Importing a car to Costa Rica starts with checking the specific vehicle and obtaining a complete written cost estimate before booking shipment. Freight is only one part of the decision: customs charges, inspection, registration, handling and possible storage also need a place in your budget.
This guide explains what to check for a permanent import. A temporary vehicle-entry permit is a separate procedure; do not assume that permission to drive a visiting vehicle completes permanent importation.
Check the vehicle before committing to shipping
Send a customs professional the vehicle identification number, year, make, model, fuel type, condition and ownership documents. Ask for written confirmation of the rules that apply to that vehicle, including any restrictions affecting its title or condition. Resolve questions about ownership, financing and export permission in the country of departure before paying non-refundable charges.
Also ask a local workshop about parts, diagnostic equipment and maintenance for the exact model. Compare importing with buying a similar vehicle already registered in Costa Rica, allowing for condition, service history and the costs of either option.
Build an itemized import budget
Request separate estimates for freight, transport insurance, port and handling charges, customs services, taxes, inspection, registration and delivery. Ask what is excluded, how long the quote remains valid and when storage charges begin. Keep a contingency for repairs or delays.
The Ministry of Finance provides a Código Hacendario Vehicular (CHV) lookup. Hacienda describes its vehicle value and code as a control parameter for determining the customs calculation base for VAT and selective consumption tax. This lookup is not a complete door-to-door import quote.
Have your customs professional explain the valuation, classification and charges used for your vehicle. Avoid budgeting from a single percentage quoted for a different car. Our Costa Rica vehicle-tax guide separates purchase and import costs from ongoing ownership costs.
Confirm documents and shipping arrangements
Obtain a document checklist from both the carrier and the professional handling customs. Ask which ownership records, purchase records, identity documents and shipping documents they require, and whether originals or other formalities are necessary. Use this as a vehicle-specific checklist rather than assuming one list covers every shipment.
Record the vehicle’s condition before handover and keep copies of the booking, coverage terms and inventory. Confirm whether anything may remain inside the vehicle, who handles each stage after arrival and how you will receive notices if documents are missing.
Understand inspection and customs coordination
For a used vehicle’s Inspección Previa para Nacionalización (IPN), DEKRA’s published instructions direct applicants to submit the required documentation and payment through RACSA’s TD-CAR service. DEKRA then coordinates the appointment after receiving the electronic file.
DEKRA separately explains appointments for an inspection associated with registration using the DUA number. Ask the professionals handling your import which stages apply, in what order and who books each appointment. Do not treat the different inspection steps as interchangeable.
There is no useful universal three-month completion promise for an individual shipment. Request a schedule covering transport, documentation, customs, inspection and any repairs, with a clear explanation of what could delay it.
Finish registration before ordinary road use
Confirm the remaining registration, plates, insurance and circulation requirements with the professional completing the transaction. The Registro Nacional’s Bienes Muebles service is the official starting point for vehicle-registration information. Keep the customs and registration records together and check that the vehicle details agree across the documents.
Questions to ask before accepting a quote
- Has this exact vehicle been checked for import eligibility?
- Which valuation and tax assumptions were used?
- Are port handling, storage, inspections and registration included?
- Who is responsible for each document and appointment?
- What happens if the vehicle needs repairs or documents are rejected?
- What remains to be completed before I can use the vehicle on the road?
Official-source review: September 7, 2026. The linked Hacienda and DEKRA guidance supports the valuation and inspection explanations above. Obtain current instructions and a written estimate for your own vehicle before shipment. Images are illustrative, not photographs of a particular carrier, government office or DEKRA station.