FR-MKT · LEBANON · 21 Oct 2026
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Shipping a car from the USA to Lebanon (Beirut): costs, rules and timing
Sources checked 20 October 2026.
This guide follows a car from a US salvage auction yard to the Port of Beirut: the haul to a US port, RoRo or container, the US export paperwork, the sea time and what the port charges on arrival. Prices come only from public price pages, with the date we read them. They are published ranges, not quotes. Customs duty is covered in Lebanon car import tax, registration in Registering an imported car in Lebanon, and the full cost in Landed cost in Beirut.
Before you ship: can the car enter Lebanon?
- Age: trade.gov lists "passenger vehicles older than eight years" as a prohibited import (trade.gov, checked 20 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally). We couldn't find the Lebanese legal text. Treat it as a warning and check with your clearing agent.
- Damage: Lebanese press quotes Traffic Law Art. 348 as banning cars with structural impact damage, welding or joining, fire, flood or integrity-affecting corrosion, and half-cuts (grandlb.com, 29 Jul 2025, checked 20 Oct 2026). We haven't opened the law on an official site, and the dealers' association says enforcement is weak (Akhbar Al Yawm, checked 20 Oct 2026). What Art. 348 says, and how it's applied: Importing a damaged car to Lebanon. What each US title brand means: US salvage title types.
Step 1: from the auction yard to a US port
The car has to be trucked or towed from the yard to the export port or the forwarder's warehouse. Public price pages give (checked 20 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally):
- About $125–$1,075, depending mainly on distance (3 sources). One hauler's 2026 dispatch data puts the median at $175 under 100 miles and $650 over 1,200 miles, before its own dispatch fee (Y7 Logistics). Another page gives $250–$900 (AB Group Shipping). A Lebanon page gives examples from $200 to $1,075 (A1 Auto Transport).
- A car that doesn't run costs more to load. The same hauler adds $100–$300 for winch loading (Y7 Logistics).
- Ports that appear on the Lebanon price pages: New York/New Jersey, Boston, Providence, Wilmington, Baltimore, Norfolk, Savannah, Jacksonville, Miami, Houston, Galveston, Freeport, Los Angeles and Tacoma. There's no official list of "main" ports.
Step 2: US export paperwork (CBP's 72-hour rule and AES)
- Title: CBP requires the original certificate of title (or a certified copy) and two complete copies. A salvage title that is still in force is accepted, and junk or scrap certificates are covered too (CBP, checked 20 Oct 2026).
- 72 hours: for export by ship, the vehicle and its documents must be presented to CBP at least 72 hours before export (CBP; 19 CFR 192.2, checked 20 Oct 2026). Each port sets where to present them.
- AES: electronic export information must be filed for used vehicles regardless of value (15 CFR 30.2, checked 20 Oct 2026). Forwarders usually file it.
- Liens: if the car is leased or has a recorded lien, CBP also wants a signed letter from the lienholder allowing export (CBP, checked 20 Oct 2026).
Leaving the US legally isn't the same as being allowed into Lebanon. Check the title and damage first.
Step 3: RoRo or shared container (car shipping cost from USA to Lebanon)
- RoRo (roll-on/roll-off): the car is driven onto the ship. One shipper's page says RoRo only suits running vehicles, and non-runners go by container (BidGoDrive, checked 20 Oct 2026).
- Shared container: your car shares a container with others. It takes non-runners, but it may wait until the container is full.
- Own container (20ft or 40ft): costs most per car unless you fill it.
Published prices, US → Beirut, per car (public price pages, checked 20 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally):
| Method | Range | Number of sources |
|---|---|---|
| RoRo | $1,255–$1,700 | 2 |
| Shared container | $1,600–$2,800 East and Gulf coasts (Los Angeles: $3,600) | 3 |
| Own or whole 20ft/40ft container | $3,000–$7,000 (Los Angeles 40ft: $8,600) | 3 |
| Method not stated | $1,142–$3,800 (one page's examples via California: $4,600–$4,800) | 3 |
Public prices as shown on each shipper's site on 20 October 2026. Not a recommendation or endorsement. Prices change; get a written quote.
