Paying for a car in the USA safely
Money sent to the wrong person usually cannot be got back, so check the car and the seller before you pay.
On this page 8 sections
Most parts of an import can be put right if something goes wrong. A payment to the wrong person usually cannot, so nothing should leave your account until the car, the title and the seller have all been checked.
What to have before you pay
Before any money moves, you want three things in hand.
- A clean title in the seller's name. Front and back, no salvage, rebuilt or flood brand, and no lien. If a bank is listed as lienholder, the car cannot leave the US until the lien is released. Our guide to salvage and rebuilt titles explains the brands.
- A history report and an inspection. Both matched to the same VIN as the title. Checking a used US car covers each one.
- A yes from us. Send us the listing and we will tell you whether it is a car we can bring over. The can I import it tool gives you a quick first answer.
A dealer may ask for a deposit to hold a car. That is normal once the checks are done. Before then, it is money at risk on a car you have not checked. If the dealer wants it today or the car goes to someone else, walk away.
How to pay
For most buyers the sensible way to pay is a bank transfer. It is traceable but hard to reverse, so the checks come first. The US Federal Trade Commission puts it plainly: wiring money is like sending cash, and once it has gone you usually cannot get it back.
- Bank transfer to a dealer
- The usual route. Pay the business you are buying from, into an account in its name, after you have checked the dealer is real.
- Bank transfer to a private seller
- Only to the person named on the title. If the name on the account is different, stop and ask why.
- Escrow
- Can protect both sides, but only if it is a genuine service you chose. See the scams below.
- Gift cards, crypto, money transfer apps
- No. Nobody selling a real car needs to be paid this way.
Before you send anything, ring the dealer or seller on a number you found yourself, not one from the email, and read the account details back to them. An email saying the bank details have changed is a warning, even if it looks like it came from the right address.
The scams to know about
These scams rely on the buyer being a long way away and keen on the car.
- The fake seller. A car priced well under the going rate, a seller who is abroad, in the forces or in a hurry, and a reason you cannot see it or have it inspected. The FTC's warning signs are a rushed sale, no inspection allowed, and a VIN that does not match the car.
- The cloned dealer. A website copying a real dealer's name, logo, stock and photos, sometimes with the real dealer's good reviews behind it. Find the dealer's phone number yourself, from a source other than the website you were sent, and ring it.
- The fake escrow service. The seller suggests an escrow company that keeps your money safe until delivery. The site looks professional and the seller runs it. If you did not pick the service, do not use it.
- The fake shipping agent. Once you have paid, someone asks for more money for "shipping" or "transport". When we import your car, the shipping is part of our quote. Nobody else should be asking you for it.
Search the seller's name, phone number and email address with words like "scam", "complaint" or "review". It takes two minutes. If you have already paid and something feels wrong, ring your bank straight away.
If you did not choose the escrow service, do not use it.
Exchange rates
You are paying in dollars from a pound account, so the rate on the day you pay decides the real price, and the rate moves. A car that looked affordable when you found it can cost noticeably more by the time you pay, or less.
Before a large payment, compare your bank's rate and charges with a specialist currency provider. Whoever you use, check the total in pounds before you confirm, not just the fee. Then build a margin into your budget. The import cost calculator shows the rest of the bill, so you can see how much room there is.
Get a proper bill of sale
The bill of sale is your receipt, and we need it alongside the original title before the car can leave the US. It should show:
- the date and the price paid;
- the year, make, model and the full 17-character VIN;
- the names and addresses of the buyer and the seller;
- both signatures.
Make sure the price is the real one. It feeds the customs value at the UK end, and duty is 10% of that value, with VAT at 20% on top of the value and the duty. The customs guide explains how it is worked out, and US export paperwork covers what happens to the title and bill of sale next.
Sales tax
Sales tax in America is set by each state, and the rules for a car that is leaving the country are not the same everywhere. Some dealers will charge it, some may not, and the answer can depend on how the sale is documented. We are not going to guess on your behalf. Ask the dealer before you pay, get the answer in writing, and budget for it until you have that answer.
US sales tax is separate from UK import VAT. Paying one does not cancel the other.
Before you send the money
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Listing to us
We confirm we can import it and quote the whole job.
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Title checked
Clean, in the seller's name, no lien.
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History and inspection
Both done, both on the same VIN.
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Seller verified
Phone number found yourself, account in the seller's or dealer's name.
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Sales tax answered
In writing, from the dealer.
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Bill of sale agreed
Real price, full VIN, both signatures, handed over with the title.
Where we come in
The money for the car goes from you to the seller. We handle the parts either side of that payment: we look at the listing before you pay, tell you what paperwork to get, and once the car is paid for and released, we collect it, ship it and take it through UK customs and registration. The import checklist sets out every step, and buying a car in the USA covers choosing between dealers, private sellers and auctions.
If you have found a car, send it through the quote form before you pay. It costs nothing to ask, and it is a lot easier than fixing it afterwards.
Quick answers
Should I pay a deposit to hold a car?
Not until the title, the history report and the inspection all check out. A real seller can wait a day or two for that. If the deposit is needed today or the car goes, treat that as a reason to walk away.
Is a bank transfer safe?
It is traceable, which is why we suggest it, but once it has gone it is very hard to get back. Only send it to a dealer or a title owner you have checked, and confirm the account details by phone on a number you found yourself.
The seller wants to use an escrow company. Is that all right?
Only if you chose it. A fake escrow site is a known trick. If the seller insists on a service you have never heard of, find its details yourself, check who runs it, and if you cannot, do not use it.
Do I pay US sales tax on a car I am exporting?
It depends on the state and on how the sale is done, so ask the dealer before you pay. Budget for it until someone tells you in writing that it does not apply.
Can you help with paying the seller?
Send us the listing before you pay. We will check it is a car we can import, tell you what paperwork to get, and quote the whole job so you know the landed cost before any money moves.