Quick answer: importing a used car into Dominican Republic means up to 5 years old from first registration, and expect Duty + ITBIS 18%.
Quick answer: importing a used car into Dominican Republic means up to 5 years old from first registration, and expect Duty + ITBIS 18%. Dominican Republic is a left-hand drive (LHD) market, so the steering side matters before you order. We confirm each car's age and duty position against Dominican Republic rules before you pay — not after.
Age limit: Dominican Republic caps imported used cars at 5 years from first registration. Units older than this face extra inspection or outright rejection at clearance, so we check the exact plate/registration date against your port rules before shipping. Always match your car's age to this limit first.
Import duty: expect Duty + ITBIS 18%. This is the headline cost on top of the FOB price and freight, and it is usually calculated on the CIF (cost + insurance + freight) value rather than the invoice price. Ask us for a worked CIF calculation for the exact car you want — we do this daily for Latin America buyers.
Steering side: Dominican Republic is a left-hand-drive (LHD) market, which matches the vast majority of cars we export from China directly — no conversion needed and no extra cost.
Clearance port: cars clear at Haina. We quote FOB China plus freight to this port, and can help coordinate your local clearing agent with the export document pack.
Regional note: Dominican Republic follows Latin America import practice — duty is assessed on the CIF value and age/emissions rules can vary by port. We keep a current reference for every market we ship to, so ask us for the latest figures rather than relying on older listings.
See our full Dominican Republic used car import guide for the complete duty, document and inspection checklist. Ready to start? Send us the model or VIN on WhatsApp and we will confirm the landed cost and age eligibility for Dominican Republic before you commit.
