Shipping a Car from the US to the Dominican Republic

Are you a national of the Dominican Republic or a US citizen who intend to make the country your permanent residence? If you are considering shipping your car into the Caribbean nation, you should be warned that purchasing a brand new vehicle when you get there would be a much simpler and easier alternative.

But you might want to bring your own car as you move to the country. Or you may have a preference to a certain brand or model that may not be available in any local car dealership. Thus, you need to know and understand the customs regulations in the Dominican Republic that you should adhere to.

The process of shipping a car from the US to the Dominican Republic could be painstaking and costly, depending on the circumstance. It is advisable that you keep your patience when undergoing necessary procedures and securing required permits and documentations.

First, be informed that you must own the vehicle for more than a year before you would be allowed to bring it to the country from the US. The car must also not be more than five years old. For a brand new car, you would be required to shoulder a significant cost for duty.

Vehicle importation legislation
Dominican Republic implements Law 168, which is the specific importation or shipping law for vehicles. Under the legislation, you would be allowed to bring just a single personal car within the next five years. This would entitle you to a discounted car importation tax. (Discounts would depend on the duration of your ownership of the car.) Only after that period would you be allowed to import another car again from the US.

The car should be within a specified size of not bigger than 2,000 cc, containing no more than six cylinders. Importing or shipping luxury cars is much more tedious, if not impossible. As the registered owner of the vehicle, you must be physically present at the Dominican Republic customs office to receive it by the time it reaches the country.

The process
The shipping or importation process begins in the US. You are required to obtain an original title of the car duly certified by the US Department of Motor Vehicles. That document should then be verified by a Dominican Consulate nearest your US address. Of course, other documentary requirements are necessary like license plates, your original driver’s license, a residence visa, your valid passport and an original stamped Consular invoice.

When you get to the Dominican Republic (ideally before the car is shipped or delivered), you are expected to prepare the necessary costs for tax and shipment fees (around $2,500 to $5,000 or 94,400 pesos to 188,750 pesos depending on the make and model of the car). You are set to get in touch with the local customs office to provide basic information about the vehicle. To spare yourself from much legwork, it is advisable to hire a reputable and reliable customs clearance agent.

Lastly, be sure to prepare and obtain all required documentations before you import or ship your car and before you move to the Dominican Republic. As always, shipping or importing your personal car from the US to the country would be easy and hassle-free if you would follow the right and prescribed process.