Quick Answer: Shipping a financed car overseas costs $1,150-$3,900 and requires a notarized lienholder authorization letter filed with CBP at least 72 business hours before export. Most banks approve permanent export in 5-15 business days. Leased vehicles are usually denied outright — lease contracts prohibit removal from the United States.
- A notarized lienholder authorization letter is mandatory — CBP will not clear a financed vehicle for export without it, and the title copy alone is not enough.
- Leased cars are almost never approved for international shipping; most lease agreements ban removal from the US, so the practical options are buyout or lease termination.
- CBP requires the original title (or certified copy plus lien letter) submitted 72 business hours before vessel departure at the port of export.
- Ocean freight from PortMiami runs $1,150-$3,900 depending on destination and method — RoRo, shared container, or exclusive 20' FCL.
The freight side of a financed car export is simple. The bank paperwork is what rolls bookings, so the timeline below matters more than the rate.
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Use the calculator above →How does the shipping a financed car overseas calculator work?
Quick Answer: The embedded calculator prices your route, vehicle size, and shipping method in seconds. Enter origin, destination port, and vehicle dimensions to see RoRo, shared container, and exclusive FCL rates side by side. Financed vehicles carry no freight surcharge — the added cost is documentation and lienholder processing, not ocean freight.
Four inputs move the price. Everything else is secondary.
- Pickup ZIP code — inland trucking to PortMiami adds $0.85-$1.60 per mile depending on lane density.
- Destination port — Cartagena, Santo Domingo, Callao, and Valparaíso each price differently.
- Vehicle length, width, and height — an F-250 crew cab does not price like a Civic.
- Running or non-running — a non-runner cannot board RoRo and must go inside a container.
Financing status does not change the ocean rate. It changes your paperwork timeline and the export cut-off you can realistically hit. A car with a clean title can book a sailing 8 days out. A financed car usually cannot.
Carriers price steel and cubic meters, not loan status. The added cost sits entirely in documentation handling — typically $150-$400 for the lien file.
Rates shown by the shipping a financed car overseas calculator include ocean freight, terminal handling at origin, and BAF (bunker adjustment factor). Destination duties and taxes assessed by DIAN, SUNAT, or SAT are quoted separately — those are set by the importing authority, not by the carrier.
You can compare all three methods on one screen. RoRo is cheapest for running cars. Shared container consolidation suits smaller sedans. Exclusive 20' FCL protects high-value units. If your vehicle came from an auction lot, see our Copart Vehicle Shipping Calculator 2026: From $1,150 for auction-specific handling and title timing.
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Use the calculator above →Can you ship a financed car internationally at all?
Quick Answer: Yes, you can ship a financed car internationally, but only with written lienholder permission. The bank still legally owns the vehicle until the loan is paid. Without a notarized authorization letter naming the destination country and shipper, US Customs and Border Protection will block the export at the port.
Your lender holds a perfected security interest in the vehicle. That interest is recorded on the title. Moving that collateral outside US jurisdiction without consent breaches almost every retail installment contract written in the United States.
Which lenders actually approve export?
Approval odds vary widely by institution. Credit unions are generally the most flexible. Captive finance arms — Toyota Financial, Honda Financial, Ford Credit — review case by case. Large national banks are the most restrictive, and several decline permanent export as a blanket policy.
Three factors improve your odds:
- A clean 12-month payment history with no late marks
- A low remaining balance relative to vehicle value
- A destination country with recognized title registration — Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, and Panama score well here
Temporary export is easier to approve than permanent export. If you are relocating for under 12 months and will keep the vehicle on tourist plates, say so in the request. Lenders read that as lower risk because the collateral returns.
Do not ship first and ask later
Removing financed collateral from the US without consent can trigger acceleration of the loan. That means the full balance becomes due immediately. It may also void your GAP coverage and expose you to a repossession claim you cannot practically defend from abroad.
The fastest clean path is paying off the loan. Once the balance clears, request the original title from the lender. Expect 10-20 business days for title release, longer in states that hold electronic titles.
Can you ship a leased car internationally?
Quick Answer: No, in most cases you cannot ship a leased car internationally. Standard US lease agreements from Toyota Financial, Honda Financial, Ford Credit, and similar lessors prohibit removing the vehicle from the United States or Canada. Violating that clause triggers default, repossession claims, and voided GAP coverage.
Open your lease and find the section titled "Use and Location" or "Geographic Restrictions." Export is normally listed as an express default event. Not a penalty — a default.
