How Do I Export a Car From UK to Malaysia? | GVE London – Blog

One can make an entire case for why globalisation has immensely contributed to the world’s connectivity and economy, but as car enthusiasts, we’re just happy we can access different cars from across the world. If you’re thinking of exporting a car from the UK to Malaysia, it is no longer an absolutely impossible task but actually fairly doable—with the right plan of action, of course. That is going to be the topic of this blog.

Import Conditions and Requirements

First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room: yes, it is indeed a fairly expensive procedure to import a car into Malaysia. This isn’t particularly an issue when simply exporting cars from the UK, but it shows why mostly it’s the high-end cars that are imported by Malaysian people. They have a deep love for automobiles, so it’s no surprise, really. Despite import duties often being much more than the car’s value itself, it becomes a bit of a niche market.

Now, one must understand that Malaysia has strict rules on vehicle imports, especially for used cars. You can’t just bring in any car; it has to meet specific criteria:

• Right-hand drive only – Left-hand drive cars are not allowed.
• No older than five years – The age of the vehicle is determined from the date of manufacture.
• Personal use only – You must own the car for at least three years before exporting it, and you can’t sell it once it’s in Malaysia.
• Import permit required – You’ll need an Approved Permit (AP) from Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

As for the documents you will need, they include:

• V5C registration certificate (logbook) – This proves ownership and vehicle details. You must also inform the DVLA that the car is being shipped so they can cancel road tax on it.
• A commercial invoice – This includes information like the car’s value, details of the parties involved (buyer and seller), as well as sales terms.
• Export Declaration (C88 form) – Submitted via the UK’s National Export System (NES). HMRC uses this to confirm legal export.
• Certificate of Conformity – Issued by the manufacturer, confirming that the car meets Euro 4 emissions standards, as required by Malaysian law.
• Bill of Lading – Provided by the shipping company.
• Marine insurance – Required to cover the vehicle during transit.
• Import Permit – Required for commercial imports (e.g., luxury car exports to a supercar showroom).
• For modified vehicles – Approval from SIRIM QAS (Malaysia’s standards authority) is required.

Read Also: Top 10 Tips for Hassle-Free Car Imports From the UK

The Car Shipping Process

Once the important—but admittedly tedious—task of sorting out all the paperwork is complete, the next step is shipping. Primarily, there are two main options one can realistically opt for:

Container Shipping

This is the safest way to transport a luxury car, except for air freight, which is reserved for ultra-rare cars and time-sensitive deals. Here, your car is packed into a shipping container, protecting it from the elements and other potential damage. For some extra cash, the container can also be climate-controlled. It is more expensive than our second option, but as a supercar showroom like GVE London who often deals with luxury car export, we always recommend it for high-end cars.

Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) Shipping

RoRo shipping is cheap and fast, but the major issue here is that it’s almost like rolling dice. The cars are rolled onto the deck, secured in place, and rolled off at their destination. During this entire period, they’re left exposed to weather conditions, which naturally increases the risk of minor damage.

Final Thoughts

Exporting a car from the UK to Malaysia takes time, money, planning, and a lot of patience. Things can always go a little south, so one has to stay active throughout the process. You can bypass this entire headache by contacting a trade showroom like ours. We at GVE London have dealt with luxury car exports across the globe and can assist you with the same. Furthermore, being enthusiasts, we not only perform the usual repairs and service but can work on customisation, modifications and detailing as well. To know more, hop on a call with us today!