Shipping Your Car from Florida to Puerto Rico

 
When you ship a car to Puerto Rico, your vehicle will always be shipped from the port of Florida to the port of San Juan on a Ro/Ro cargo ship. These ships are cargo ships that have enough space to carry cars, as well as the ability to have cars driven onto and off of them for ease of loading and unloading. Before arriving at the port in Florida, your car will be shipped on the ground on a car carrier truck. Once your car reaches the port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, you will need to pick your car up there since there is, unfortunately, no possibility of complete door-to-door car shipping along this route. So, you can have your car shipped from anywhere in the United States to the port at San Juan in Puerto Rico as nationwide pickup is always available.
 

Picking your vehicle up at the port

 
The port of San Juan is where you must pick your car up when it arrives in Puerto Rico. When the vehicle arrives, it will be processed and then stored. The information regarding address, hours of operation, and fees are as follows:
 

San Juan port address, hours of operation and fees

 
You will also need to bring the following with you to the port of San Juan to have your car released to you:

• Social security card




• License




• Your car shipment’s booking info/number – it is best to bring what your auto transport driver gave you when they picked the car up




• Cash for payment of applicable fees such as storage (cards might be accepted, but cash always will be, checks are generally not accepted)




• Confirmation of payment of the excise tax. You will pay the excise tax before you officially pick your car up. You must visit the port office after your car has been dropped off and processed and get your excise tax bill. You can then pay online here. Once you have paid the bill, print your confirmation and bring it when you officially go to the port to pick up your car.

 
Finally, in addition to the applicable transaction and storage fees, you must pay what is known as an “excise tax” when you pick your car up. An excise tax is a tax that is placed on imported goods to encourage the purchase of goods made in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, automobiles are not exempt from this. This tax will not be included in the cost of your car shipment because you must pay it yourself and in person when you pick your vehicle up at the port. Determining the overall current worth of your car also takes place when it arrives at the port in San Juan; thus, car shippers are precluded from working this into the price of shipping beforehand.
 
In Puerto Rico in 2023, the applicable excise tax is approximately 12% of the value of the imported item. So, let’s say your vehicle is currently worth $8,000. The excise tax you would pay when you pick up your car at the San Juan port would total $960. That may seem pricey, but when you realize that the average price to rent a car is $50 per day or even slightly higher, that is an investment that will help you save in the long term. It will obviously also be much more affordable than buying a new or used car when you arrive.
 

How much does it cost to ship a car to Puerto Rico in 2023?

 
Generally, most car shipments to Puerto Rico will cost between $1,500 and $3,500, with some exceptions that are a bit lower or higher than that range. The cost of shipping a car to Puerto Rico along any given route will fluctuate throughout the year as the factors determining this price fluctuate.
 
Here are some prices for shipping a car to Puerto Rico on popular routes in 2023:
 

How long does it take to ship a car to Puerto Rico?

 
Shipping a car to Puerto Rico can take anywhere from 4 days to 3 weeks. The actual transit time of a specific shipment will depend on the following:

• The total distance of the shipment – The further that you are shipping a car to Puerto Rico, the longer it will take.




• The time of year – If you are shipping a vehicle to Puerto Rico during a busier time of the year, such as in July, your shipment could take a few more days than if you had shipped in February.




• Weather and traffic along the transit route – Part of your car shipment to Puerto Rico will take place on the ground on an auto carrier truck. Your shipment could take longer if there is a high traffic volume along this route. Your shipment could also take longer than expected if there is inclement weather along any portion of your shipment’s transport route, including when the vehicle is on the cargo ship.

The following are some expected transit times along popular vehicle transport routes to Puerto Rico:
 

Puerto Rico car shipping advice

 
Whether it’s a higher price than you can afford or your car not being ready to be placed on an auto carrier, you will not want any unwelcome surprises when shipping your car to San Juan. Use the following advice to keep your cost to ship as low as possible and to ensure that your car is ready to be shipped:
 

Saving money on your Puerto Rican car shipment

 
If one of your primary concerns is keeping the cost of your Puerto Rican car shipment as low as possible, you can easily save some money with the right planning and selecting the right options when booking your shipment. First, you should do your best to ship during the least busy times for car shippers. The busiest times of the year for vehicle transporters are during the summer (From May through September) and during the holiday seasons through the end of January. So, if savings are important, the prime time to ship your car to Puerto Rico would be in October or February.
 