Rare exceptions exist. Some lessors approve short-term relocations to Canada or Mexico with written consent plus proof of foreign insurance. Ocean shipment to South America is a different category, and approvals there are close to nonexistent.
Lease buyout, then export
You pay the residual and become the titleholder. The lessor releases the title in 2 to 6 weeks. From that point the shipment is a routine owned-vehicle export with no lien letter required. This is the cleanest option for anyone relocating permanently.
Transfer or terminate
A lease transfer moves the contract to another US resident and ends your obligation. Early termination costs more but closes the file fast. Both options leave you buying a vehicle at destination instead of shipping one — often cheaper than a buyout on a high-residual lease.
The destination side matters too. DIAN in Colombia and SUNAT in Peru both require a clean title to register an imported vehicle. A lease agreement is not a title. Even if you somehow moved the car, you could not plate it legally.
What does the lienholder authorization letter need to say?
Quick Answer: A valid lien letter must be on bank letterhead, notarized, and state the VIN, borrower name, loan account number, destination country, and explicit permission to export the vehicle permanently or temporarily. CBP officers reject vague letters. Include the forwarder's name and expected sailing month to avoid a second round of requests.
Every field below is mandatory. Missing one sends the letter back.
- Full 17-digit VIN, plus year, make, and model
- Borrower legal name exactly as it appears on the loan
- Loan or account number
- Destination country and port of discharge
- Authorized shipper or freight forwarder name
- Explicit wording: permission to export permanently or temporarily
- Signature of an authorized bank officer plus notary seal
A call-center email will not clear the export port. CBP officers want letterhead and a notary stamp. Route your request in writing to the lender's title department or collateral department — not general customer service, which routinely misroutes these.
Pro Tip
Request three notarized originals, not one. CBP keeps one, your forwarder files one, and destination customs needs one for clearance. Most lenders charge $25-$75 for the letter and certified title copy, and issuing three at once costs the same as issuing one twice.
Allow 5 to 15 business days from request to receipt. Credit unions often deliver in under a week. National banks routinely take the full three weeks when the request bounces between departments.
What are the CBP requirements to export a financed vehicle?
Quick Answer: Per 19 CFR 192.2, CBP requires the vehicle title or a certified copy plus the lienholder letter submitted to the port of export at least 72 hours before departure. The forwarder also files the Electronic Export Information in AES to obtain an ITN, which must appear on the Bill of Lading.
Your export file needs six items. We assemble these for every financed unit moving through PortMiami.
- Submit the original title or a state-certified copy — not a photocopy.
- Attach the notarized lienholder authorization letter.
- Include the Bill of Sale showing purchase price and parties.
- Provide photo ID or passport for the exporter of record.
- File the EEI in AES to generate the ITN.
- Confirm the ITN appears on the ocean Bill of Lading before cut-off.
The 72-business-hour rule catches people out. A Friday vessel departure needs the file lodged by the prior Tuesday — not Thursday night. Weekends and federal holidays do not count toward the 72 hours.
CBP physically inspects the VIN. An officer compares the dash plate and door jamb plate against the title. Any mismatch — a transposed digit, a replaced dash panel — stops the export on the spot.
A hold means a rolled sailing
If the lien letter is missing or the VIN does not match, CBP places the vehicle on hold and pulls it from the loading list. Miami-to-LatAm services sail weekly. That is a 7-day delay minimum, plus terminal storage while you fix the file.
Documentation varies by corridor. For lane-specific paperwork and DIAN import requirements, review our Car Shipping Calculator: Miami to Colombia Rates & Costs 2026 guide before you request the lien letter — the destination country must be named correctly the first time.
How much does it cost to ship a financed car overseas in 2026?
Quick Answer: Expect $1,150-$3,900 in ocean freight from PortMiami in 2026, plus $150-$400 in documentation handling for lien processing. RoRo to Cartagena runs about $1,250-$1,650 with 7-10 day transit. An exclusive 20' container to Callao or Valparaíso reaches $2,900-$3,900 with 14-22 day transit.
