Can Armored Vehicles Be Shipped Internationally?
Yes. Alpine Armoring ships armored vehicles to nearly 90 countries and prepares the export paperwork in-house. Ocean freight takes 30 to 90 days, air cargo 1 to 3 weeks, and United States ground delivery runs from same-day to one week.
Most vehicles cross the ocean inside 20ft and 40ft containers. Oversized platforms ship Roll On/Roll Off (RoRo) instead, because a SWAT truck or a cash-in-transit vehicle will not fit a standard container. Air freight is not limited to sedans and SUVs either: SWAT trucks and other oversized platforms fly on freighter aircraft when the timeline justifies the cost. Alpine Armoring's freight forwarders book the route, and the logistics team coordinates pickup and delivery at both ends. Depending on where the vehicle is built and its final destination, it can ship from many ports across the United States.
Most armored passenger vehicles classify as EAR99, and an EAR99 vehicle ships without a license to ordinary destinations. Three factors move a build out of that category: a GVWR above 10,000 pounds, four-wheel drive, and armoring at NIJ Level III or above. A vehicle that crosses those thresholds needs a Bureau of Industry and Security license, and the application carries Form BIS-711, the Statement by Ultimate Consignee and Purchaser, signed by the end user. Licenses take 2 to 6 weeks to issue, so start that clock early. Alpine Armoring screens every buyer against the Consolidated Screening List whatever the classification, because country and end-user restrictions apply to EAR99 shipments too.
Embassies, United Nations missions, NGOs, and foreign government fleets drive much of this volume, and each ships under the same process. Payment closes before the vehicle moves. A 50% deposit opens the order, and the balance falls due before shipping. On arrival, the buyer clears customs, pays local duties, and registers the vehicle, since import and registration rules vary by country. Freight is only the middle of the journey. How the vehicle reaches you covers the handover itself: carrier options, the coverage that starts at delivery, and what changes on the first drive. Ask Alpine Armoring for the ballistic documentation your customs broker will want before the container sails, not after it lands.