Car Shipping USA to Peru 2026: Instant Quotes

Quick Answer: Shipping a car from the USA to Peru with AB Group Shipping costs from $2,220 for one vehicle alone in a 20 ft container to Callao, port to port, quoted September 28, 2026: Miami $2,220 (19 days), New Jersey $2,220 (18 days), Houston $2,537 (14 days) and Los Angeles $2,720 (18 days). RoRo from Miami runs approx. $1,350. The price excludes Peruvian import taxes. Peru admits a used car only if it is at most two model years old, has no more than 32,000 km and was never in an accident.

The freight bill is the easy part of this move. The hard part is eligibility — Peru is one of the most restrictive vehicle-import markets in South America, and shipping first while asking questions later is how cars end up abandoned at Callao.

How much does it cost to ship a car from the USA to Peru?

Quick Answer: Ocean freight for car shipping USA to Peru starts at $2,220 for a dedicated 20' container to Callao from Miami or New Jersey, $2,537 from Houston and $2,720 from Los Angeles (quoted September 28, 2026), or approx. $1,350 by RoRo from Miami. Add customs brokerage, port fees, and Peruvian import taxes: on a used car, ISC, IGV and IPM alone exceed 65% of its CIF value.

Your total cost splits into four buckets. Quotes that show only one bucket are not real quotes.

• Ocean freight: the port-to-port move, priced per unit for RoRo or per container for FCL.
• Origin charges: terminal handling (THC), loading or blocking-and-bracing, AES/ITN filing, and inland trucking to the port.
• Destination charges: DTHC at Callao, port storage after free time, and the Peruvian customs broker fee of $350-$700.
• Peru import taxes: Ad Valorem, ISC, IGV, and IPM — often the largest single line on the whole move.

Real 2026 freight ranges by service

Rates below reflect current market conditions on the Miami-Callao corridor. Peak season (August to November) pushes the top of each range.

The shared consolidated container is the sweet spot for many shippers. It costs a few hundred dollars more than RoRo but accepts non-running cars and gives you full weather protection.

RoRo

MiamiUSMIA

→

CallaoPECLL

approx.USD$1,350Quote this route →

20' FCL

HoustonUSHOU

→

CallaoPECLL

from · Sep 2026USD$2,537Quote this route →

Shared

MiamiUSMIA

→

PaitaPEPAI

approx.USD$1,550Quote this route →

Landed cost worked examples by vehicle

These examples leave out Ad Valorem, which depends on the vehicle's tariff line and origin. ISC is 10% on a new gasoline car over 1,500 cc and 40% on a used passenger car. Freight is our Miami 20 ft container rate of $2,220 (September 2026 rates). Broker fee and port charges are included.

Add Ad Valorem at the rate of the tariff line and, on a used car, the 5% IGV perception. A new gasoline car up to 1,400 cc pays 5% ISC, one over 1,400 and up to 1,500 cc pays 7.5%, and a new diesel car pays 20%. Pickups, motorcycles and electric vehicles are classified under other tariff lines: ask a licensed customs agent for their rates before you buy.

For a corridor cost comparison, our Car Shipping to Colombia Calculator: Instant Rates shows how Callao pricing stacks up against Cartagena. Colombia runs cheaper on freight but has its own duty structure.

Can I import a used car into Peru from the USA?

Quick Answer: Yes, but only a nearly new one. As of October 2026, Peru admits a used vehicle only if it is no more than two years old counted from its model year, has at most 32,000 km (passenger car), has never been in an accident or declared a total or partial loss, and was built with left-hand drive. Used diesel cars are prohibited.

This is the single most misunderstood point about car shipping USA to Peru. The general used-vehicle channel is open, but only to nearly new, undamaged cars.

The conditions are set in article 1 of Decreto Legislativo 843 and in Decreto Supremo 005-2020-MTC, and they remain in force in 2026. Together they block the casual "buy a used truck in Texas and nationalize it in Lima" plan.

• Age: no more than two years, counted from the model year. In 2026 that means, in practice, model year 2024 or newer; have your customs agent confirm the count for your car.
• Mileage: at most 32,000 km for a passenger car (category M1) and 36,000 km for a light goods vehicle (N1).
• No accident: a rollover, a substantial front, side or rear collision or a fire rules the car out, and so does being declared a total or partial loss in its country of origin.
• Steering: left-hand drive designed and fitted at the factory.
• Emissions: the limits required of new vehicles.
• Diesel: used diesel vehicles of categories L, M and N are prohibited, except subcategories M3 and N3.

Who can legally import a vehicle into Peru?

