Quick Answer: Shipping an RV from the USA to Latin America costs $2,900-$8,500 port-to-port, with transit times of 7-32 days. A camper van under 2.6 m tall moves on RoRo for $2,900-$4,200; a Class A motorhome needs flat rack or breakbulk at $6,500-$12,000. Height, length, and weight drive the price.
- Camper vans and Class B units under 2.6 m height ship RoRo from $2,900 (Miami→Cartagena) to $5,400 (Houston→Valparaíso).
- Class A motorhomes and fifth wheels exceed RoRo deck height and move on flat rack or breakbulk — budget $6,500-$12,000 plus oversize surcharges.
- Ocean freight is about 55-70% of true landed cost. THC, ISPS, B/L fee, customs broker, fumigation, and inland delivery add $700-$2,100.
- Most Latin American countries issue a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) valid 90-180 days on a tourist visa — Colombia (DIAN), Chile (SNA), Mexico (Banjercito) all differ.
One measurement decides most of your budget: total height to the highest fixed point. Four inches of air conditioner shroud can move your unit off a RoRo deck and onto a flat rack, doubling the freight bill.
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Use the calculator above →How much does it cost to ship an RV to Latin America?
Quick Answer: Shipping an RV to Latin America costs $2,900-$8,500 port-to-port in 2026. A camper van under 2.6 m tall runs $2,900-$4,200 on RoRo. A 40ft high-cube container costs $4,400-$6,900. Class A motorhomes on flat rack or breakbulk reach $6,500-$12,000 depending on cubic volume.
Price depends on three things: method, lane, and cubic volume. RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) is the cheapest per unit. Container shipping costs more but protects the vehicle and allows belongings. Flat rack and breakbulk handle oversize units and get priced by the cubic meter.
Here are the current price anchors across the Miami-LatAm corridor for a 6 m camper van under 2.6 m tall:
Miami(USMIA)
Cartagena(COCTG)
Miami(USMIA)
Colón(PAONX)
Miami(USMIA)
Puerto Limón(CRLIO)
Houston(USHOU)
Valparaíso(CLVAP)
Full ranges as of 2026: Miami→Cartagena $2,900-$3,600; Miami→Colón $3,100-$3,900; Houston→Valparaíso $4,800-$5,400; Savannah→Montevideo $4,600-$5,800.
What does the container option cost?
A 40ft high-cube container from Miami to Cartagena runs $4,400-$5,200 for exclusive use. Add $350-$600 for in-container lashing, blocking, and wheel chocking. That labor is not optional — terminals reject poorly secured units.
Container makes sense when you want personal belongings inside, or your unit does not run. Ask for a benchmark on standard passenger vehicles first: our International Car Shipping Calculator: 2026 Rates shows what a normal car costs on the same lanes, which helps you see the RV premium clearly.
What about a Class A motorhome?
A Class A at 11 m long and 3.8 m tall gets priced on W/M, not per unit. Miami→Santos on flat rack or breakbulk lands at $9,200-$12,000. The volume math is brutal: 11 × 2.5 × 3.8 = about 104 CBM of revenue tonnage.
For Costa Rica, the answer to "ship an RV to Costa Rica cost" is narrower. Miami→Puerto Limón RoRo runs $3,200-$4,100 with 6-9 days transit. It is one of the shortest and cheapest lanes on the corridor.
The rest lands as destination terminal handling, ISPS, bill of lading fees, customs agent charges, fumigation, and inland trucking. Budget $700-$2,100 on top of every quote you receive.
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Use the calculator above →What is an RV shipping calculator and how accurate is it?
Quick Answer: An RV shipping calculator is a pricing tool that converts your unit's length, width, height, and weight into a billable freight figure, then applies the lane rate and surcharges for your chosen port pair. Accuracy runs within 10-15% when your measurements are exact and include roof accessories.
The formula behind any honest rv shipping calculator latin america tool is simple. Measure length × width × height in meters. That gives cubic meters (CBM). Multiply CBM by the lane rate. Then add terminal handling, ISPS, B/L, and oversize surcharges.
RoRo lanes sometimes price on linear feet or square meters of deck space instead of CBM. Deck space is finite, so carriers charge for the footprint you block, whether you fill the air above it or not.
How does W/M billing work?
W/M means "weight or measurement." Carriers bill whichever number is greater. One revenue ton equals 1,000 kg or 1 CBM. Heavy fifth wheels usually bill on weight. Tall, light camper vans bill on measurement.