You should also choose to ship your vehicle on an open-air car carrier without selecting to top-load it for the ground portion of its transport. This can help you save several hundred dollars because premium options for car transport on an auto carrier, such as enclosed transport, will always tack on an additional $300 to $700 depending on the specific details of a particular shipment.
 
It is also typically a bit more inexpensive to ship a car to Puerto Rico when you give your auto transporter at least a month’s notice of your shipment. So, plan and officially book your car shipment at least four weeks before your preferred pickup date.
 

Preparing to ship a car to Puerto Rico

 
When you elect to have a car shipped to Puerto Rico, the vast majority of the process will be taken care of by your vehicle shipper. However, there will be an hour or two of prep work for you to complete before the arrival of your auto transport driver. You will have to get the outside of your car cleaned, take any personal belongings out of the car, and you will need to ensure there is only about a quarter of a tank of gas in the car.
 
Getting the exterior of the car that you are shipping is necessary because the driver that arrives to pick your vehicle up for shipping is not allowed to load the car onto the carrier and start the shipment until they check the outside of the car for any sort of scratches or dents that exist before the start of the shipment. This is done for car shipping coverage purposes so that false damage claims cannot be successfully filed after the completed shipment.
 
Removing your personal belongings from the car is necessary because these things will not be covered fully or even partially if they incur damage during the shipment. This includes anything such as sunglasses, phone charging cables, or gloves. As a general rule of thumb, if it is not attached to the car and/or potentially necessary to the operation of the car, take it out before shipping. An example of something you should leave in the car would be the owner’s manual, as that could be necessary for your driver to operate your car.
 
Finally, having a quarter tank of gas in your car will prevent your car from being disqualified for shipping on the cargo ship. Fire regulations stipulate that any vehicle with more than a quarter tank of gasoline cannot be shipped as it is considered a fire hazard. However, do not leave too much less than a quarter tank of fuel in your vehicle when shipping it to Puerto Rico because it will still need to be driven on and off of the car carrier truck and the Ro/Ro cargo ship. When you pick it up, you will also need enough gas to drive it away from the port.
 

Conclusion

 
Shipping a car to Puerto Rico can make life a lot easier as public transportation options are limited outside of areas such as San Juan. Even available ride-shares are noticeably sparser than they are in the United States. For example, you will only get Uber rides in San Juan and Ponce. Renting a car is an option, but one that will get expensive very quickly at an average price of about $50 per day. When you ship a vehicle to Puerto Rico from the United States, your car will always be shipped on the ground on a car carrier truck until it reaches the port in Jacksonville, Florida; from there, it will ship to the port at San Juan on a cargo ship. Unfortunately, there are no options to transport a vehicle anywhere from the Port of San Juan, so you will have to pick your car up there. When you pick your car up at the port, be sure to bring the right documents and cash for any applicable fees.
 

FAQ

Can I ship anything else in my car as it is transported to Puerto Rico?

 
No, unfortunately you will not be permitted to ship anything in your vehicle as it is transported to Puerto Rico. All personal belongings must be removed from your car prior to shipping.
 

Can I ship my car anywhere in Puerto Rico?

 
Currently, it is only possible to ship vehicles to the port of San Juan in Puerto Rico. This is because port regulations mandate that you pick up your vehicle to prove your identity and ownership of the car. San Juan is also the only port in Puerto Rico capable of receiving and storing vehicle shipments at this time.
 

Can you pick my car up at my home in the United States for shipping to Puerto Rico?

 
Yes, nationwide pickup is available for all shipments departing at an address in the continental United States . The only exception will be if your home is on a road where a car carrier truck would not be physically capable of entering or if local law prohibits trucks/vehicles of a certain size from driving on that road or a road leading to it. If this is the case, your auto transporter will arrange a close-by pickup location where you can both meet to facilitate the start of your shipment. This will always be done during the booking of your shipment.