• New vehicles: the age, mileage and accident conditions are for used vehicles; a new unit pays the ordinary import taxes.
• Used vehicles: any unit that meets every condition above, paying the ordinary import taxes.
• Returning Peruvians: one vehicle tax-free under Ley 30001, for Peruvians aged 18 or more who lived abroad at least three years without interruption. Menaje de casa does not cover vehicles, so a foreign resident gets no vehicle benefit.
• Diplomats and other exceptions: diplomatic imports, public-sector donations and collection cars at least 35 years old are excepted from the conditions above.

What is automatically rejected?

Some vehicles will never clear, regardless of paperwork. Right-hand-drive vehicles are not admitted, and neither are right-hand-drive units converted to left.

Salvage, flood, and rebuilt-title units are also refused: a used vehicle must never have suffered an accident or been declared a total or partial loss, so a US "salvage" stamp ends the conversation. So does a used car more than two model years old or over the mileage cap.

Does the CETICOS and ZOFRATACNA channel still work?

No. CETICOS Paita, CETICOS Ilo and CETICOS Matarani were special zones where used vehicles could be repaired and reconditioned before entering the national market. Ley 29303 set 31 December 2012 as the last day for that activity in the CETICOS.

We found no later law that reopens the route, in CETICOS or in ZOFRATACNA. Do not plan an older used car around a special zone: a used vehicle enters Peru only if it meets the conditions above.

Is there a Menaje de Casa vehicle exoneration in Peru?

Quick Answer: No. Vehicles cannot enter Peru as menaje de casa: cars, motorcycles, motorhomes and their parts are excluded from the household-goods regime. The only vehicle benefit is Ley 30001, for a returning Peruvian aged 18 or more who lived abroad at least three years without interruption and holds the Tarjeta del Migrante Retornado: one vehicle valued at up to USD 50,000, tax-free, once.

This is the main legal door for returning Peruvians, and it is closed to foreign residents: 13 months abroad opens only the household-goods regime, taxed at 12%, which does not cover a vehicle. It also has the least forgiving paperwork of any regime we handle.

Core eligibility requirements

• A Peruvian aged 18 or more with at least three years of uninterrupted residence outside Peru (two if the host country forced the return). Visits to Peru of up to 180 calendar days a year do not break the period.
• The Tarjeta del Migrante Retornado, issued by Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its consulates.
• One motor vehicle, once, valued at up to USD 50,000 on SUNAT's reference value table.
• A used vehicle must still meet the transport ministry's age and mileage limits; SUNAT's Asistente Aduanero lists a maximum age of two years.
• The request to SUNAT inside the six-month deadline, filed through a customs agent.

The benefit is in force until 31 December 2029. Peruvians who never lived in Peru do not qualify.

The card you cannot skip: Tarjeta del Migrante Retornado

Peru's official pages list no consular certification of your inventory or vehicle documents. The consular step that exists is the card. Ask for it at the Peruvian consulate before you return, within the 180 calendar days before you enter Peru, or in Peru within the 180 calendar days after you enter.

Start early. Without the card, SUNAT charges the ordinary import taxes.

1. Gather a copy of your DNI, Formulario R-1, a passport photo and the sworn statement the application asks for; confirm the list with your consulate.
2. Apply for the Tarjeta del Migrante Retornado at the consulate, or in Peru after you return.
3. Hire a customs agent in Peru: a returning Peruvian's vehicle is cleared through an agent, on a DAM.
4. File the request with SUNAT: the card, the certificate of migratory movement if a consulate issued the card, and the Anexo 1 and Anexo 2 forms.

Restrictions after clearance

The benefit comes with strings. You sign a sworn statement to live in Peru for at least three years, and the vehicle cannot be transferred or assigned for three years from the date the import declaration is numbered.

Diplomats use a separate franchise handled through Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We did not verify its terms; ask your mission.

RoRo vs container vs air freight to Peru: which is cheaper?

Quick Answer: RoRo is the cheapest option for car shipping USA to Peru at approx. $1,350 from Miami, but it requires a running, drivable vehicle and offers no space for personal items. A shared container from Miami costs approx. $1,550 per unit with better protection. A dedicated 20' container starts at $2,220 from Miami or New Jersey (quoted September 28, 2026).

RoRo means Roll-on/Roll-off. Your car is driven up a ramp onto a vehicle deck, chocked, and lashed down. No container, no crate, no packing materials.

Carriers serving Callao include Grimaldi, Höegh Autoliners, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Sailing frequency from the US East Coast runs roughly biweekly, which matters when you have a fixed relocation date.

