Dominican Republic

Before shipping your car to the Dominican Republic, there are a few things you need to know ahead of time. You can bring in a brand new car if you pay duty on it, but you cannot bring in a car older than seven years under any circumstance. No right-hand drive vehicles can be imported; only left-hand drive.

To find out the duty imposed on your vehicle, contact the Dominican Customs Office (809-688-7070 Ext. 289) and provide the vehicle's make, model, and year. They will inform you of the tax to be paid upon arrival. It is advisable to use a customs clearance agent and have all calculations done before bringing the car. The charge for using a customs broker is approximately 10,000 pesos (around US$310).

The shipping company will charge an average of US$2,000 for shipping a vehicle, depending on its size. This fee includes the consular letter and certification by the Dominican government. The vehicle will be shipped in a container for safety. Under Dominican Law 168, you cannot sell your vehicle for three years after importation. If you wish to import another vehicle, you must wait five years.

Collect all paperwork from the shipping company and send it to your customs broker to handle the initial processing. If you choose to handle it independently, you must purchase an interview permit for 300 pesos and submit the following items along with all relevant fees: the original certificate of title and registration, commercial/purchase invoice, driver's license, license plate, residence visa, Dominican consular invoice (original) stamped at the nearest Dominican Consulate, and copies of all original paperwork.

Only one vehicle is allowed for importation per person. For pre-owned vehicles, the car must have been in the owner's possession for at least one year before importation. The engine size on all imported vehicles is limited to six cylinders, and the importation of luxury vehicles is prohibited. Motorcycles are also subject to taxes and duties. The importer must be present in the Dominican Republic for customs clearance.

As a new resident, you can bring in a car at little or no duty if you have owned it for two years and it is less than seven years old. Customs no longer accepts paperwork on Tuesdays and Thursdays; new submission days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Be cautious when choosing shipping companies. Smaller, less organized companies may lead to delays and complications. It is recommended to use more reliable shipping companies and ship vehicles in containers, even if it costs an additional US$2,000.

The Dominican Republic has several ports suitable for car imports, including the Port of Santo Domingo, Haina Occidental Port, Multimodal Caucedo, and the Port of Puerto Plata. However, not all ports accept car imports. The ports that allow car imports are Santo Domingo, Rio Haina, Manzanillo, and Palenque.