Moving Household Goods to D.R.

rendul

Bronze
Feb 24, 2002
623
11
18
rendul.tripod.com
Recently my husband and I purchased a villa in Cabarete for our personal and family use. We had alot of excess household goods at our house in Canada from a previous sale of a cottage. Most of the goods were used, like bedding and a microwave, etc. and there were some new items as well. We boxed these goods and sent them via an overseas courier service, all prepaid. We had arranged for a friend to pick up the boxes (5) at the Puerto Plata airport and to rent a truck. The declared value of the goods was $250.00 Canadian, and we provided lists of all the contents in the boxes and indicated whether they were used or new. To clear these boxes at the airport through customs, we are being charged close to 5000.00 Dominican pesos. Twice the value of the cargo. I feel this is completely arbitrary and the people at the airport decide their own rates. Can someone tell me what the import taxes and duty are for moving personal belongings and household goods to the D.R.? Any information would be great and when I go down there this weekend, I may go to the airport and have it out with them!!!
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
3,562
298
83
taxes

Rendul, I can sympathize with you. Yes, Customs is being arbitrary with you and yes they decide their own rates. It is something you are going to have to get used to in the country. To find any recent and published duty tafiffs and tax rates will cost you more in the search for them than if you pay the amount they set for you to clear the goods. If you wanted to contest the duty you would have to go to the Capital to do it, an added cost and a delay of your receipt of goods. It is a mind-set government employees have, they do not serve the public, they serve the party. Your having it out with them will do you no good. It will fall on deaf ears, and that probably even delay your receiving the goods or even your finding them intact. Unless you or your partner are Dominican or know somebody who may give you a reduction. it is you best bet to pay the duties and chalk it up for experience. Good luck.! Regards, PJT
 

Drake

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
667
23
18
DR Customs

The only way to get a good deal passing goods through customs is to have contacts. It is sad but true. You need to associate with a person or company that regularly imports. If you go as an unknown individual you will probably pay twice the value of the product. Importing goods here is big business and is the largest tax income for the government second only to fossil fuel taxes.
 

Jan

Bronze
Jan 3, 2002
1,802
473
83
64
Santo Domingo Este
www.colonialzone-dr.com
I sent one box to myself here from USA. It had my 2 year old fax machine in it. I used PO Box,they are a mail business that ships from Miami and they are at the airport to see your stuff through customs. The box cost me $50 to bring here...it was 50lbs. And then another $50 for the fax machine. They said it was new and I needed a reciept for it. There was no reciept, But I dealt with the lady from the PO Box place and she dealt with the customs people. At least it was finally proved that the machine was used...the printer was half used!
I don{t know the best way to get goods here but they seemed to be the cheapest so far in my quest. And they deal with customs.
 

lhtown

Member
Jan 8, 2002
377
0
16
Not always

Dolores said:
The best way to import household goods is to get your residence papers first. Then it is hassle free and cost free. See http://dr1.com/living/settling/9.shtml

Otherwise, I do recommend that you go in person and argue your case, that the items are used.

It is true that you are entitled to a tax exemtion for a personal move here under certain normal conditions. I would certainly not expect it to be trouble free. I moved a 20' container here about six months ago under the exemption. For me, it would have been cheaper and much faster to have paid the taxes. My situation was not normal, but neither was it your worst nightmare. Either way, finding someone who knows the ropes to help you can make all the difference.
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
38
www.dominicancooking.com
Originally posted by rendul
To clear these boxes at the airport through customs, we are being charged close to 5000.00 Dominican pesos.

Did you use the service of a broker? If so, pls. explain if this price includes the broker's honorary.

I am in the business and although we only carry personal items in some special cases I usually advice customers to buy their things here, it will save us both a headache. Customs is bound (supposedly) to accept the value that you declared, if they don't you can argue your case all the way to the "Tribunal Contencioso", but that it will take months and probably won't solve anything. A good customs broker (if you used one) can tell you the best way to go now if you've decided that you don't want to pay it.
 

Dieu

New member
Mar 3, 2002
5
0
0
Rendul?

Juste un petit mot pour te dire qu'il n'est peut-?tre pas tr?s utile d'emporter tes appareils m?nagers l?-bas. Qu'en penses-tu?