Vehicle Shipping

IMPORTANT: Pre-Booking your shipment is required prior to delivery of your vehicle to Universal Cargo Management. Vehicles are shipped on a space-available basis.

Please contact our Customer Service Department at (866) 826-2276 to request a Booking Number or to obtain a Rate Quote.

To avoid delays in shipping your vehicle please review the following instructions, and have all necessary forms completed prior to delivering your vehicle.

Forms and Documents

Forms must be filled out completely. Please be prepared to provide the following:


Shipper’s Letter of Instruction Form -Required– Form must be filled out completely for all vehicles being shipped. (Note: Universal Cargo Management can accept the following forms of payment only: Direct Deposit or Bank Wire Transfer-ACH)


EIN Application Form - Required – If you would like Universal Cargo Management  to prepare and submit the Electronic Export Information (EEI -- formerly SED) on your behalf, the EIN Application form must be completed.


Export Power of Attorney - Shipments to USVI Excluded. Required for all others. - If you would like Universal Cargo Management to handle your Shipment and/or clear Customs on your behalf, an original notarized copy of this form must be completed and signed by the vehicle owner(s). A title validation fee will be applied for this service. Otherwise, the owner of the vehicle is responsible for clearing U.S.Customs or giving another party (besides UCM) an original notarized Power of Attorney. (Note: Vehicles belonging to the U.S. Embassy are exempt.)


A Drain & Disconnect Letter must be signed if your vehicle is classified as “operable” vehicle. (Please refer to definitions under the ‘Prepare your Vehicle’ section below)

Driver’s License or Passport - Shipments to USVI Excluded. Required for all others. – A valid copy of the vehicle owner’s driver’s license or passport

• Foreign Principal Party In Interest Form – must be completed and signed for Foreign Passport Holders

Original Title or Original MSO (Manufacturer Statement of Origin) -Shipments to the USVI require a copy of the Title or MSO, NOT the original. Original Title is required for all others.– plus 2 copies (front & back). If purchased, the Purchaser’s name must appear on the Title/MSO.

Motor Vehicle Reassignment Form - An original copy of this form must be completed and signed if the back of the vehicle title is full of the names of previous owners

If a Lien Holder is recorded on the Title, then a notarized letter from the Lien Holder on their company letterhead is required, authorizing export, and certified copies of the title must be certified and notarized in the state where the vehicle is titled. Copies must be certified and notarized on both the front & back of the document. Three (3) sets are required.

If the vehicle belongs to a Company, the person signing the Vehicle Export Power of Attorney must also provide a letter on company letterhead, stating that they are an officer of the company and are authorized to sign the Power of Attorney

Bill of Sale - Required if the vehicle is a new purchase

Name, mailing address, and phone number of the shipper and consignee. The consignee is the person to whom the vehicle is being shipped. Sometimes, the shipper and consignee is the same person.

General information about your vehicle - year, make, model, license plate number, VIN number, and current value.

Port of discharge - know which port your car is being shipped to

A set of keys for the ignition, trunk door, gas tank, and any other locking compartment. U.S. Customs inspects all compartments of your vehicle and will place a Customs Hold on any vehicle without a key to a locked compartment. We will provide a special key fob and your keys will accompany your vehicle to its final port of discharge.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Federal regulations (CFR 176.905[d]), require that there is less than ¼ tank of fuel.

Propane tanks must be empty

Remove all loose items and personal effects from the vehicle, including the trunk unless you are using RO/RO service only.

Any part/item that would normally be permanently installed in/on the vehicle, but is loose or not bolted in, should be removed.

Anti-theft Alarm Systems - If you leave the car alarm system in your vehicle, make sure that the system is disengaged prior to delivery to Receiving Terminal or Agent.

Important: Vehicles must be in a safe, drivable condition, capable of normal operation on public streets or highways when tendered for shipment to be considered an “operable vehicle”.

Please Note: Universal Cargo Management reserves the right to reject receipt of cargo if the cargo does not meet the requirements for safe transportation & handling by our stevedore or our vessel operations.

Delivery to the Port Facility

If you have pre-booked your vehicle, your Booking Number will be required upon delivery of your vehicle to Terminal Receiving Agent. Please contact our Customer Service Department at: (866) 826-2276 to obtain a Booking Number.

Note: Universal Cargo Management does not forklift vehicles or heavy equipment for the purpose of unloading. It is the responsibility of the delivering carriers to provide the means to unload the vehicle or equipment onto the pavement.

Vehicle Measurements will be verified at port terminal’s Receiving Agent. In the event of a discrepancy between your measurements and ours, you may request a re-measurement prior to signing the Dock Receipt. Your signature acknowledges the accuracy of the measurements recorded on the Doc Receipt, and will be used to compute the price of shipping your vehicle to it’s final destination.
No change to measurement figures will be allowed after our acceptance of your vehicle for shipment.

Original Title and associated Documents will be mailed via FedEx directly to the owner, to ensure secure delivery and to allow for tracking, if necessary.

U.S. Customs closely regulates the exporting of vehicles from the United States. All vehicles for export are placed on a 3 business day hold by U.S. Customs. This does not include day of delivery, weekends or holidays. (Note: Vehicles belonging to the U.S. Embassy are exempt.)

Exceptions:

• For new vehicles delivered against the MSO, shipping from dealer to dealer: Customs does not impose the 3-day hold.
• All used self-propelled vehicles destined for the US Virgin Islands do not fall under the requirements of 19 CFR 192. Therefore the vehicle export documentation and 72 hour hold requirements do not apply.