Buying or renting a car in Mauritius
Planning to relocate to Mauritius and have not yet made up your mind about importing your car or buying or renting a car on the island? Expat.com has put together information on all of your options to help you in your endeavors.
Renting a car in Mauritius
The largest international agencies, Avis, Sixt, Europcar, or Hertz, as well as official local rental companies, are present on the island and offer all types of cars.
You can benefit from preferential rates on long-term rentals. Insurance is included in the rental price.
The agencies also offer a replacement vehicle immediately in case of a breakdown.
Importing your car to Mauritius
Importing a personal car is possible but expensive. You will need to apply for a National Transport Authority (NTA) approval, which may require modification of the vehicle in addition to a 15% Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) tax, and another 15% VAT.
The following points should be considered in order to calculate the profitability, although cars are more expensive in Mauritius:
- The car must have been registered in the name of the owner, in their country of residence, at least 6 months before their arrival in Mauritius;
- The cost of transporting a car is high (about € 3,000 to 4,000);
- Driving a car with a left-hand steering wheel is dangerous for the driver as well as for the passengers and the people around!
Buying a car in Mauritius
As everywhere else, you can buy a new car from a dealer or an agency or prefer a used car from a private individual. Regarding prices, you will generally need between Rs 400,000 and Rs 1,5 million for a new car and between Rs 300,000 and Rs 900,000 for a second-hand car, depending on the car make, model, and other factors.
All brands are represented at the various dealerships on the island. However, it is important to inquire about maintenance, as spare parts for European cars (Peugeot, Renault, BMW, Mercedes, Rover, Ford, Volkswagen) are expensive in Mauritius.
Asian brands are the most common (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Hyundai, Suzuki, and KIA). The reason is simple: spare parts are more readily available, and the labor force is trained for repairs.
Buying a new car in Mauritius
Buying a new car in Mauritius is relatively simple, knowing that the agency or dealer takes care of all the administrative formalities. However, you will need to present:
- Your residence permit or visa;
- Your identity card;
- A proof of residence;
- Your passport.
Buying a used car in Mauritius
If you wish to buy a used car in Mauritius, the good news, many websites (Mycar.mu, l'expresscars.mu, bestdeal.mu, etc.) and Facebook groups are specialized in this type of sales.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, hire the services of a mechanic (use word-of-mouth) to inspect the vehicle in great detail.
Once you have found the ideal car, the seller must provide you with:
- The certificate of the technical inspection;
- A certificate of no-pledge by the seller, who must go to the National Land Transport Authority (NLTA - fee, Rs 50), to certify that there is no existing pledge that prevents the transfer from seller's to buyer's name;
- A sales document to be completed in 2 or 3 copies.
Steps to register the vehicle in your name
With the above documents, but also with your residence permit, proof of address and your passport, go to to NTLA at the Emmanuel Anquetil Building in Port-Louis to pay the registration fees of the purchased vehicle.
You will then receive the vehicle's registration document and possibly renew the sticker (valid for one year).
Useful links:
Renewal of the vehicle's sticker Obtaining a fitness certificate
Can you buy a car on leasing in Mauritius?
Leasing is an alternative method of financing, that allows you to rent a car for a long period of time and then return it to the provider or to exercise the purchase option in order to become the owner. This practice is common in Mauritius. Dealerships usually take care of the file with banks or financial institutions.
Insuring your car in Mauritius
Insurance is mandatory for all vehicles. The annual price varies and can start from Rs 6,000 for a small model and exceed Rs 20,000 for the largest. The price also depends on factors such as the type of transmission, the age of the vehicle and the estimated value of the vehicle. As in other countries, there are several types of car insurance in Mauritius, the most popular being third-party and comprehensive cover.
There are a plethora of insurers. Therefore, it is important to carefully analyze each contract in order to find the one that will meet your needs and that will cover you properly, whether you are involved in a road accident or if you are a victim.
