- Bill of lading and commercial invoice (we send both to you)
- Importer's tax or ID number in the destination country
- Import declaration, lodged by your clearing agent
- Inspection, homologation or registration papers where required
Permit first, then ship
The Trade Board permit is tied to one vehicle, and shipping before it is issued brings a late-permit fee. Send us the VIN, the year of manufacture and the title type, and we check the age limit and title before you pay so the permit application goes in clean. Reviewed October 2026; rates are from the Jamaica Customs Agency's 2025 schedule for individual importers and are indicative.
Sources
Customs, tax and transport authorities, official gazettes and press reports used to check the import rules on this page.
- 1.Motor vehicle age limitsTrade Board Limited · accessed Oct 24, 2026
- 2.Motor Vehicle Import PolicyTrade Board Limited · accessed Oct 24, 2026
- 3.Motor vehicle rate sheet for individuals, 2025Jamaica Customs Agency · accessed Oct 24, 2026
What We Ship to Jamaica
Every cargo type has its own routing, loading method, and import path. Pick yours to see the exact process.
Cars, SUVs & Classics
Shared or dedicated containers, or RoRo where the ports serving Jamaica offer it. We handle the U.S. export side; your clearing agent handles import.
- Sedans, SUVs & pickups
- Classic & collector cars
- Motorcycles & ATVs
Heavy Equipment
Dismantled into a 40' HC container is usually the least expensive way to ship machinery to Jamaica; open top, RoRo or flat rack when it will not containerize.
- Excavators & dozers
- Agricultural machinery
- Oversized project cargo
Boats & Yachts
Boats up to about 30 ft with a beam of 102 in or less ship side-loaded on a cradle in a 40' HC to Jamaica; larger boats go RoRo on a trailer or on a flat rack.
- Powerboats & sailboats
- Larger yachts, by survey
- Jet skis & PWC
How It Ships to Jamaica
The methods below match the services at the arrival ports for Jamaica. Dots show relative cost: one dot is the least expensive.
Vehicles
Shared 40' HC container
- What fits
- Your vehicle with 2–3 others, loaded and strapped
- Best when
- One standard car or SUV at the lowest container price
Dedicated 20' container
- What fits
- 1 vehicle
- Best when
- Classic, high-value or non-running car shipped on its own
Dedicated 40' HC container
- What fits
- 3–4 vehicles
- Best when
- Several cars for one consignee, dealers and families moving together
Dedicated 45' HC container
- What fits
- Up to 6 compact vehicles (selected lanes, confirmed at quote time)
- Best when
- Dealer volume of compact cars where the lane offers 45' equipment
RoRo (roll-on / roll-off)
- What fits
- Running vehicles driven aboard; oversize trucks by measurement
- Best when
- Running cars, pickups and trucks to ports with RoRo service; no personal items inside
Boats
Dedicated 40' HC, side-loaded on a cradle
- What fits
- Boats up to about 30 ft with beam up to 102 in; windshield, arch, tower and antennas removed and packed inside
- Best when
- Most trailerable powerboats and center consoles: protected, sealed and usually the least expensive
RoRo on its trailer
- What fits
- Boats on a roadworthy trailer, sized by length, width and height
- Best when
- Boats too wide or tall for a container, to ports with RoRo service
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Boats that will not containerize, cradled and lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- Over-width or over-height boats where no RoRo service exists
Breakbulk (yachts)
- What fits
- Yachts and large vessels lifted aboard by crane
- Best when
- Vessels beyond flat-rack limits, planned by survey
Heavy equipment
Dismantled into 1 × 40' HC container
- What fits
- Compact excavators, skid steers, tractors and machines with bucket, cab or tracks removed
- Best when
- The default for most equipment and usually the least expensive
Split load: 40' HC + 40' open top
- What fits
- Machines whose base is too tall for a closed box; the open top is crane-loaded
- Best when
- Height is the only problem and width still fits
RoRo
- What fits
- Self-propelled machines and towables driven or rolled aboard
- Best when
- Large running machines to ports with RoRo service; not available on most lanes
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Over-width or over-height machines lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- The machine cannot be dismantled to fit and no RoRo service exists; the most expensive option
Breakbulk / project cargo
- What fits
- Very heavy or very large units loaded by ship or shore crane
- Best when
- Beyond flat-rack limits; planned per shipment by survey
Popular U.S. → Jamaica Routes
Miami / Port Everglades, FL → Kingston
4–7 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
Savannah, GA → Kingston
6–10 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
New York / New Jersey → Kingston
7–11 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
Houston, TX → Kingston
7–12 days ocean transit · Bi-weekly departures
Step-by-Step: How Your Shipment to Jamaica Moves
Quote & booking
Day 0Lock in your rate and vessel space. We confirm the best U.S. departure port for your cargo and sailing date.
Delivery to our U.S. warehouse
Days 1–7Drop the cargo at our partner warehouse or terminal, or have us arrange U.S. pickup from an auction, dealer or address — quoted only if you choose it. Condition photos are taken on receipt.
Export clearance & loading
Days 5–12AES filing, title validation with CBP (72-hour rule), dangerous goods declaration where needed, and professional loading, blocking and bracing.
Ocean transit
4–7 days (Florida) · up to 12 days from HoustonSailing to Kingston, with departure and arrival notices from us.
Arrival and handover
After arrivalWe send the arrival notice and release the bill of lading. Your clearing agent lodges the import declaration, settles duties and taxes, and collects the cargo.
Buying from a U.S. auction? Read our step-by-step playbook before you bid.
Read the auction shipping guideFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about shipping to Jamaica. Can't find the answer you're looking for? Contact our team.
Cars, station wagons, SUVs and pickups up to 1,500 kg unladen can be no more than 6 years old at importation. Heavier pickups, panel vans and 9–14 seat buses can be up to 10 years old, returning residents can import vehicles up to 10 years old, and heavy equipment up to 30.
No. Section 16 of the Motor Vehicle Import Policy prohibits vehicles in a damaged or salvaged state, including flood and in-transit damage, so we do not book them to Kingston. Clean-title cars within the age limit are what ships.
Jamaica Customs compounds the charges on the CIF value: 20% import duty, then special consumption tax of 10–30% by engine size on CIF plus duty, then 15% GCT on the total, plus a customs administrative fee. A 1.5 litre petrol car ends up near 66% of CIF and a hybrid near 39%. We give you an estimate from the VIN and the expected CIF value.
RoRo ($1,200–$2,000) suits a running car driven on and off the ship with nothing packed inside. A shared container ($1,200–$1,900) or a 20ft box ($2,200–$3,200) suits higher-value cars and buyers who want to load parts with the vehicle. We quote both when your departure port offers them.
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