| Source | Method | Published price | What it says it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seaway Export (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Shared container | $1,800–$2,600 | "Indicative ranges from the U.S. East Coast", "confirmed at booking"; insurance not included unless confirmed in writing |
| Seaway Export (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Own 20ft / 40ft container | $3,000–$4,200 / $4,000–$5,600 | Same notes as above |
| Seaway Export (checked 20 Oct 2026) | RoRo | "Custom quote" (no price) | Page lists RoRo but publishes no RoRo rate |
| BR Logistics (checked 20 Oct 2026) | RoRo, port to port | from $1,255 (East Coast and Galveston, cars up to 650 cft); from $1,379–$1,479 (up to 899 cft); from $1,479 (Houston, Freeport) | "from" prices; says they exclude "additional or unforeseen costs" |
| BR Logistics (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Shared container | from $2,500 (NY/NJ, Baltimore); from $2,800 (Texas); from $3,600 (Los Angeles) | "from" prices |
| BR Logistics (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Whole 20ft / 40ft container | 20ft from $5,050 (NJ), $5,600 (Houston); 40ft from $6,600 (NJ), $7,000 (Houston), $8,600 (Los Angeles) | "from" prices |
| BR Logistics (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Method not stated (port table) | $1,642 (East Coast ports), $1,742 (Houston), $2,642 (Los Angeles), $3,642 (Washington, Tacoma) | The same page also gives an "average" of $1,142–$1,672 and a "starts at" price of $2,105 (see conflicts) |
| BidGoDrive (checked 20 Oct 2026) | RoRo / shared container / 40ft (to Beirut) | $1,300–$1,700 / $1,600–$2,100 / $3,200–$4,500 | US departure port not stated |
| All Transport Depot (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Method not stated ("planning range") | East Coast $1,500–$2,400; Gulf Coast $1,700–$2,600; West Coast $2,500–$3,500+ (inland + ocean) | "Planning ranges, not guaranteed tariffs"; before Lebanese customs, port, clearance, registration and local delivery |
| A1 Auto Transport (checked 20 Oct 2026) | Method not stated | $1,500–$3,800; ocean examples $1,900 (via New York) to $4,600–$4,800 (via California) | Page updated 22 Jul 2026. Import duty, port handling and clearance extra |
Few pages publish Lebanon prices at all: we found five, all from shippers or brokers selling the service, and only two give a RoRo price. One page gives four different figures for the same lane. Ask every forwarder what the price covers: port to port or door to port, loading, insurance and the charges in Beirut. FlipRadar has no deal with any of them and gets nothing from them.
Step 4: how long it takes to Beirut
Shipper pages give about 15–45 days at sea: 20–28 days from New York/New Jersey, 22–30 from Savannah and 27–35 from Houston on one page (Seaway); 15–28 days in another page's text and 25–30 days from East Coast and Gulf ports, 45 from the West Coast, in its port table (BR Logistics); 18–30 days, or 4–7 weeks door to door, on a third (A1 Auto Transport). All checked 20 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally. Add the haul to the port, the 72-hour CBP window, the wait for a shared container to fill, and customs in Beirut.
Step 5: arrival at the Port of Beirut
- Port dues (official): the Port of Beirut publishes $250 per piece for a used car under 3 tons cleared for local consumption with 9 days' storage, or $225 for direct delivery (Port of Beirut, Table 8, checked 20 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally).
- Declaration: imports are declared through an authorised customs clearance agent on the Single Customs Declaration, with the bill of lading, packing list and original purchase invoice (Ministry of Economy and Trade, citing Lebanese Customs, checked 20 Oct 2026).
- Duty: Lebanese Customs calculates duty on used cars from reference values, not your auction price (Lebanese Customs, checked 20 Oct 2026). How that works: Lebanon car import tax.
- Then registration: Registering an imported car in Lebanon. The wider rules are on Lebanon import rules.
Put it into the free calculator
The live max bid calculator is a free USD worksheet with no account: max bid = resale − repair − buyer fee − transport − title and registration − target profit. Put the yard-to-port haul, ocean freight, Port of Beirut dues and clearing fees into Transport, using the upper end of the range until you have a written quote. Duty, VAT and registration go into Title and registration. It has no customs fields and doesn't know Lebanon.
Want this inside the browser? The FlipRadar Chrome extension version with Market Profiles adds USD-first amounts with LBP alongside, landed cost at your port, a walk-away line, stop-flags for structural, flood and fire damage, and a warning for the 8-year age limit. It's in private beta and not in the Chrome Web Store. The private beta is free. To try it, email hello@theflipradar.com and ask for the private-beta extension.
FlipRadar is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any auction company, shipper, hauler, CBP, the Port of Beirut or Lebanese Customs. FlipRadar isn't a forwarder, broker or clearing agent.
Related guides: US salvage title types · Lebanon car import tax · Registering an imported car in Lebanon · Landed cost in Beirut · Lebanon import rules · all guides.
FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car from the USA to Lebanon?
