Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 9. Trade and customs › Import bans and restricted goods in the Dominican Republic: used vehicles, permits and the single window

Import bans and restricted goods in the Dominican Republic: used vehicles, permits and the single window

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

Cars more than 5 years old, salvage and right hand drive vehicles and most used appliances cannot be imported. Restricted goods need a permit from the responsible agency before release, and VUCE is the single window for these. Prohibited goods must be shipped back, and failing that costs 5 times their value.

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

Maximum age of imported used cars	5 yearsLey 4-07, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Term to re-ship prohibited goods	20 calendar daysDecreto 755-22 art. 93, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Fine for not re-shipping	5 times goods value multipleLey 168-21 art. 374, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
IP right holder registration	1500 DOPNorma General 01-2023, as of 2024-01-02 · in force

The rule

1. Cars and light vehicles in headings 87.02, 87.03, 8704.21 and 8704.31 with more than 5 years of use are banned. Aduanas counts the calendar year from 1 July to 30 June.Ley 4-07, amending Ley 495-06 art. 29 and Ley 147-00 art. 2, art. 1, 2007-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Used appliances are banned, except for household moves, and so are heavy vehicles over 5 tons with up to 15 years of manufacture in heading 87.04 and subheading 8701.20.00, with exceptions such as ambulances and fire trucks. The wording is taken from the text, so check the sense for your vehicle.Ley 4-07, paragraphs I and II, 2007-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Vehicles not fit to circulate in the country of origin, such as salvage, are banned, and any vehicle without an official certificate of fitness is seized and destroyed.Decreto 671-02, art. 1 and art. 2, 2002-08-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Right hand drive vehicles are banned and seized.Norma General 2-08 de la DGA, art. 1 and art. 2, 2008-10-06 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Used clothing, bed and table linen, crockery and cookware from clinics or hospitals or of unknown origin are banned, whether commercial or charitable, except a passenger's or family's own items.Ley 458 de 1973, art. 1 and art. 2, 1973-01-03 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Prohibited goods must be re-shipped within 20 calendar days of notice under the regulation, and otherwise are treated as abandoned and destroyed or disposed of.Decreto 755-22, Reglamento General de Aplicación de la Ley 168-21, art. 93, 2022-12-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Failing to re-ship in time costs a fine of 5 times the goods' value, or 150 public sector minimum salaries if they have no commercial value. The law sets the minimum re-shipment term at 20 working days.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 374 paragraphs III and IV, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Knowingly bringing in, holding or selling prohibited goods is treated as contraband.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas, art. 341 numeral 4, 2021-08-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Release against a guarantee is not available for prohibited goods, restricted goods lacking compliance, or suspected counterfeits held under IP law.Decreto 755-22, Reglamento General de Aplicación de la Ley 168-21, art. 85, 2022-12-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. VUCE lets traders file permits for import, transit and export once, online, and agencies involved in clearance must connect to it. Decreto 470-14 ordered the system.Ley 168-21 de Aduanas; Decreto 470-14, Ley art. 403, 2014-12-12 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. Right holders can register with Aduanas so it can act at the border, and DR-CAFTA implementation added border measures.
Cost to do it: Registration application RD$1,500.00 (US$24.65) in the 2024 fee schedule.Resolución 01-2010 de la DGA; Ley 424-06, Registro de Titulares, effective 4 October 2010, 2010-08-04 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. Ley 17-19 treats importing regulated products (medicines, fuels, alcohol and tobacco) with no license as illicit trade, with forfeiture.Ley 17-19 contra el Comercio Ilícito, art. 2 and art. 16, 2019-02-20 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

An importer lands a banned US$20,000 used vehicle (RD$1,217,188.00) and fails to re-ship it. The fine is 5 times value: US$100,000 (RD$6,085,940.00).

Step by step

Check the tariff line for a permit need before buying.
Apply through VUCE or the responsible agency.
For vehicles, check year, certificate and steering side before shipping.
Register your trademarks with Aduanas if counterfeits are a risk.

Common traps

The two re-shipment terms differ: 20 calendar days in the regulation and at least 20 working days in the law. Plan on the shorter.
Ley 4-07's heavy vehicle wording is awkward. Ask Aduanas in writing before buying an older truck.
Ley 146-00 and other laws carry more special bans, so this list is not complete.

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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