Registering a vehicle in DR without residency.

Welcome to the forums.

Yes you can register a vehicle in your name without residency.

Do you truly understand the costs of Importing a vehicle without residency?

Thanks for your response.  I know I will need to register, tags, and insurance. My wife is also Dominican so we can leverage her residency or dual citizenship. 

This is my understanding: my understanding are as followed: please let me know if i missed anything from the below?

Taxes & Duties for Dominican Republic Car Shipping

If you are shipping a vehicle to Dominican Republic from the USA, your car will be subject to local customs duties including:

20% on the CIF value – (cost, insurance and freight). For vehicles fabricated in the USA this tax is 0%. Also, every vehicle which VIN# starts with 1 are made in USA. Vehicles with VIN# starting in 4 & 5 made in the USA will also be 0% However, not all brands apply for 0%. This will depend on origin of materials the parts used to manufacture the vehicle.
    Tax “ITBIS” – 18% from Vehicle CIF value. (For all Makes and models)

Shipping from Florida will be about $1,000 USD

Ok so you are not shipping as an expat, you are shipping as Dominicans. Totally different scenario!

I think a Dominican, 6 months out of the country.... gets a deal

Worth looking in to

Yes - shipping as a Dominican sound different. I hope someone has/can find precise info on this subject....

Cars here are only registered in one name. Our US title on our car was in both our names, so there was additional paperwork needed when it was registered here in just my husband's name.

If you're planning to import the car using your wife's residency, it might make the process easier if you have the US title in just her name. But I don't know if that would reset the clock for the one year of ownership that is required.

Great info!  THanks.

please remember that the one year of ownership is a little more than owning...it must also be registered and insured during the year. you cannot just buy it and put it in storage...

cruffman wrote:

please remember that the one year of ownership is a little more than owning...it must also be registered and insured during the year. you cannot just buy it and put it in storage...

Interesting - they never asked us for anything on the registration or insurance of our car in the US prior to import.

Nor me - it may be one those 'forgotten' rules

Yes call this guy  Alex (attorney) ***  His English is not perfect but he is good!

ddmcghee wrote:

cruffman wrote:

please remember that the one year of ownership is a little more than owning...it must also be registered and insured during the year. you cannot just buy it and put it in storage...

Interesting - they never asked us for anything on the registration or insurance of our car in the US prior to import.

Each importing experience of items into the DR can be unique.  Only general trends can be discerned.

anybody know what happens if you have your car les then a year

Pete & Susan wrote:

anybody know what happens if you have your car les then a year

You are likely to pay full import duties as if your not getting the break for new residents.

The tax import rate stipulates the one year of ownership....
And sale is restricted for 3 yrs...... no sale period

All set up to avoid scammers importing cars under dubious/false circumstances

I am sorry to reopen this discussion, but I have a similar question.  We have bought a house in Sosúa.  I am American, my wife is American/Nicaraguan.  We are getting ready to apply for residency and know this will take time.  For now we will use our home in Sosúa as a vacation home and our primary residence will be in the USA.  I would like to stop spending money on a Rental Vehicle, plus the hassle of hauling over little scratches every time we return the vehicle.  As a visitor, within my authorized period of stay, can I legally register a vehicle, as a tourist, that I purchase in the Dominican Republic.  Please leave it your opinions of vehicles, mechanics, new, used.  We will pay cash, we understand the culture, we embrace the way of life.  Shit happens everywhere.  Thank you in advance.  Please again, only the registration question.  We saw a video on line that says only Legal Residents may get vehicle registered.

Yes, I think you can own/register the car as a nonresident

Yes you can own and register in your name here.

Thank you!!!  Saw a video on YouTube by K Lo K.  Not promoting that channel.  There are just limited videos and information on the topic.  He said no vehicle registration if your a visitor.  On the other hand, he also said you can't purchase a vehicle in the Dominican Republic that is over 5 years old.  I do know that the 5 year rule only applies to imported vehicles.  So some sketchy info.

That's a load of misinformation

How much doses it cost for the matrícula is that the regration and the license  plates or are is that a separate fee and does that make ownership of the car and title ?, i was quoted like $42,000 pesos for a Gringo