Run both numbers before you accept a quote. A 3,200 kg van at 45 CBM bills as 45 revenue tons, not 3.2. That single detail explains most quote shock.
Which inputs does the calculator need?
- Overall length in meters, including bike racks and spare tire carriers
- Overall height to the highest fixed point — AC shroud, solar panels, satellite dome
- Overall width, including mirrors if they do not fold
- Gross weight in kilograms, loaded as it will ship
- Origin port and destination port
- RoRo, container, or flat rack
- Running or non-running condition
Pro Tip
Measure with a laser level on flat ground, then add 2 inches. Terminals re-measure on arrival and bill the difference. A 4-inch error on a 2.58 m van can push you out of a RoRo deck and into breakbulk — a $3,000 swing. Overlanders who have run this route, like the team documenting shipping a camper from Texas to Colombia, all flag the same lesson.
One more caveat: quotes go stale. Bunker adjustment factor (BAF) and peak season surcharges reset monthly on most LatAm services. A quote older than 30 days is a rough guide, not a price.
RoRo vs 40ft container vs flat rack: which is cheaper for an RV?
Quick Answer: RoRo is cheapest for camper vans and Class B units that fit under 2.6 m — typically 20-30% below container rates. A 40ft high-cube container protects the unit and allows personal belongings but caps interior height at 2.69 m. Flat rack and breakbulk handle anything taller, at a premium.
RoRo (roll-on/roll-off)
Your RV drives onto the vessel under its own power and parks on a fixed deck. It is the lowest-cost option per unit and needs no lashing labor. The trade-offs are real: no personal belongings inside, and the unit must run with working brakes and steering. Carriers also seal the vehicle, so you cannot access it during transit.
40ft high-cube container
Your RV gets loaded into an enclosed box and secured with straps and blocking. You can pack personal belongings and gear inside, and marine insurance is easier to place. Interior height is the hard limit at 2.69 m. Non-running units are fine — a winch pulls them in. Expect 20-30% more than RoRo on the same lane.
| Method | Typical cost (Miami→Cartagena) | Max height | Max length | Belongings inside | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RoRo | USD $2,900–$3,600 | 2.60 m (standard deck) | 12 m | No | Running camper vans, Class B, pickup campers |
| 40ft high-cube container | USD $4,400–$5,200 | 2.69 m interior / 2.58 m door | 12.03 m | Yes | Non-running units, gear-heavy moves, theft-sensitive builds |
| Flat rack | USD $5,800–$8,200 | No practical limit | 12.1 m (40ft FR) | Limited, unsecured | Tall Class C, small fifth wheels |
| Breakbulk / heavy-lift | USD $6,500–$12,000 | No limit | Vessel-dependent | Yes, at owner's risk | Class A motorhomes, large fifth wheels, expedition trucks |
Why you measure the door, not the box
A 40ft HC container has 2.69 m of interior height but only a 2.58 m door opening. Interior length is 12.03 m. Many owners plan around interior height and get turned away at the CFS warehouse.
Enclosed container handling follows the same playbook used for high-value vehicles. The lashing standards in our Classic Car Shipping Calculator: 2026 Rates from $1,850 guide apply directly to camper vans — soft straps over the axles, never over the frame or suspension.
Flat rack and breakbulk work differently. The unit gets lifted on and off by crane, priced on W/M, and needs custom cradles. Guides such as this overview of shipping a motorhome overseas confirm the same pattern: above RoRo deck height, you are in project cargo territory.
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Use the calculator above →Which oversize thresholds trigger extra RV freight charges?
Quick Answer: Oversize surcharges start above 2.6 m height, 6 m length, or 3,500 kg on most RoRo services. Above 4.2-4.5 m the vessel's fixed decks are out of reach entirely, forcing breakbulk. Width above 2.55 m and any overhang also add measurement-based fees on oversized vehicle RoRo rates.
RoRo vessels are not one open hall. Standard car decks clear 1.7-2.2 m. High decks on PCTC and ConRo vessels clear 4.2-5.0 m. Only a handful of Miami-LatAm services run those high decks, and space sells out first.
How do the oversize brackets work?
