Importing a Car to DR

[Robert]

I just received my dominican residency and I would like to send my car to the Dominican Republic. Two questions. First, how much it costs to have it shipped from New York or Miami and secondly, how much are the taxes (duties). I need your input and your experience.

Thank you very much.

 

[Gilles Durand]

08/28/00

Hi Robert,

cost to take your car from Miami or New-York will be about US$1,500.00. You should make sure that you own this car for over 3 years. To get full tax exoneration, your car should have 5 years old and not a luxury one like Cadillac or Mercedes. You must go through the Dominican consulate to make sure that you qualifiy for exoneration and even there you are not sure to get it free of taxes. Once the car is in Dominican Republic, you are trapped. You are at the mercy of the customs. They do not follow any chart or price list they pratically do what ever they want. You must always stay calm and polite with them. Once they have decide to give you a tax exoneration or not, you must comply with their decision. If you have any amount of money to pay, you have 6 months to clear this amount otherwise your car become their property and you cannot send it back your car to your country.

I have been through this and other people that I know and none of us would like to go through this again. You do not save any money. Cost of your car, cost of transportation and many trip to the government's office in Santo-Domingo at the end it become easier and cheaper to buy your car directly in DR. What it's worth is bringing a container of your personal effects, like furniture, computer, tv, stereo system, dishware etc. Once you have your residency, you have 6 months to bring your personnals things in the country free of taxes.

Good luck and welcome in the paradise.

Yours truly,

Gilles Durand

 

[Brenda]

I agree with Gilles, if your car is not at least 5 years old it will costs too much for taxes to bring it there. Shipping will be around $1000 and any shipping company should be able to tell you how much the tax will be. For example: in 1998 when I checked to ship my 1995 Hyundai, the shipping was $1,000 and the tax was $6,500. YUP that is not a mistake in typing! So if your going to check for costs I suggest you are sitting down when they give you the price. Good Luck and enjoy you time there.

 

[Sofy's B&B]

In full agreement with Gilles also.... you are better off to buy here as you will know the actual costs. Good luck and welcome to OUR island!!

 

[Lori]

I have shipped a container full of my personal belongings with a car and some farm equipment. Since my husband is still a resident of the DR we only had to pay minimal taxes on everything. I will tell you it was a headache and a half. You have to have a ton a patience to deal with this. Also if you are not in a hurry to get your car you can get the price to go down. We did have to wait 3 months for the car but all the personal belonging took about 20 days. The taxes for everything car and personal items was about US2000.00 and considering what I brought (fridge, 3 air conditioners, furniture and a huge milk tank for our farm along with a 88 jeep wrangler), I think it was worth the headache. It took us a couple of years to buy all of our furniture and appliances. Instead of starting for the begining we spent US$6500.

The first thing you need to do is go to the Dominican Consulate in your state. There they will charge you for some paper work this is what you need to get a break on the taxes.

By the way the container from Boston to DR was US$4500.00

Lori