If you are comparing West Coast South America destinations, our guide to Vehicle Shipping to Chile: Complete Guide to Costs & Processes 2026 covers Valparaíso and San Antonio. Chile's import rules are looser than Peru's, which changes the math for some relocators.

How long does it take to ship a car to Peru?

Quick Answer: Ocean transit for car shipping USA to Peru takes 14 to 19 days to Callao, depending on the departure port (quoted September 28, 2026): 14 days from Houston, 18 from New Jersey and Los Angeles, 19 from Miami. Savannah runs 25 days. Add SUNAT clearance and SUNARP registration, which have no published official time.

One correction first: port cut-off is not vessel ETD. Cut-off is the deadline to deliver the unit and paperwork to the terminal.

Deliver your vehicle 3-5 business days before the cut-off, not before the sailing date. Missing cut-off on a biweekly RoRo service costs you two weeks, not two days.

US departure port comparison

Long Beach looks fast on paper. Many West Coast services transship at Manzanillo or Balboa, which adds 4-8 days when connections slip.

Peru destination port comparison

Callao handles the overwhelming majority of vehicle imports through APM Terminals and DP World. It also carries the most congestion. For deliveries to Arequipa or Cusco, Matarani often beats Callao on total cost once inland trucking is counted.

Full booking-to-placa timeline

1. Book the vessel and lock the cut-off date (day 0).
2. Move the vehicle to the origin port — 3-7 days for US inland trucking.
3. File the AES/EEI to get your ITN and present the title to CBP — 2-5 days.
4. Sail — 14-28 days depending on origin port and transshipment.
5. Clear SUNAT via the DAM — no official time is published; it depends on the inspection channel and on your file.
6. Register with SUNARP and receive your placa.

What documents do I need to ship my car to Peru?

Quick Answer: You need the original vehicle title (no copies), a notarized bill of sale, your passport, the Peruvian DNI or Carné de Extranjería of the importer, a power of attorney for the customs broker, the Bill of Lading, and a lien release if the car was ever financed. US export also requires an AES/EEI filing with an ITN.

The ITN is the Internal Transaction Number. US Customs issues it after your Electronic Export Information filing clears the Automated Export System. No ITN means no export clearance — the terminal will not load the car.

According to CBP guidance on importing and exporting motor vehicles, the original title and export documents must reach CBP at the port of export at least 72 hours before loading. Copies are refused. Photographs are refused.

Printable document checklist

Spanish translations and canal rojo risk

We found no official SUNAT rule that requires Spanish translations of the US documents. Ask your customs agent which papers, if any, need a translation before the vessel sails.

Value mismatches between documents invite questions at clearance. Settle the file before the car arrives: every extra day at the terminal is storage.

What taxes will I pay to bring my car into Peru?

Quick Answer: Peru stacks four taxes on the CIF value: Ad Valorem duty at the rate of the tariff line, ISC (selective consumption tax), then IGV at 15.5% and IPM at 2.5% (18% combined, as of October 2026). ISC is 40% on a used passenger car and 5%, 7.5% or 10% on a new gasoline car, by engine size. Taxes are calculated cumulatively on CIF, so freight and insurance increase your tax base.

Order matters. Peru stacks the taxes, so each layer sits on top of the previous one.

1. Start with CIF: vehicle value + ocean freight + marine insurance.
2. Add Ad Valorem duty at the rate of the vehicle's tariff line.
3. Add ISC (selective consumption tax) on CIF + Ad Valorem: 40% on a used passenger vehicle; 5%, 7.5% or 10% on a new gasoline car; 20% on a new diesel car.
4. Total that subtotal.
5. Apply IGV at 15.5% and IPM at 2.5% on the subtotal.

Worked example: $18,000 CIF SUV

The same SUV imported used pays 40% ISC: $7,200 of ISC, a taxable subtotal of $25,200 and $4,536 of IGV and IPM, or about $11,736 in taxes before Ad Valorem, the 5% IGV perception on used goods, and the broker and port charges.

Ad Valorem is the layer a trade agreement can change. Whether a valid Certificate of Origin under the Peru-US Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) lowers it for your vehicle depends on its origin and its tariff line: have your customs agent confirm the rate before you buy. Any saving cascades down because ISC sits on top of it.

Additional costs to budget

• Customs broker (agente de aduanas): $350-$700
• Port storage after free time: charged per day by the terminal; ask for the tariff in writing
• SOAT mandatory insurance and SUNARP registration: ask your agent for current fees

ISC hits used vehicles hardest (40%), and a new diesel car (20%) pays more than a new gasoline one. Rates change by decree, so confirm current figures with a licensed customs broker before booking. For a regional duty comparison, see our guide to Import Duties on Machinery from USA to Colombia.

