How to bring your car to Puerto Rico

43487POSTS

9 years ago

Hello everybody,

If you exported your car to Puerto Rico, 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 Puerto Rico?

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

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

How do you go about registering an imported car in Puerto Rico?

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

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motomataru Active member

49POSTS

9 years ago

We shipped our car from Chicago in a container. From what I recall, there were no formalities.

One must pay a fairly significant tax to pick up the car on this end -- a protectionist measure, I suspect, to the large dealership industry here. We decided it was still the cheapest way to have a car here. One warning: the PR car market/pricing is distinct from the US one -- I don't recall being able to find price data online for PR.

1 member reacted to this post

frogrock Serial expat

509POSTS

9 years ago

There was some great information on this topic in past discussions. Maybe someone on this forum can tell you where to look.

1 member reacted to this post

dblahusch Active member

31POSTS

9 years ago

can I ask which shipping company you used? I found out that Crowley no longer moves household items...only commercial.

SSABRINA6 Active member

36POSTS

9 years ago

I moved last week and had a phenominal experience with the car,the contents...not so much. I used ShipYourCar...Randle Ferrari was patient and helpful and I asked at least 1000 questions. My car as here 1 week after they picked it up in Dallas, so it beat me here! You only have 5 days to pick it up, so plan accordingly.

Its a convoluted process when you get here that will take 2 days to pay the taxes, pick it up, get the tags and inspection, but the Randle takes care of as much as they can at first. The department of habitation has a website that will estimate the taxes for you. Your cars will likely have to be n a clear title as the lender will to let it ship usually.

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Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

9 years ago

how do you pay the import tax? do they take a CC, check, need cash?

PattiAnn Member

22POSTS

9 years ago

What is Department of Habitation

bugbunkie Active member

38POSTS

9 years ago

The Office of Excise Tax website has an online form to estimate the tax.
In 2013 I bought a new truck for $24k. The estimated tax for my truck is estimated at $2838 based on an estimated value of my truck at $28,380. (More than I paid for the truck 4 years ago)

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BABY J Member

16POSTS

9 years ago

I used puertoricocartransport.com and it was painless. Pick-up in my driveway in Atlanta, and delivered to the port in San Juan.

3 members reacted to this post

SSABRINA6 Active member

36POSTS

9 years ago

#10

I paid with credit card. They do not take cash, not sure about US checks.

SSABRINA6 Active member

36POSTS

9 years ago

#11

It's like the Tax office. It's in old San Juan., about a 15 minute drive from the port.

Frankie1adrian Active member

79POSTS

9 years ago

#12

https://siscon.hacienda.gobierno.pr/Sis … 1Form.aspx

This link will take you to the Department of De Hacienda . It will tell you what your import tax will be.

khaecollins Member

11POSTS

8 years ago

#13

Were you able to find out how much it was to pick it up. Where can I look to find out this process. I have a old 2001 durango

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#14

See link provided by Frankie1adrian, enter your vehicle VIN and it will tell you the taxes. Transport is around 1200. you may want to consider buying one in PR instead of paying the transport and tax.

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Tseweam Active member

60POSTS

8 years ago

#15

I trying to figure out import tax on my 1930 ford model a. Tutor two door sedan. Doesn't list anything older then year 2000 to find tax. I did find my 2011 Honda insight price but doesn't list it for a 1930 car

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#16

Tseweam wrote:
I trying to figure out import tax on my 1930 ford model a. Tutor two door sedan. Doesn't list anything older then year 2000 to find tax. I did find my 2011 Honda insight price but doesn't list it for a 1930 car

You are going to have to call Hacienda (Treasury) in order to get the correct amount quoted and their phone navigation system is in Spanish which likely does not help.

I am still in the states so never had to use it, try hitting 0 and maybe a human will answer. Once you get a human they can transfer you to the right department.

Again you may have problems because of English, while in 1998 the government decided to add English as one of our Official languages, the reality is that not that many people speak English. Probably a 1/3 and that does not mean they are fluent.
Rey

1 member reacted to this post

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

8 years ago

#17

When I shipped my car, I had to do everything (and learn the process) AS I was doing it. No one was able to tell me exactly how everything worked beforehand.

I've explained the steps in detail elsewhere on this forum. Rey has probably organized a folder just on this topic and I'm sure you can find my step-by-step explanation in that.