Shipping Your Car to the Channel Islands
How to get your car to Jersey or Guernsey, what it costs to register once it lands, and how to avoid paying more duty than you need to.
DJS Moves plans removals from the UK mainland to Jersey and Guernsey, and the family car is one of the first things people ask about. Most bring it with them. The crossing is the easy part. The cost that catches people out comes afterwards, when the car is registered on the island, and the rules on each island are very different.
This guide covers both ways of getting the car across, the paperwork and fees on arrival, and real worked examples so you can decide whether bringing it is worth it.
Get a Free Removal Quote- Jersey registration deadlineImmediately
- Guernsey registration deadline14 days
- Jersey duty reliefYes, if you qualify
- Guernsey duty reliefNone
- Top speed, Jersey and Guernsey40mph and 35mph
Two ways to get your car across
Either you drive it onto the passenger ferry and travel with it, or it goes over as freight while you fly. Most families drive it on and use the boot for the last-minute essentials.
Drive it on yourself
DFDS sails to St Helier and Condor sails to St Peter Port, from Portsmouth and Poole.
- Car and two passengers to Jersey from about £171 one way, Portsmouth to St Helier, around 9 hours
- The faster Poole to Jersey route is seasonal and returns in April 2027
- Condor prices to Guernsey are shown when you book
- Book the right vehicle height: roof boxes and bike racks change the fare
Send it as freight
The car travels on a freight sailing and is collected on the island once it has cleared customs.
- Useful if you would rather fly or the sailings do not suit your dates
- Freight is priced on the space a vehicle takes up, so quotes are case by case
- Ask your removal company to include it with your household freight
- Do not pack belongings in the car unless they are declared
Before you leave the UK
- Check your car's CO2 figureIt decides the duty you pay on the island. You will find it on the V5C logbook.
- Gather the paperworkThe V5C, proof of purchase or a valuation, photo ID and your ferry booking.
- Talk to your insurerMost UK policies cover the Channel Islands and the crossing, but check the wording. Once you live there you will need a local policy.
- Book the crossing earlySummer and school holiday sailings fill up, and the faster routes do not run all year.
- Plan what goes in the bootKeep it to essentials and declare it. Furniture and boxes travel more safely with your removal.
Registering your car on each island
This is where the two islands part ways. Jersey charges more but gives relief to people moving house. Guernsey charges less, but everyone pays.
Register immediately if you are staying for more than a year. The car must clear customs first, then go for inspection and registration at Driver and Vehicle Standards.
| Charge | Cost |
|---|---|
| Inspection, UK type-approved car | £46.10 |
| Registration | £37.70 |
| GST on the car's value | 5% |
| Emissions duty, 101 to 125g CO2 | £464 |
| Emissions duty, 126 to 150g CO2 | £787 |
| Emissions duty, 151 to 175g CO2 | £1,650 |
| Fully electric | £0 |
Relief: GST and emissions duty are waived if you have lived off the island for 12 months, owned and used the car for six months, and keep it for at least a year. Claim online before or when you arrive.
New residents can drive on UK plates for up to 14 days, then the car must be registered. There is no import duty on a car from the UK, but First Registration Duty applies to everyone.
| Petrol or electric, CO2 | Duty |
|---|---|
| 0 to 110g (and electric) | £121 |
| 111 to 130g | £282 |
| 131 to 140g | £741 |
| 141 to 150g | £1,065 |
| 151 to 165g | £1,389 |
| 166 to 180g | £1,847 |
Size: cars 2.1m wide or more are measured, and anything over 2.31m wide needs a permit. Diesels reach each band at a lower CO2 figure.
What a typical family car costs to bring
Worked examples for a petrol estate car worth £15,000 producing 140g of CO2 per km, using the official 2026 rates. The ferry fare is extra.
Inspection and registration only, because GST and emissions duty are waived.
First Registration Duty for the 131 to 140g band, including the registration fee.
£787 emissions duty, around £789 GST, plus inspection and registration.
The lesson: if you are moving to Jersey, bring a car you have owned for at least six months and claim the relief. A newly bought car, or one sold within a year, can cost well over a thousand pounds to register.
Driving on the islands
Island roads are short, narrow and slow. A big car that suits the motorway can be hard work in the lanes.
Your licence and insurance
In Jersey, anyone moving for more than a year swaps their UK licence at the parish hall soon after arriving, and needs a Jersey licence and local insurance to register the car. In Guernsey, you have 12 months to exchange your licence, and your insurer issues a windscreen disc once you have the new registration number.
Keep your UK insurer informed throughout. Cover usually extends to the islands for the crossing and the first days, but it stops being the right policy once you are resident.
Moving the car and the house together?
Tell us what you are moving and which island you are heading to. DJS Moves will quote for the packing, freight, customs paperwork and delivery, and we can talk through how the car fits around your move.
Car questions we hear most
Is it worth taking my car to Jersey?
Usually yes, if you have owned it for six months or more and can claim relief, because registration then costs under £100. A newer purchase can cost over a thousand pounds in GST and emissions duty, so compare that with buying on the island.
Do I pay duty on my car in Guernsey?
There is no import duty on a car coming from the UK, but you pay First Registration Duty based on its CO2 emissions. It ranges from £121 for electric and low-emission cars to £2,853 for the highest band, and there is no relief for people moving.
How long can I drive on UK plates?
In Guernsey, up to 14 days after you arrive. In Jersey, residents staying more than a year must register straight away, once customs has cleared the car.
Can I fill the car with belongings?
You can carry personal items, but they must be declared to customs. Bulky items and furniture are better packed and sent with your removal, where they are protected and listed on the inventory.
Does my UK insurance cover the crossing?
Most UK policies treat the Channel Islands as within their territorial limits, including travel between them, but wording varies. Check with your insurer, and arrange local cover once you are resident.
Planning the rest of the move? Read the cost of moving to the Channel Islands, moving to Jersey from the UK and moving to Guernsey from the UK.