- Under 2.60 m height: standard RoRo rate, no surcharge
- 2.61-3.20 m height: +25-40% on the base rate
- Over 3.20 m: re-quoted as breakbulk on cubic meters
- Over 2.55 m width: measurement surcharge plus a wide-load deck slot
- Over 12 m length: length surcharge, often billed per extra linear meter
Non-running units cost more at both ends. Fifth wheels and travel trailers need a stevedore tow or winch: $150-$400 per move, per port. Budget for two of those.
Weight matters at destination. Units over 5,000 kg may need a heavy-lift crane to discharge, adding $400-$900 depending on the port. Cartagena and Colón handle this routinely. Smaller terminals like Puerto Limón need advance notice.
Class A motorhomes rarely clear RoRo
A typical Class A stands 3.8-4.1 m tall. On the Miami-LatAm corridor, almost no RoRo service accepts that height on a regular sailing. Plan flat rack or breakbulk from the start. Owners who book RoRo and get rejected at the terminal cut-off lose the booking, pay a re-handling fee, and wait 2-4 weeks for the next breakbulk window. Discussion threads among overlanders, including this camper shipping to South America thread, are full of exactly this mistake.
What are the transit times and sailing frequencies by port?
Quick Answer: Transit times from the US to Latin America run 6-9 days to Puerto Limón and Cartagena, 10-14 days to Colón and Veracruz, 18-24 days to Valparaíso and Callao, and 24-32 days to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Santos. RoRo sailings are less frequent than container services.
| Route | Price range (camper van) | Transit days | Container frequency | RoRo availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami → Cartagena (COCTG) | USD $2,900–$3,600 | 7–9 | Weekly | Every 10–14 days |
| Miami → Colón (PAONX) | USD $3,100–$3,900 | 5–7 | Near-daily | Every 10–14 days |
| Miami → Puerto Limón (CRLIO) | USD $3,200–$4,100 | 6–9 | Weekly | Every 14 days |
| Houston → Veracruz (MXVER) | USD $2,700–$3,500 | 10–14 | Weekly | Every 14 days |
| Houston → Valparaíso (CLVAP) | USD $4,800–$5,400 | 18–22 | Weekly | Fortnightly |
| Miami → Callao (PECLL) | USD $4,200–$5,000 | 16–20 | Weekly | Fortnightly |
| Savannah → Montevideo (UYMVD) | USD $4,600–$5,800 | 24–28 | Weekly | Fortnightly or worse |
| Savannah → Buenos Aires (ARBUE) | USD $4,900–$6,100 | 24–28 | Weekly | Fortnightly or worse |
| Jacksonville → Santos (BRSSZ) | USD $4,700–$5,900 | 22–26 | Weekly | Fortnightly |
Two lanes deserve a note. Miami→Colón at 5-7 days is the fastest South-bound option and the gateway for overlanders heading into Panama. Savannah→Buenos Aires at 24-28 days is the longest, and RoRo space there is genuinely scarce.
Port cut-off is not vessel ETD
RoRo cut-offs typically close 3-5 days before the vessel sails. Container cut-offs close 48-72 hours before ETD. Owners who show up on the ETD date find the gate shut and the booking rolled to the next sailing. Deliver your unit at least one full business day before the stated cut-off.
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Use the calculator above →What is the true landed cost beyond ocean freight?
Quick Answer: Ocean freight is 55-70% of your total. Destination terminal handling (THC), ISPS security, bill of lading fee, customs broker, fumigation, and inland trucking add $700-$2,100 in most Latin American ports. Port storage after free time runs $40-$120 per day and is the most common budget blowout.
| Line item | Typical cost | Who bills it | Included in "all-in" quotes? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean freight | USD $2,900–$5,400 | Carrier / NVOCC | Yes |
| Origin THC | USD $180–$420 | Origin terminal | Usually |
| ISPS security | USD $35–$65 | Terminal | Sometimes |
| Bill of lading fee | USD $75–$150 | Carrier | Sometimes |
| Destination THC (DTHC) | USD $250–$600 | Destination terminal | Rarely |
| Customs agent / broker | USD $250–$550 | Local licensed agent | No |
| Fumigation / sanitary inspection | USD $60–$180 | Local authority | No |
| Port storage after free time | USD $40–$120 per day | Terminal | No |
| Inland trucking to address | USD $200–$900 | Local carrier | No |
Free time is where budgets break. RoRo units typically get 5-8 calendar days of free storage. Containers get 7-14. The clock starts on vessel discharge, not on the day your flight lands.
Colombia and Chile both expect an authorized customs agent, even for a personal effects vehicle. DIAN and SNA processes are not self-service for foreign owners. Budget the agent fee as a fixed cost, not an option.
