Should I bring a car from Holland
Dear Sirs,
VIA Google I came across your site and it seems to me perhaps you can help me with the following questions or point me in the right direction.
My parents (who live and work in Holland) recently bought an apartment near Larnaca which they intend to go to for a number of weeks per year. Now they would like to have a car in Cyprus and have the following options:
1. Is it possible for my parents to buy a car in Cyprus? And are there any tax-advantages (eg duty-free) because they are not Cyprus residents but Dutch. Which formalities need to be followed to be able to buy a local car?
2. Is it possible to import a Dutch car? Do duties need to be paid (if so how much) and does the car need to be transferred to a Cyprus registration plate? If so which formalities need to be followed? And do you know how much shipping via container would cost from Holland to Cyprus (or links to Cyprus shipping companies).
Thank you very much in advance.
Kind regards
name withheld
YOUR parents can either buy a duty-free car here, or import one from Holland and register it as a ‘Visitor’, which is what they will be classed as, as long as they spend less than 365 days in Cyprus in any two-year period.
I should say that, as we drive on the left in Cyprus, it would perhaps be prudent for regular visitors to have a right-hand-drive vehicle. There may also be difficulty in registering a left-hand-drive vehicle in Cyprus (once the Visitor status has run out).
If they buy a car here, the formalities will, by and large, be dealt with by the agent from whom they purchase the car, though Customs will require proof of their visitor status. They will need to present their passports, driving licence and insurance.
If they decide to bring a car here from Holland, it can be registered as a Visitor vehicle, but there may be problems if they want to dispose of a left-hand-drive car here later.
As a ‘Visitor’, no import duties are payable, but they will pay VAT at 15 per cent. ‘Visitor’ cars also have to be put into bonded storage every time they leave the country, but the maximum one year’s visitor licence only takes into account the days the car is actually circulating on the roads, so if they only spend a few weeks here each year they could probably drive on V plates for several years.
I don’t know how much transport from Holland would cost. I suggest you log on to the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority’s website (www.cytanet.com.cy) where you’ll find shipping companies listed under the yellow pages.
How to import a second-hand car
Dear Sir,
I READ your article while in Cyprus which answered exactly my initial concerns.
On a different tack can you advise how to go about importing a second hand car into Cyprus, including costs at the Cyprus end. For example, the need, if any, to pay tax on a relatively old, say six to eight year old car and any other restrictions you are aware of?
Reason being we are buying in Paphos with a view to staying for the winter months only but letting our kids have the apartment in the summer months with the use of a car.
Your earlier article rules out the possibility of a duty-free car for their use plus there appears to be a dearth of reasonably priced second-hand cars when compared to UK. Hence the interest in importing.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Yours
Raph Jones
TO IMPORT a car which is over five years’ old you need permission from the Department of Transport. I suggest you contact them on your next visit to ascertain exact requirements: call Mr Liassides on 22-807121.
Since you want your non-dependent children to be able to use the vehicle, it will have to be either duty paid or registered as a ‘visitor’ vehicle. The duty will be determined by Customs when the car arrives, taking into account depreciation, calculated at 15 per cent of the car’s value for the first year, 10 per cent for years two and three and five per cent per year thereafter. Taking into account the shipping costs, you may be better off shopping around in Cyprus for a duty paid second hand car, or checking costs if you buy a second hand car duty-free and then pay the relevant duty (again depreciation will be taken into account in calculating the duty payable).
Alternatively, since you will not (it seems) be spending more than 365 days in two years on the island, you could buy a duty-free vehicle here as a Visitor, and as long as you name the drivers eligible to drive the car (you/spouse, child and spouse, other child and spouse etc) along with relevant driving licence and passport details, all those named will be allowed to use the car, though the vehicle will have to be put into bonded storage every time you (or they) leave the country. Visitor vehicles pay (considerably) less road tax (and you can get a refund for tax paid when the vehicle is in bond), but you will pay for the bonded storage and have to spend a little time putting it in and taking it out on each visit.
