Importing a used car to Trinidad and Tobago
Right-hand-drive cars up to 8 years old, an import licence for every vehicle, and one vehicle per person every 4 years. The age limit has changed recently.
Age limits
The Ministry of Trade guide for personal vehicles (May 2026) sets these limits for used vehicles:
| Vehicle | Maximum age |
|---|---|
| Petrol, diesel and CNG | Up to 8 years from the year of manufacture |
| Hybrid | Up to 3 years |
| Electric | Up to 2 years |
Cabinet news (Trinidad Guardian) described the new limit for private cars as raised from 3 years to under 8 years, and for light commercial diesel pickups and panel vans from 7 to 10 years. The wording differs (up to 8 versus under 8), so confirm the edge case with the Trade Licence Unit.
Earlier Trade Licence Unit notices from November 2023 and November 2024 set a 3-year maximum for used sedans, wagons and SUVs. Those licences expire on 31 December and are not revalidated for vehicles that arrive after that date.
Importing as an individual
Apply for an import licence on TTBizLink. You can import one vehicle in each 4-year period, and you cannot transfer it during that period. You need:
- Identification
- A signed declaration to import a used right-hand-drive vehicle
- A Certificate of Cancellation of Registration showing the engine and chassis numbers
- Age verification
After the car arrives, the Transport Commissioner must certify it as roadworthy before it can be registered. The air conditioning must use an ozone-friendly refrigerant.
Importing as a dealer
Dealers hold one Dealer Import Licence from the Trade Licence Unit (since March 2020) and import within a quota. Cabinet news says the dealer quota rises by 30%.
Duties and taxes
The Provisional Collection of Taxes Order 2017 sets the Motor Vehicle Tax per cubic centimetre. Two examples:
| Engine size | Motor Vehicle Tax |
|---|---|
| 1,599 to 1,799cc | TT$10 per cc |
| 1,799 to 1,999cc | TT$18.75 per cc |
Customs duty on some car headings is 43.75% or 50%. VAT is 12.5% on the CIF value plus duty (trade.gov, a non-Trinidadian source). Tax concessions on private cars were removed on 20 October 2020.
Confirm before you ship
- We did not find a current full tax table for used cars, so the figures above are examples, not a quote.
- We did not re-check the dealer licence rules for 2026.
- Contact the Trade Licence Unit on 701-1440 or 701-1443, or at tlu@gov.tt, before you buy.
Sources
- Ministry of Trade: Personal Vehicles 2026tradeind.gov.tt, official
- Provisional Collection of Taxes Order 2017finance.gov.tt, official
- Ministry of Trade: budget measures on motor vehiclestradeind.gov.tt, official
- Trade Licence Unit notice, vehicles arriving after 31 December 2023tradeind.gov.tt, official
- Trade Licence Unit notice, vehicles arriving after 31 December 2024tradeind.gov.tt, official
- Trinidad Guardian: Cabinet approves older vehicle importsguardian.co.tt, news report
- Trinidad Express: used car import age climbs from 3 to 8 yearstrinidadexpress.com, news report
- US Commerce Department country guide: import tariffstrade.gov, US government