How to bring your car to Cambodia

43645POSTS

9 years ago

Hello everybody,

If you exported your car to Cambodia, were there any formalities that needed to be completed beforehand? What were they?

What is the best way to export your car? Is there a limit on the number of vehicles, or perhaps the age of the vehicle? Are there limits on emissions or emission controls in Cambodia?

What are the expected costs of exporting a car? In your opinion, is it worth it?

Once you arrived in Cambodia, what were the applicable taxes? What was the customs process like?

How do you go about registering an imported car in Cambodia?

Is it best to buy a car once you have arrived or to bring your car with you, in your opinion?

We look forward to hearing from you!

Bhavna

2 members reacted to this post

The Cambodia expat guide

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Scottryan Active member

29POSTS

9 years ago

Hi,
My advice to you if you are importing a car in to Cambodia is 1.
Unless your car is a expencive one and you don't want to part with it don't do it,
You have the shipping fee, !
You have import duty of 15%
Re-registration fee
As far as the emissions in Cambodia they don't bother with it,
Customs clearance is slow
It is best in my experience as business importation company to sell your car if you are in Europe or USA, and if you don't want to buy one in Cambodia ( over priced new and used vehicles there) import one from China and use the huge savings you make and import one to Cambodia, by buying one from China you can save as much as 40 to 60 % on European and American prices.you could even lead the way in the environmental way by purchasing a full electric car to use there and save money and the environment, e.g.. full electric sports car from one of my suppliers at $ 29000. In Europe these go for $45000 , any advice please feel free to contact.
Regards
Mr William Scott - Ryan

1 member reacted to this post

sobensensokGH Active member

83POSTS

9 years ago

From what i heard, taxes are very high ( 200% ) so might not be worth it overall. Need to double check, will get back with accurate awnser.

Michael

Stan West Member

22POSTS

9 years ago

Ok, thanks for the useful information. It sounds like a huge mark up in taxes on imports.

woodhy Member

1POSTS

9 years ago

Dear Bhavna,

It was so nice to know you. Bhana is similar to Cambodia Sang Skrit word for Pheavnea=praying. Where are you know? And what country do you come from? Are you come from India?

1- Cambodia is driving on right hand side of the road meaning you must have the steering wheel in the car on left hand side or the dash board.

2- Car dealer in Cambodia usely import second hand or used car from USA and sell to the public.

3- If you bring your car to Cambodia the cost of shipping maybe as much as the cost of one car in Cambodia. Unless your car was a Rolls Roy, Bentley, Safari, Porch, 500 SLR Mercedez Ben then you have to bring your car to Cambodia with you.

4- You have to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to protect you to drive inside Cambodia. The Lorry, Truck, Busses driver drove badly in Cambodia especially in Capital city of Phnom Penh, they did not respect any law and orders, the police, top soldiers, government are very corrupted. Be careful and may God bless you

Regards,

Woodhy Chamron

2 members reacted to this post

thien63 Member

2POSTS

7 years ago

I would like to import electric car from China to Vietnam. What are the cost. I found 1 company selling micro 4 person electric car for $1400 each.

JoeKhmer Cambodia Expert

2177POSTS

7 years ago

Hello.

You are on the Cambodia forum, not China.

Please go to the China forum.

Good luck.

Joe
Cambodia expert
Expat. com team

1 member reacted to this post

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

does anybody know the rate of import duty on used cars and minibuses 12 to 15 seats ??? thanks everyone, Dave.

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#10

Are you serious, how can you bring your car with you when you import one on a container ship???? cheers a baffled Dave

Johnocorvette Active member

56POSTS

7 years ago

#11

Hi, import tax stands at 145% at the moment and is due to go up I the near future. And is due to go up. The government wants people to buy new vehicles and not gray important. I hope this helps.

John

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#12

Hi, John thanks for info 145% I'm looking at vehicle 7,000 US inc shipping so I make that 7.000 US plus 145% is that correct ?????

Johnocorvette Active member

56POSTS

7 years ago

#13

Yes I'm afraid so. Crazy right?

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#14

Really crazy but better than Thailand its 300% over there honestly who thinks of all this bullshit. I just hope Cambodia doesn't follow Thai visa regulations in the future. cheers Dave.

Peter Elmore New member

5POSTS

7 years ago

#15

Does this tax apply to all vehicles?
I was looking into buying an electric vehicle from China.
Any information would be most valuable.
Thank you.

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#16

Hi I have been told cars are 145% import duty + 10% tax are you saying import duty differs depending on which country its exported from?

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#17

Importing works on import tariffs (HS) codes for example clothes will have a different HS code to furniture and computers different to chemicals etc so it's getting the code for the product or products you wish to import. I contacted a Cambodian customs clearance company and they haven't answered basic questions which leaves me questioning why import something if I don't know what the duty will be. If I was in Cambodia I would go directly and talk to customs and talk to clearence agents face to face rather than email, I recon importing into Cambodia would work OK it's trying to figure out how it all works is the difficult part.

Peter Elmore New member

5POSTS

7 years ago

#18

Thanks for your reply David,
I was considering a small 2 seater electric vehicle, brand new from China. With some extras, (air cond) and maybe a few other necessary items, the cost is under $3500 USD.
+ the local taxes?
= out of reach to have a suitable vehicle for the hot weather and the wet season....
Thank you!! Cambodia.