Miami(USMIA)
Cartagena(COCTG)
Miami(USMIA)
Santo Domingo(DOHAI)
Miami(USMIA)
Valparaíso(CLVAP)
| Route from PortMiami | Method | Transit | 2026 rate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santo Domingo (DOHAI) | RoRo / shared | 4-6 days | USD $1,150–$1,500 |
| Cartagena (COCTG) | RoRo | 7-10 days | USD $1,250–$1,650 |
| Cartagena (COCTG) | Shared container | 8-12 days | USD $1,450–$1,900 |
| Callao (PECLL) | RoRo / 20' FCL | 14-18 days | USD $2,400–$3,200 |
| Valparaíso (CLVAP) | 20' FCL | 18-22 days | USD $2,900–$3,900 |
This is the only real cost difference between a financed export and a clean-title export. It covers file review, CBP submission of the lien letter, and coordination with the lender's title department.
Three add-ons surprise most first-time shippers:
- Lien documentation handling: $150-$400 per vehicle
- Notary and courier of original letters: $60-$120
- Marine cargo insurance: 1.5% to 2.5% of declared value
Central American lanes price differently again. For those corridors, compare our Car Shipping to Costa Rica Calculator: 2026 Rates and the Car Shipping El Salvador Calculator: Rates 2026, both of which reflect current 2026 sailing schedules.
One tax note for relocating employees: if your employer reimburses vehicle shipping as part of a move, the treatment of that payment is governed by IRS fringe benefit rules. Review IRS Publication 15-B (2026) with your tax advisor. AB Group Shipping is a freight forwarder, not a tax firm.
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Use the calculator above →How do you avoid the four most common financed-car export delays?
Quick Answer: Start the lien letter request 30 days before your target sailing, confirm the letter is notarized, verify the VIN on every document matches, and book a sailing at least two weeks out. Those four steps prevent roughly every rolled booking we see on financed vehicles in the Miami corridor.
Delay 1 — The lien letter arrives late
Lenders average 5 to 15 business days. Some take longer when the collateral department is backlogged. Request the letter before you book the vessel, not after. The booking is the easy part.
Delay 2 — The title copy is not certified
CBP needs a state-certified copy from the DMV, with a raised seal or official stamp. A scan printout or a photocopy of your wallet copy fails inspection. Order the certified copy the same week you request the lien letter.
Delay 3 — Destination mismatch on the letter
The lien letter names one country. If you re-route from Cartagena to Callao mid-booking, the letter is invalid. Confirm your final destination port before the lender drafts the document.
Delay 4 — An insurance gap at the border
Most US auto policies stop at the border. Your coverage does not follow the car onto a vessel. Arrange marine cargo insurance for the ocean leg and destination liability cover before arrival. Lenders often require proof of continuous coverage as a condition of the letter.
Pro Tip
Send the lender a pre-written draft of the authorization letter with your VIN, loan number, destination port, and forwarder name already filled in. Bank officers approve a completed draft far faster than they compose one. This single step often cuts a two-week wait to five days.
Financed collector and classic vehicles carry an extra step — appraised value documentation for both the lender and marine insurance. See the Classic Car Shipping Calculator: 2026 Rates from $1,850 for enclosed container options and declared-value handling.
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Use the calculator above →Frequently asked questions
No. CBP verifies the title against the VIN before export and will not release a vehicle with an active lien unless a notarized lienholder letter is on file. Attempting export without consent breaches your loan contract and can be treated as removing collateral, exposing you to acceleration of the loan and legal action.
Most US lenders issue a lien authorization letter in 5 to 15 business days once the request reaches their title or collateral department. Credit unions often move faster than national banks. Start the request at least 30 days before your target sailing so you do not miss the CBP 72-business-hour filing deadline.
Yes. Once you complete the lease buyout, you become the owner and the lessor releases the title, usually within 2 to 6 weeks. From that point the shipment is treated as a normal owned-vehicle export, with the original title or certified copy filed with CBP before departure.
No, the ocean freight is identical. The only added cost is documentation handling for the lien file, typically $150 to $400, plus notary and courier fees for the original letters. Rates from PortMiami still range from about $1,150 to $3,900 depending on destination and shipping method.
The vehicle is placed on hold and removed from the loading list, and your booking rolls to the next weekly sailing. You may also incur storage or terminal charges while the lien letter is obtained. In serious cases CBP can seize the vehicle under 19 CFR 192 for improper export documentation.
With thousands of vehicle shipments processed across the Miami-LatAm corridor, the pattern is consistent: the freight books easily, the lien letter decides your sailing date. Start the lender request 30 days out, then lock your rate. Use the shipping a financed car overseas calculator above to compare RoRo, shared container, and exclusive 20' FCL pricing for your exact route — real 2026 numbers in seconds, no email required and no follow-up calls.