Japan Used Car Import Duty / Regulation in Guatemala

• Year Restrictions

  Max. 10 Years Old

• Destination Port

  Puerto Quetzal

• Time of Shipment

  24-36 Days (RoRo)

• Vessel Schedule

  Less Than Bi-Monthly (RoRo)

• Shipping Line

  ----

• Inspection

  No Inspection Required

Shipping ports of used car at Guatemala:

Guatemala is a member of the Central American Dominican Republic United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), and as such it’s incredibly easy to find a port that offers shipping services to Guatemala. Aside from choosing the port you’d like to ship from, the biggest decision that you’ll have to make is your preferred shipping method.

The two major container ports in Guatemala are Puerto Quetzal and the Port of Santo Tomas de Castilla. The first of those two ports is located on the western coast of the country and makes an ideal arrival port for those shipping their used vehicles from Japan. The Port of Santo Tomas de Castilla is located on the eastern coast of Guatemala, south of Belize.

Importing a Used Vehicle:

Guatemala, a Central American country south of Mexico, is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites. Guatemalans are very much fond of Japanese used cars, as their superior quality made them so popular and also Japanese used cars are available within the couple of years of using, which are highly reliable and worthy to buy because one of the most major factor is they are cheaper and affordable. Before importing a used vehicle from Japan, an importer from Guatemala need to do homework in order to import smoothly into the country premises.

Documents Required:

• The process for clearing a used vehicle through Japan customs on its way to Guatemala is incredibly simple. You only need to make sure that you pay attention to timing and providing the right documentation in order to ensure that things proceed without a hitch.
• First, you’ll need to make sure that you have the used vehicle’s Original Certificate of Title. In addition to this, you’re going to need one of the following two options. First, you can get a certified copy of the Original Certificate of Title (which you can do through the DMV).
• Second, you can also secure two complete copies of the Certificate of Title. Once you have the above documentation, you will need to provide the above along with the vehicle to Japan customs at your chosen port of departure. Once Japan customs has your vehicle and documentation, they will do the following.
• First, they will verify that the documentation provided accurately reflects the vehicle. To do this, they will cross-reference the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) listed on the Certificate of Title with those printed on various components of the vehicle. Second, they will inspect the vehicle to ensure that there is no illegally stowed contraband.
• Provided that customs verifies your documentation and certifies that there is nothing illegal stowed away, your vehicle will then be cleared for shipping and loaded onto the ship.

Getting your used car through Guatemala Customs:

For clearing your used vehicle through Guatemalan customs is a relatively straightforward affair. Once the vehicle arrives in port, you will need to present the following documentation to customs authorities:

• Two (2) Original Copies of the Bill of Lading.
• An Original Copy of the Purchase Invoice and Two (2) Copies.
• The Original Certificate of Title.
• The Vehicle’s Original U.S. Registration.
• Your Passport (or the NIT of the Importer).
• A Report from a Certified Mechanic Attesting to the Vehicle’s Condition.

Note: The first four items on the above list will need to be notarized after being inspected by Guatemalan customs.

Duties and Taxes:

Used vehicle importers have to pay duties and taxes on used vehicles imported in the country. Taxes/duties range from 1% to 15% of CIF value plus 12% of VAT (Value Added Tax).

Exemption from duties/tax is given to diplomats and member of international missions provided their extension obtaining a diplomatic franchise for shipment release.