Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 9. Trade and customs › Trade with Haiti from the Dominican Republic: border rules and transit

Trade with Haiti from the Dominican Republic: border rules and transit

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

Haiti is a major neighbor market reached through land crossings under normal customs law. Land exports need a declaration 48 hours ahead, with a simplified path for border market sales, and each truck or container pays a crossing fee. Transit rules on both sides change often, so confirm before shipping.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.8594 per US dollar for 28 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date and the rate Aduanas lists for 29 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Land export declaration lead time	48 hoursLey 168-21 art. 200, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Crossing fee, truck	700 DOPNorma General 01-2023, as of 2024-01-02 · in force
Crossing fee, container	1000 DOPNorma General 01-2023, as of 2024-01-02 · in force

The rule

1. Land exports need a declaration at least 48 hours before crossing, except for border market sales, where Aduanas sets a simplified declaration.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 200 paragraph II, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Land exports are dispatched when the vehicle clears the last Dominican customs control.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 196, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Goods entering by land are controlled by the customs office at the crossing. Goods going to another country's customs present a general manifest, and unsealed loads are checked and listed.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 164, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. International transit is the passage of foreign goods across the country on a route that starts and ends abroad. It is free of duties, except transport and administrative charges for services.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 290, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Transit goods touching a Dominican port must be manifested as such from loading, can be nationalized on request, and are inspected on risk grounds.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 291 to art. 293, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Goods in transit that are diverted can be treated as contraband.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 341 numerals 6 and 7, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Border crossings from the Dominican Republic to Haiti carry a fee per truck, container and tourist vehicle.
Cost to do it: Truck RD$700.00 (US$11.50), container RD$1,000.00 (US$16.43), tourist vehicle RD$700.00 (US$11.50).Norma General 01-2023 de la DGA, First, fee table, 2023-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Occasional importers include people buying at border markets, without commercial purpose, within criteria set by Aduanas.Decreto 609-24, Reglamento de Operadores Aduaneros, art. 8 numeral 5, 2024-10-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Logistics centers can be set up in the five border provinces to serve trade with Haiti, under the incentives of Ley 12-21.Ley 30-24, art. 73, 2024-07-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. Free zones in border areas get exemptions for 20 years instead of 15.Ley 8-90, art. 28, 1990-01-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

An exporter sends 3 trucks a week across the border: 3 x RD$700.00 = RD$2,100.00 (US$34.51) in crossing fees, plus RD$900.00 (US$14.79) in export declaration fees at the 2024 rates.

Step by step

Confirm with Aduanas and your Haitian buyer which crossings and goods are accepted that week.
File the export or transit declaration in time.
Use sealed units and an authorized carrier.
Confirm exit and receipt on the Haitian side.

Common traps

Haitian import or transit rules and Dominican transit controls were reported in the press in 2025 and 2026, but no official text was found, so none is relied on here. Ask Aduanas and the Haitian side before shipping.
Haitian duties and procedures are not covered here.
Selling transit goods on the local market is a customs offense.
Security closures can stop a crossing with little notice, so plan a sea alternative.

Sources

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

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