Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Chengdu to San Francisco, California

Yes, you can ship a car from China to the US, but it's extremely difficult and often impractical for modern, non-classic cars due to strict NHTSA safety and EPA emissions standards, requiring costly modifications or being essentially impossible unless the car is 25+ years old (and thus exempt). The process involves significant paperwork, working with specialized importers, potentially modifying the car for US specs (lights, airbags, charging ports for EVs), and paying hefty import duties and fees, making it generally not cost-effective for standard vehicles, notes brlogistics.net and Reddit users.

Shipping from China to the USA varies wildly, from ~$20 for small parcels via express (3-5 days) to $2,500-$6,000+ for full containers (15-40 days), with air freight around $5-$8/kg for urgent/mid-sized cargo. The best choice depends on weight, speed, and budget: express couriers (DHL/FedEx/UPS) for small/urgent items, air freight for bulk but time-sensitive goods, and sea freight (LCL/FCL) for large, non-urgent shipments.

A nonconforming car may be shipped from China to the United States under certain conditions, such as re-importing a previously exported vehicle, shipping a vehicle for personal use not exceeding one year, shipping a vehicle as a member of foreign armed forces, diplomatic personnel, or other exceptions authorized by the ...