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#19

Hi Peter, See no reason why you can't import your electric car, I do know electric vehicles come under a different HS commodity code to gasoline vehicles and seating is also a factor you have only 2 seats, you should be good to go, however I would go and see customs, they are there to help, cheers Dave.

Peter Elmore New member

5POSTS

7 years ago

#20

Hi Dave, I did spend time last night considering a lot of the factors I need to investigate, and yes, I will be seeking out the laws involved including the taxes. Even if the same taxes apply it would be good to share this information with others who may be considering importing a small electric vehicle.
Updates to come.
Cheers.

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#21

Hi Peter, a good idea to explore the facts and find out near exactly what's involved, you may have to provide height, width and length of the vehicle and also weight and power rating probably in KWs, like I said I think you will be fine but expect heavy import duty, cars I've been told are round about 145% + 10% tax you must pay the official rate. Look on the bright side everybody pays the same so once your vehicle is safely in Cambodia it will be worth the extra money you paid because it would now be valued higher inside Cambodia.
I'm told you will also require vehicle registration and number plates someone quoted its an all-day affair most of it waiting around for hours under the sun, sounds like an umbrella or decent hat job and some cool drinks and a packed lunch you would do well to take a Cambodian friend for the whole thing.

Peter Elmore New member

5POSTS

7 years ago

#22

Hi David,
Thank you for your reply, I have found out that the tax rate is much lower than expected and for a 2 seater electric vehicle with a 4Kw rating the price is quite minimal in regards to government charges. I also agree with you that the vehicle would be worth quite a lot more once landed and registered. I will continue to search for information as to whether the car is logged into the government system to enable it to be registered. This is my main concern...
A very good friend of mine imported a couple of motorbikes only to find out they cannot be registered in Cambodia because the government does not have them listed. (Which is typical of this country, way too easy to say, "we don't know," or, "cannot.")
I'll let you know the outcomes of my research.
Regards,
Peter.

david cooke Banned

42POSTS

7 years ago

#23

Hi Peter, that's good news low Duty Tax is set at 10% or so I'm told, all this we don't know and cannot is similar to Thailand in Thailand they never say I don't know instead they say cannot, just ask Thai which came first the chicken or the egg and they always choose one or the other its worked for me for over 30 yrs. honest lol

Bran Cai Member

2POSTS

6 years ago

#24

that's not correct, the duty fee is based on the age of your cars and the engine size, for example: year 2005, 2.0L car, custom duty is around 10000$*145%, then plus shipping charge, and other costing.

1 member reacted to this post

wrushton Member

1POSTS

5 years ago

#25

Hi can you email me at *** the contact details for your company along with email address for yourself.

Wayne

Moderated by Diksha 5 years ago
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Wobo Member

11POSTS

2 years ago

#26

that's not correct, the duty fee is based on the age of your cars and the engine size, for example: year 2005, 2.0L car, custom duty is around 10000$*145%, then plus shipping charge, and other costing.

-@Bran Cai

This is what I understood it as. Thanks Bran.

This thread is old so feel free to move me as a new question but I wanted to chime in and ask a few queries from you all about importing my car to Cambodia.

*Have the rules changed at all since the information posted here?

*How is rhe value of the car determined... As my car is Australian the cost was very high... do i need to use rhat price or is it compared to the USA market? If its based on the value of what I paid for it... can i just sell it in Aus to my relative for $1 and buy it back at a low but believanle price?

*Must all vehicles be converted to left hand steering column or are permits available?

(surely a lot of Thai vehicles (right hand steering) get driven around in country from time to time).

Thanks in advance.

1 member reacted to this post

toni345th Contributor

102POSTS

2 years ago

#27

With a right hand vechical you have a choice convert it sell it or scrap it, I do believe there was a ministry memo of right-hand vehicals and the government position in Cambodia, it's unlikely they will allow import of a right-hand drive vehicals, but you would be better to buy a new car in Cambodia, as tax and import costs would be very costly and will be what ever the ministry decides, in these situations talk to the ministry don't assume anything,

1 member reacted to this post

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

4561POSTS

2 years ago

#28

@Wobo

"Right-hand drive vehicles no longer allowed after June 2022 " (Link)

(Phnom Penh Post, 07 September 2021)

snippets from article:

"A senior official at the Council of Ministers warned owners of right-hand drive vehicles that they must change their vehicles over to left-hand drive by June, 2022, or risk having them seized and destroyed."

"Import tax and import duties on existing right-hand drive vehicles must be paid one last time, but the right-hand drive vehicles must be modified to comply with Cambodia’s road traffic laws. This permit is valid until the end of June 2022 and then all of the unmodified right-hand drive vehicles will be seized to be dismantled or destroyed."

"Anyone found to be involved with importing right-hand drive vehicles shall be punished according to the law in force."

"Kim Panha, the director of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, said he supported the ban on the import of right-hand drive vehicles, saying that they were already illegal to drive under current laws."

1 member reacted to this post

Wobo Member

11POSTS

2 years ago

#29

Thats good info thanks ppl.

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The Cambodia expat guide

Comprehensive and free

Read it now

Small Box Active member

29POSTS

2 years ago

#30

@woodhy I drive my hilux and 4runner everyday and no issues.im only scared in terrible weather at night when motorbikes are going the wrong side of the road straight at you with out headlights. *** worst case is if you have no registration no license and they have a road block. ***. I did get a speeding ticket once but it was only a few dollars on the way back from taking my family to ankor wat

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