How does customs clearance work at the Port of Callao?

Quick Answer: At Callao, your agente de aduanas files the DAM (Declaración Aduanera de Mercancías) with SUNAT. The system assigns an inspection channel: verde (release), naranja (document review), or rojo (physical inspection). No official clearance time is published for vehicles; it depends on the channel and on a complete file. Then comes SUNARP registration.

The DAM is Peru's customs declaration. A returning Peruvian's vehicle under Ley 30001 must be cleared through a customs agent; for any other import, ask SUNAT or an agent whether one is mandatory in your case. In practice a licensed agent files it, which is why the power of attorney matters so much.

The three inspection channels

Free time at Callao is set by each terminal and shipping line; we found no official figure. Once it runs out, the terminal charges storage per day, plus container demurrage if you shipped FCL. Ask for both in writing before the vessel sails.

What happens after SUNAT releases the car

• Technical requirements: a used vehicle's age, mileage, accident and emission conditions are checked at import; ask your agent whether any further inspection applies before registration.
• SOAT purchase: mandatory third-party liability insurance, required before registration.
• SUNARP entry: the vehicle registry records your ownership.
• Placa issuance: your Peruvian license plate — the point where the car becomes legally drivable.

Paita and Matarani frequently clear faster than Callao. Lower volume means fewer queues, which is worth considering for deliveries to northern or southern Peru.

Marine insurance, EVs, motorcycles and special cargo to Peru

Quick Answer: Marine cargo insurance for car shipping USA to Peru costs 1.5-2.5% of declared value for all-risk coverage. Total-loss-only policies run under 1% but pay nothing for scratches, water damage, or theft of parts. RoRo carrier liability alone is capped far below your vehicle's actual value.

All-risk vs total-loss-only coverage

All-risk covers damage during handling, water intrusion, theft of parts, and total loss. Deductibles usually run $300-$1,000 or 1-2% of declared value.

Total-loss-only is cheap for a reason. It pays only if the vessel sinks or the vehicle is destroyed. A dented quarter panel from a stevedore's forklift gets you nothing.

Carrier liability under a standard bill of lading is capped by contract and by convention. On a $35,000 pickup, that cap is not close to replacement value. Buy the cargo policy.

Electric vehicles and hybrids

Lithium batteries make an EV dangerous goods under the IMDG Code. Carriers require a dangerous goods declaration and battery documentation.

• State of charge is usually limited to 30-50% at loading.
• Battery condition certification from a qualified technician is often requested.
• Expect a carrier hazmat surcharge of $150-$450 per unit.
• Some RoRo operators refuse damaged or recalled battery packs outright.

On taxes, a used hybrid or electric car pays the same 40% ISC as any other used passenger car. For a new EV, confirm the current classification and rate with your broker — rules shift by decree.

Motorcycles, classics, and oversized cargo

Motorcycles ship crated or consolidated in shared containers. Miami→Callao runs approx. $1,550 in a shared container, or $2,220 alone in a 20 ft container (September 2026 rates).

Drain the fuel tank and disconnect the battery before delivery. Terminals reject bikes with full tanks.

Classic cars, RVs, and heavy equipment need out-of-gauge handling. Flat-rack, breakbulk, or dedicated RoRo bookings apply. These cannot be auto-priced — use the custom quote request at #quote-calc.

Relocating with more than a car? Our guides on the Real Cost to Ship a Pickup Truck from Houston to El Salvador and International Pet Shipping 2026 cover the two moves that most often travel alongside a vehicle shipment.

Ready to price your move to Peru?

Quick Answer: Start by confirming your import eligibility with a licensed Peruvian customs broker, then price freight. Car shipping USA to Peru works cleanly when the car qualifies: a new vehicle, a used one within the two-year and 32,000 km limits, or a returning Peruvian's vehicle under Ley 30001. Freight is the simple part.

With thousands of shipments processed across the Miami-Latin America corridor, we have seen every version of this move — the smooth ones and the ones that stalled at Callao. The difference is almost always eligibility confirmed before booking, and a document file that is complete before the cut-off.

Use the calculator on this page to compare RoRo, shared container, and dedicated container rates from your US port to Callao, Paita, or Matarani. Real 2026 pricing, no email required, no follow-up calls. For classic cars, RVs, or heavy equipment, submit the custom quote request in the same panel and our team will build a breakbulk or flat-rack option for your unit.