On public price pages checked on 20 Oct 2026, RoRo from the US to Beirut runs about $1,255–$1,700 per car (2 sources) and a shared container about $1,600–$2,800 per car from the East and Gulf coasts (3 sources), with Los Angeles at $3,600. Pages that don't name a method give $1,142–$3,800. Getting the car from the auction yard to the port adds about $125–$1,075. Port of Beirut dues, clearing, duty, VAT and registration are extra. These are published ranges, not quotes. Estimate — confirm locally.
Is RoRo or a shared container better for a salvage car going to Beirut?
RoRo ships take cars that are driven on and off. One shipper's page says RoRo is only suitable for running vehicles and that non-running cars go by container (bidgodrive.com, checked 20 Oct 2026). Many salvage cars don't run, so check the condition before you book. Only 2 of the pages we read publish a RoRo price for Lebanon. Estimate — confirm locally.
What is CBP's 72-hour rule for exporting a car?
For a used vehicle exported by ship, US Customs and Border Protection requires the vehicle and its documents, including the original title or a certified copy plus two copies, to be presented at least 72 hours before export (cbp.gov and 19 CFR 192.2, checked 20 Oct 2026).
Do I need an AES filing to export a used car?
Yes. Electronic export information must be filed for used self-propelled vehicles regardless of value (15 CFR 30.2, checked 20 Oct 2026). It is filed through the Automated Export System, usually by the forwarder.
Can a car with a salvage title be shipped to Lebanon?
It can leave the US: CBP lists a salvage title that remains in force as an acceptable export document (cbp.gov, checked 20 Oct 2026). Getting into Lebanon is a separate question. Lebanese press quotes Traffic Law Art. 348 as banning cars with structural impact damage, welding or joining, fire, flood or integrity-affecting corrosion, and half-cuts (grandlb.com, checked 20 Oct 2026). We didn't open the law on an official site, and an industry body says enforcement is weak. Check the title types guide before you bid.
How long does shipping from the USA to Beirut take?
Shipper pages give about 15–45 days at sea: 20–28 days from New York/New Jersey, 22–30 from Savannah and 27–35 from Houston on one page, 15–28 days in the text and 25–45 days by port in the table of another, with the West Coast slowest (checked 20 Oct 2026). Export clearance, the wait for a shared container and customs in Beirut add time. Estimate — confirm locally.
What does the Port of Beirut charge for a used car?
The Port of Beirut's published port dues list $250 per piece for a used car under 3 tons cleared for local consumption with 9 days' storage, or $225 for direct delivery (portdebeyrouth.com, checked 20 Oct 2026). Clearing-agent fees, duty and VAT are separate. Estimate — confirm locally.
Is there an age limit for cars shipped to Lebanon?
The US government's trade.gov Lebanon page lists passenger vehicles older than eight years as a prohibited import (checked 20 Oct 2026). We couldn't find the Lebanese legal text. Treat it as a warning and check with your clearing agent before you book shipping.
Where does shipping go in the FlipRadar calculator?
In the Transport line. The free max bid calculator is a USD worksheet with no customs fields: add the yard-to-port haul, ocean freight, Port of Beirut dues and clearing fees there, and put duty, VAT and registration in Title and registration.
Sources
- CBP, Exporting a Motor Vehicle: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/export-docs/motor-vehicle (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- 19 CFR 192.2: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-19/chapter-I/part-192/section-192.2 (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- 15 CFR 30.2: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-B/chapter-I/part-30/subpart-A/section-30.2 (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Port of Beirut, Port dues: https://portdebeyrouth.com/en/Port%20dues (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Lebanese Customs, used-car duties: http://www.customs.gov.lb/Fees_Car.aspx (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Economy and Trade, import requirements: https://www.economy.gov.lb/en/services/support-to-smes/international-trade-for-smes (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- trade.gov, Lebanon prohibited imports: https://www.trade.gov/knowledge-product/lebanon-prohibited-restricted-imports (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Press: https://www.grandlb.com/society/126901/ · https://en.akhbaralyawm.com/news/189217/AIA:-Calls-to-enforce-law-against-unroadworthy-vehicle-imports (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Price pages (public prices, no endorsement), all checked 20 Oct 2026: https://www.seawayexport.com/destinations/shipping-to-lebanon · https://www.brlogistics.net/us/ship-car/to-lebanon/ · https://www.bidgodrive.com/help/international-shipping · https://alltransportdepot.com/ship-a-car-to-lebanon/ · https://www.a1autotransport.com/ship-car-to-lebanon/ · https://www.y7agency.com/auction-to-port-transport · https://www.abgroupshipping.com/blogs/en/international-car-shipping-calculator