Watch the "all-in" quote
Many all-in quotes exclude DTHC. The destination terminal bills DTHC in local currency, directly to the consignee, and a US forwarder cannot pre-pay it. Ask for an itemized quote that names DTHC explicitly with a dollar estimate. Auction-unit shipments follow the same pattern — see the landed-cost breakdown in our Copart Vehicle Shipping Calculator 2026: From $1,150 guide.
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Use the calculator above →Do I need a temporary import permit to drive my RV in Latin America?
Quick Answer: Yes. Nearly every Latin American country requires a Temporary Import Permit (TIP or TVIP) tied to your tourist entry. Validity ranges from 90 days in Colombia to 180 days in Chile and Mexico. The permit is issued in the owner's name and the vehicle must leave before expiry or face seizure and fines.
| Country | Permit / authority | Validity | Extension | Agent fee | Typical port fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | Importación temporal — DIAN | 90 days | Yes, to 180 | USD $250–$450 | USD $400–$700 |
| Panama | Permiso temporal — Aduanas / ATTT | 90 days | Yes, limited | USD $200–$400 | USD $350–$650 |
| Chile | Admisión temporal — SNA | 180 days | Once, regional office | USD $300–$550 | USD $450–$800 |
| Peru | Internamiento temporal — SUNAT | 90 days | Yes, to 12 months | USD $250–$500 | USD $400–$750 |
| Mexico | TIP — Banjercito | 180 days | No (re-issue) | USD $150–$350 | USD $300–$600 |
| Argentina | Importación temporaria — AFIP/ARCA | 240 days | Yes | USD $350–$600 | USD $500–$900 |
| Costa Rica | Permiso de importación temporal — Aduanas | 90 days | Yes, with exit | USD $200–$400 | USD $350–$600 |
Country notes that matter
Mexico: Banjercito issues the TIP with a refundable deposit of $200-$400 for travel beyond the free zone. Baja California and the Sonora free zone need no TIP at all.
Chile: SNA grants temporary admission up to 180 days, renewable once at a regional customs office. The renewal is discretionary, not automatic.
Colombia: Per DIAN guidance, tourist vehicle temporary imports run 90 days, extendable to 180. The permit dates must match your passport entry stamp — a mismatch stalls release.
Permanent import duty is punishing
If you decide to keep the RV in-country, you switch from temporary admission to definitive import. Duty, VAT, and local taxes on a motorhome can exceed 40% of assessed value in several LatAm markets. AB Group Shipping is a freight forwarder, not legal counsel — consult a licensed customs broker or international tax attorney in the destination country before you commit.
Which documents and Incoterms apply to a personal RV shipment?
Quick Answer: You need the original title (no lien), bill of sale, passport, notarized power of attorney for the broker, and the Bill of Lading. CBP requires the title at the port 72 hours before export. For Incoterms, FOB means you pay from the destination port onward; CIF and DAP shift more cost to the shipper.
- Original certificate of title, free of any lien — or a notarized lienholder authorization letter
- Bill of sale or purchase invoice
- Passport copy and valid driver's license
- Notarized power of attorney for the destination customs agent
- VIN verification / photos of the plate and dashboard
- Packing list of personal belongings if you ship in a container
- Bill of Lading (B/L) — original or telex release
According to CBP regulations, the original title (or a certified copy plus written authorization) must be filed at the port of export at least 72 hours before vessel departure. Miss that window and the unit does not load, even with a confirmed booking.
Which Incoterm should a private owner pick?
- FOB: Freight ends at origin rail. You handle ocean, destination, and clearance. Cheapest headline, most work.
- CFR: Ocean freight included, no marine insurance. Common and reasonable for RoRo.
- CIF: Ocean freight plus marine insurance. The default choice for most private RV owners.
- DAP: Delivered to an inland address. Duties and taxes stay yours.
Skip DDP. On paper it looks clean, but DDP puts the shipper on the hook for import-side liability and duty in a country where they hold no tax ID. For a personal RV, that arrangement collapses at the first inspection.
Spanish paperwork to expect
Destination agents commonly ask for a Factura Comercial, Certificado de Origen, and Manifiesto de Carga. Colombia also wants the consignee's NIT or RUT; Chile and Peru want a local RUT. If you have no local tax ID, your customs agent files under theirs via the power of attorney — arrange that before the vessel sails.
