Clearing your belongings through customs in Puerto Rico
Hello everyone,
During oneÂ’s big move abroad, shipping personal belongings to the host country can be stressful. Customs regulations differ from one country to another and you never quite know what to expect when trying to recover your belongings once youÂ’re settled. How about helping expats considering moving to Puerto Rico by answering some questions about custom regulations?
What are the procedures to get your belongings cleared by customs once you have arrived in Puerto Rico? Who do you have to contact and how do you get in touch with them? How do you go about from there?
How long does this process usually take?
How do you then carry your belongings to your new home?
Are there any items that are restricted by customs in Puerto Rico?
How much does it cost to get your belongings cleared by customs in Puerto Rico? Does the cost change depending on the amount or on certain specific items?
Do you think it is better to seek the help of a contractor to get your belongings cleared in Puerto Rico?
Please share your experience,
Priscilla
Puerto Rico is a US Territory... there is no customs!
Andreabailey21 wrote:Puerto Rico is a US Territory... there is no customs!
Not True, it is true if you are a resident of the US, but we have members from other countries that also come live in PR and as such they go thru custom and immigration.
This is a global site, it is not even hosted in the US.
IMPORTING A CAR TO PR IN 10 EASY STEPS
While not technically a duty, cars have a 25% tax on entry to PR. I just did this. It was not as hard as I thought, but it took most of the day. Here was how it worked for me.
You can look up what PR thinks the value of the car is online. Put in the VIN or the model and year and the system will give you a retail value they base the tax on. Mine seemed very high. From there:
1. I brought a local friend - highly recommended.
2. Got a notice from the shipper by e-mail that car had arrived in port and been cleared - they say clearance takes 1-3 days from arrival on the ship. Mine cleared the same day.
3. Arrived at the port and went through security. There is a small one-story building there. I went to the first set of windows and gave them ID and documents supplied by the shipper. They looked up the docs from their side and sent me around the corner to the tax office.Â
4. They checked the documents and my ID's. THEY WANTED A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD as part of the ID. I had been warned so I had it. They give you a tax bill which you have to go into Old San Juan to pay.
5. You go to Hacienda which is in a large building in the Capital area of OSJ. There is an office there where you pay the bill. You can do it in cash or with a credit card (Master or Visa). I expected mine to be ~$8k and it turned out to be around $6.
6. I returned to the docks, Went to the original windows with the tax receipt and they released the car to me with temporary plates. Got all this done in the morning as my friend knew where all these things were.
7. You have a short time to get the car registered. YOU NEED TO GET THE CAR INSPECTED FIRST. This is easy, they can do it at inspection stations attached to a good number of service stations and it only takes about 15 minutes.
8. You then go to the DMV with all your papers. The DMV lived up to their reputation all over the world, but I drove away all legal by the end of the day.
9. Finally, bought a toll pass at the first toll plaza I went through.Â
10. Affixed the stickers at home and DONE
Please try to be more precise, as it is difficult to follow your story. You said you expected the Hacienda bill for your car to be $8000 and it turned out to be $6000? Is that what you were trying to say?
Might I inquire, what is year, make and model of your car?
Yes. The car was a Jeep Wrangler.
I have been following your advice, Rey, as I am moving to P.R. in the next few weeks. I am hoping you can shed light on the 55 gal. drum you mentioned for shipping. Is it an industrial steel drum? What type of top is required to lock it down? The ones at Home Depot are plastic and flimsy, with spigots. I am looking for a vendor with an 800 number, preferably, as Home Depot employees cannot help, and I need to be sure I buy the right one. I'm not even sure I can get it into my car for delivery to Rosa del Monte! I would appreciate your insight as I need to get started soon. Thank you.
saysme wrote:I have been following your advice, Rey, as I am moving to P.R. in the next few weeks. I am hoping you can shed light on the 55 gal. drum you mentioned for shipping. Is it an industrial steel drum? What type of top is required to lock it down? The ones at Home Depot are plastic and flimsy, with spigots. I am looking for a vendor with an 800 number, preferably, as Home Depot employees cannot help, and I need to be sure I buy the right one. I'm not even sure I can get it into my car for delivery to Rosa del Monte! I would appreciate your insight as I need to get started soon. Thank you.
Sorry I used boxes, somebody else used drums.
OK. As an American relocating, do I understand correctly that I do not owe customs duties on possessions I bring in?
saysme wrote:OK. As an American relocating, do I understand correctly that I do not owe customs duties on possessions I bring in?
Household furniture, kitchen stuff, personal items, NO if the value is below 3000 or so. Your mover can advice you on that.
Vehicles, botes, and others, yes, you do pay for those and the taxes are high. Import taxes on cars is around 30%
Is the car tax included in the fee charged by the Hacienda when the car comes off the ship?
saysme wrote:Is the car tax included in the fee charged by the Hacienda when the car comes off the ship?
The tax is payed when you pickup the car. There is a hacienda place at the port. So. You no longer need drive elsewhere.
Be prepared to pay around 30% of the vale e of the car. Blue book is not the value in PR, hacienda decides what it is.
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