Buying a MotorCycle or Car...What are the requirements?

Registration - car related, done at DGII after you buy a car and pay about 8% car value in transfer tax and re-registration. Then, every year you have to pay RD$1200 or RD$2500 tax, depending on year the car was manufactured. You get a sticker you put on your windshield. This is done August-October every year. Several banks, plus DGII offices, plus online ordering. You must carry proof of registration (copy is OK) at all times. Do NOT leave original in the car, NEVER EVER, because possession of the original means having the car ownership. If car is stolen...then...

You also have to pay RD$45 revista tax (technical control) in Banco de Reservas. You get a receipt which you take to local OTTT office and get technical control done. Then you get another sticker you put on a windshield. If they have no stickers they do no technical controls and you will be advised to have the receipt on you (in the car) at all times.

Your DL is valid for as long as your tourist visa is valid. Some claim it is valid for up to 90 days. To be on the safe side, you can do immigration renewal at Migracion within the 3 days of your arrival paying the extension fee (about 15 USD) and getting an extension in your passport. In such case, your DL is valid for up to 90 days. You can also cross to Haiti and come back to "renew" your passport stamp. In most instances showing your DL is fine for a road check, but the issues may come up with insurance claim (see thread "Driving on suspended US license").

You can get insurance directly or from several insurance brokers. Full insurance is recommended, because it will cover both 3rd party and your vehicle. Also recommended is roadside assistance and Casa de Conductor (Hotel Jail for drivers) is a must. CDC means a difference in case of an accident spending days or weeks in crowded sweaty jail cell or being put up in "open space" hotel-like "restricted area" with A/C, TV, fridge, and access to barber, shops, etc. best insurance companies are Seguros Banreservas, Proseguros, Seguros BHD, Mapfre. The worst one is Pepin. If you deal via an insurance broker they will help you sort out the paperwork in case of an accident. The premium will be high (much higher than comparable insurance in the USA) and can be paid in 4 installments (by law, it can be and must be paid within 120 days of policy effective date). How you negotiate installments is up to you, if you get good broker you will not pay any interest on deferred payment. Beware, however, that any premiums due on your part will be deducted by the insurance company from the damage payout/settlement in case of an insurance claim.

Monumental is also a solid insurance company. And yes, Casa de Conductor is a MUST!!!!!

But all must be aware: if you are not a resident and have an accident while on an expired/overstayed tourist visa, no insurance company will pay for damages EVEN if you have insurance.

i bought a new loncin scooter this year.48,000 pesos out the door.all i needed was my passport and the electric bill.200 pesos for insurance for the year.dont know what good it will do if there's a accident but it keep the police off me when they try to pull their s***.

JDJones said:

Cobraboy,

I invite you to come to Santo Domingo, and visit Monumental's main office with me some day. Then I'll take you to La Colonials offices and introduce you to the vice president of Sales.

It took me 7 months to get a 5000 peso check out of Monumental, which required 4 personal visits at their request. When you see their offices, you'll start to understand why.

All of my dealings with Colonial have been resolved in a matter of days.

I'm not a big fan of Universal either, but I did have a fender bender once while insured with them.

I discovered at the time of the accident that my insurance was expired, and the agent told me to pay the premium right away, and she'd "take care" of my late payment. They also paid off within a couple of weeks.

Click to expand...

JD, I am personal friends with the Founder/CEO of Monumental. I sat in his office in Santiago just 2 weeks ago.

I understand how opinions vary, however.

I ahve dealt with health insureres and auto insurers and found them both hard to deal with. When you sign up they are all smiles but when it comes time to pay they are the devil to deal with. Theirs is a money making business and they hate to pay claims and will look for every possible way out. Favorite tactic is the stall for time in the hopes that you will give up. Whatever you buy you better lock it up real good while you are away.

We are planning on buying a vehicle. We had a independent mechanic inspect a vehicle (at RD$5000 I know we paid too much) and have settled on a price with the dealership. It was recommended by a friend that we have the title transferred and the whole process should be done by a lawyer/notary. The quote we got to do the paperwork on the contract and title transfer was RD$18000. This seems quite high.

We knew that we needed insurance, but the other issues of registration and revista tax have not been mentioned to me by others.

I am concerned about the expired tourist visa / void insurance issue, though. Does anyone have any direct experience with this? And is there a less costly way to do the title transfer?

Tx,

Colin:
When buying a vehicle you need to protect yourself before you exchange funds. A lawyer is necessary to draw up a contract. You also need a police report confirming that there are no problems with the car. I don't think your expired tourist visa has any effect on the cars registration. You generally have from now until the middle of Nov. to get a new reg. sticker. This is a yearly accurance. As far as insurance, go to a local agent in LT and talk them about your options. Your price for the lawyer to do your transaction is in line and do not try to do it another way. You want to be sure all your ducks are in a row when the paper work goes to motor vehicle in SD and the title is transferred to your name. That is the cost of buying a car in the DR.

S

Revista de veh?culos de motor

Es un requisito de la Ley 241 -67 que todo veh?culo de motor circulando en el pa?s debe someterse cada a?o a la correspondiente revisi?n de sus condiciones f?sicas y mec?nicas.

La revisi?n vehicular se realiza cada a?o en la sede central de la DGTT o en los puntos que se
habiliten para tal fin.

Las empresas con un parque vehicular considerable pueden hacer acuerdo con la DGTT para
efectuar la revisi?n en sus instalaciones.


Obtenci?n

Consiste en la obtenci?n del documento oficial que certifica las adecuadas condiciones del veh?culo para transitar por el territorio nacional.

?En que consiste el tr?mite?

Consiste en la obtenci?n del correspondiente marbete de revisi?n luego de haber demostrado que el veh?culo re?ne las condiciones adecuadas para circular en el tr?nsito del pa?s.

?D?nde se realiza?

En la sede central de la Direcci?n General de Tr?nsito Terrestre (DGTT) y sus regionales en el interior del pa?s, as? como, en los puntos que para tales fines se?ale la Instituci?n o aquellas empresas con las que se acuerde realizar la revisi?n en sus propias instalaciones.

?A quienes est? dirigido?

A todo ciudadano o empresa propietario de veh?culos de motor
Requisitos del Veh?culo

?Veh?culo en buenas condiciones de motor, carrocer?a y cristales.


?Espejos retrovisores y sistema de luces operando adecuadamente.


?Gomas apropiadas al veh?culo y en buen estado


?Control de emisi?n de gases (muffler) en buenas condiciones


?Goma de repuesto, gato y llave de rueda


?Botiqu?n, triangulo de seguridad y extintor. En veh?culos de carga adem?s lona protectora.
Documentos requeridos

Recibo del pago realizado en el Banco de Reservas por concepto de impuestos y servicios. Matricula y seguro vigentes del veh?culo.



who are they kidding....???
biggest joke of all..
are they for real...
who is checking all these cars,...
a blind men?????

Hi:

I am American and live in the DR about half the year. When you buy a vehicle you have to be sure of a couple of things. VERY IMPORTANT that you are dealing with a reputable person. First step is hire an attorney for the process. This is a MUST. This must be done in the DR. The attorney will draw valid contract between the buyer and seller. He will also take a copy of the title to the police and make sure the car is not stolen You will receive a report that will be brought to motor vehicle when transferring the title to your name. You will need to purchase valid insurance. Insurance coverage varies depending on how much coverage you want. Quite honestly for 6 weeks you would be far ahead to rent a bike When you add up all the costs of buying a vehicle and the cost to store the whole year it does not make sense to own for use of 6 weeks a year.

S