IMPORTING VEHICLES INTO BARBADOS

MOTOR VEHICLE IMPORTS

Documents Required

  • Import permit
  • Owner’s log book
  • Proof of payment
  • Proof of ownership
  • Proof of insurance
  • Commercial invoice (new vehicles)
  • Import license
  • Specifications of the vehicle (taken care of by your shipping company)
  • OBL  (bill of lading)

Specific Information

  • If the owner of the goods is a diplomat, no restrictions apply on the import of motor vehicles and import is free of all customary applicable import duties and taxes.
  • For non-diplomats and foreigners, an imported vehicle must be less than 4 years old, with an odometer reading of 50,000 kilometers or less.
  • Returning nationals are now allowed to purchase a vehicle duty-free from a local car dealer in Barbados.
    • In such cases payment in full must be made via wire transfer from their overseas bank account directly to the local car dealer in question.
    • The requirements for accessing this duty free benefit are:
      • The applicant must be a Barbadian citizen
      • Must have spent at least the last 10 years living abroad
      • Must be returning home permanently
      • Must be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as being eligible
      • The vehicle must be paid for in full
      • Payment must be by funds directly transmitted from an overseas account bearing the name of the networker or their legal spouse and sent directly to the car dealer
  • Returning nationals are allowed 1 vehicle per household
  • Barbadians returning home who however prefer to import  their existing vehicle, or another vehicle of their choice, subject to certain regulations, will still continue  to be accorded the duty-free status for the vehicle, also on the basis of one vehicle per household
  • Boats must not be shipped until the import license has been approved.
  • The owner of the goods should apply for an import license prior to vehicle import.
  • Customs clearance generally takes a minimum of 4 days.
  • The rates of duty on motor vehicles are outlined below:
    • Import duty of approximately 45% on all cars
    • Environmental levy:
      • $ 4,000.00 per used vehicle
      • $ 300.00 per new vehicle
    • Value added tax 17.5%
    • Port FAS charge
    • Excise tax as follows:
      • For motor vehicles falling under H.S. Heading 87.03 whose engine capacity is 1800 cc or more and have a chargeable value exceeding $45,000, the rate is approximately 120%.
      • Motor vehicles for the transport of goods (H.S. No. 87.04) will be taxed as follows:
        • Where the gross vehicle weight does not exceed 5 tons and the chargeable value does not exceed $45,000, the rate of excise tax is approximately 62.77%.
        • Where the gross vehicle weight does not exceed 5 tons and the chargeable value exceeds $45,000, the rate of excise tax is approximately 80.16%.
        • Where the gross vehicle weight exceeds 5 tons, the rate of excise tax is 10%.
      • The base for the new tax measures would be on gross vehicle weight (gvw) which is in consonance with the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding system (H.S.).

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