How do overlanders share a 40ft container and split costs?
Quick Answer: Two camper vans or motorcycles plus a van often fit one 40ft high-cube container. Splitting a $5,200 Miami-Cartagena box between two parties drops each side to about $2,600 plus $200-$400 in shared lashing. Costs split by floor area used, not by unit count.
The fit math is tight but workable. A 40ft HC gives you 12.03 m × 2.35 m of usable floor. Two 6 m vans fit with almost nothing to spare. A 6 m van plus a 5 m van leaves room for gear crates and spare tires.
How do you split the bill fairly?
Use linear feet, not headcount. The formula: (total freight + lashing + broker) × (your linear feet ÷ total linear feet used). Write it into a one-page co-shipper agreement before booking.
Paperwork needs attention. Each unit requires a named consignee on a Bill of Lading. Request separate house B/Ls under one master B/L at booking — splitting them after the fact costs $100-$200 and delays release.
- Agree in writing who pays port storage if one party's clearance stalls
- Decide who holds the container keys and seal at destination
- Name one party as the point of contact for the destination agent
- Confirm both units are insured separately, not jointly
Marine insurance runs 1.5-2.5% of declared value. Read the exclusions: RoRo policies usually exclude interior contents and cosmetic damage entirely. Container policies are broader but still exclude improperly secured cargo.
Which lanes work best for consolidation?
Short, high-frequency lanes consolidate easily. Miami→Cartagena, Miami→Colón, and Colón→Cartagena all see regular overlander sharing. Overlander groups on shipping RVs and truck campers to Central America post partner requests weekly on these routes.
Central America lanes follow similar consolidation logic. Our Car Shipping to Costa Rica Calculator: 2026 Rates and Car Shipping El Salvador Calculator: Rates 2026 guides show how shared-container math plays out on shorter Caribbean and Pacific routes.
Two camper vans splitting a $5,200 Miami-Cartagena high-cube container pay about $2,600 each plus $200-$400 in shared lashing — roughly the same as a solo RoRo booking, but with belongings allowed inside.
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Use the calculator above →Book the right method the first time
Quick Answer: Measure your RV to the highest fixed point, weigh it loaded, then price RoRo and container side by side on your exact lane. Units under 2.6 m save 20-30% on RoRo. Anything taller belongs on flat rack or breakbulk — book 4-6 weeks ahead on South American lanes.
With thousands of shipments processed across the Miami-LatAm corridor, the pattern is consistent. Owners who measure carefully and book early pay the quoted rate. Owners who guess pay re-handling fees and roll to the next sailing.
Use the rv shipping calculator latin america tool embedded on this page to price your exact unit. Enter length, height, weight, origin port, destination port, and method. You get RoRo and container rates side by side in seconds — no email required, no follow-up calls. For Class A motorhomes, fifth wheels, and any unit over 3.2 m tall, the same element switches to a custom quote request so our project cargo desk can price the flat rack or breakbulk option properly.
Between $2,900 and $8,500 port-to-port in 2026, depending on size and method. A camper van under 2.6 m tall ships RoRo from Miami to Cartagena for $2,900-$3,600, while a Class A motorhome needs flat rack or breakbulk at $6,500-$12,000. Add $700-$2,100 for destination handling, customs broker, and inland delivery.
No — there is no road across the Darién Gap, so every vehicle must move by sea or air. The standard option is a container or RoRo sailing from Colón to Cartagena, which takes 2-5 days and costs $1,400-$2,600 for a camper van. Shared 40ft containers are the cheapest route for overlanders on this leg.
RoRo is usually 20-30% cheaper if your van clears 2.6 m in height. Houston or Savannah to Valparaíso runs $4,800-$5,400 on RoRo versus $6,200-$7,400 for an exclusive 40ft high-cube container. Container shipping wins when you need to carry personal belongings inside or your unit is non-running.
About 24-28 days port-to-port from Savannah or Houston to Buenos Aires, plus 5-10 days for customs clearance and release. RoRo sailings on this lane are fortnightly at best, so book 4-6 weeks ahead. Total door-to-door timeline is typically 5-7 weeks.
Yes, in almost every country. Colombia's DIAN issues 90-day permits, Chile's SNA allows up to 180 days, and Mexico requires a Banjercito TIP with a refundable deposit for travel beyond the free zone. The permit is tied to your passport and the vehicle must exit before expiry to avoid fines or seizure.