Car and Boat Registration

This is what I've written previously on shipping your car and then registering it. I'm not sure if you are also shipping your car so I've kept that info in just in case. I also add some more detail about just registering the car after the quoted text.

"I shipped a car from Atlanta a few months ago, or rather, I drove the car to the port at Jacksonville and shipped it from there, then caught a flight from JAX.  I shipped it with Crowley for approximately $1,200 and it arrived in four days.  I have no complaints about Crowley. 

Make sure you have at least a photocopy of clear title with you when you drop off the car for shipping. If the title is not clear, then you'll need an affidavit from the holder of the title granting you permission to ship the vehicle.

Also, make sure you keep all of the paperwork that Crowley gives you and make sure that the Bill of Lading is filled out properly. It is best to put yourself down as being the consignee of the shipment in addition to being the consignor. Otherwise, when you go to pay your import duty (which must be paid before you can drive your car out of the port), they will screw up your paperwork so that when you eventually get a Puerto Rico title for your car, it will include whoever else you listed as a consignee (like a local contact or whomever) as being a co-owner.

Be prepared to pay import duty here in Puerto Rico. Like most bureaucratic exercises in Puerto Rico, it is a much more complicated process then need be. (1) You have to go to the port with your paperwork. There, (2) you must clear some paperwork with your shipper. Then (3) you have to take this paperwork to the tax authority counter there in the port, where they will determine the import duty you will owe. Inconceivably, you cannot pay your import duty with these tax authorities in the port, so (4) you must take the paperwork that you just received from the tax personnel at the port with you to another tax office in San Juan (there are at least two that I know of) and pay it there.  (5) You must return with your receipt to the tax authorities in the port and present it to them. Then they will authorize you to (6) go back to the shipper and actually retrieve your car. (7) You will then have a limited time to register your vehicle in Puerto Rico and receive a Puerto Rico title. These steps must be followed in precise sequential order.

Inexplicably, you must have your car registered in Puerto Rico before you can have it insured, so the moment you drive it out of the port your vehicle will be uninsured until you have it registered and subsequently insured. Registration cost me about $130+. The only exception to this is if your US-based insurance policy will cover the vehicle in PR. I would call to verify because few US-based insurance companies (if any) do so.

Keep in mind that the tax authorities will over-value your car so your tax basis will be much higher than you would otherwise anticipate. I paid $1,400 in import duties on a ten year old car."

You must register your car at the designated registration center depending on where you live. The pertinent list is available on the website you reference. You need to bring all of the documents the tax authorities gave to you when you paid your import taxes to the registration center. There is a separate line for those who are registering a car and getting plates for the first time. There is a mandatory $100 charge for the statewide insurance pool that is in addition to the registration fees. I believe the registration office required two forms of ID for me to register the car as well the car's title. I used my driver's license and passport.

I just imported a car and registered it in Puerto Rico.  It really could not have been much easier, and I think it would have taken much more time in CA than here in PR. I will discuss both processes in chronological order.

Importing and shipping - Call Puerto Rico Car Transport.  I paid them $1524, and they took care of the whole thing including picking it up at a dealer in Georgia and getting it to the Port of San Juan. Your car needs to get to the port in Jacksonville, FL.

That's where your part begins.  You go to the Crowley office (the shipping company) and just follow their directions step by step. 

1.  View the car in the adjacent parking lot, and get the shipping Bill of Lading and the car's title (must be in car for shipping).  Go back into the office and they will give you directions to Hacienda (equiv. of IRS) to pay the import duty. 
2. Drive about 10 minutes (not in the imported car) to the district of Hato Rey and the Hacienda office.  They speak english and it takes about 40 minutes to take a number, get called, and have the agent fill out the paperwork.  You will receive a document that states what the import duty is for the car.  I imported an electric car, so it was exempt from import duty, but I hear this can be pricey.  My Nissan had a duty of $1,950, but then was subtracted so I paid $34.78 just for the processing fee - a sweet deal!
3.  Here is the one thing that is unique to Puerto Rico and takes a bit of extra time.  In Puerto Rico, you have to go to a 'Colectaria' or Collection Office, to pay most governmental fees.  So, drive to the nearest Colectaria with Haciena form in hand, and pay the import duty.  The closest one is at the Federal Complex also in Hato Rey. It's about a 3 minute drive, park inside the parking structure for ease of parking. The line usually has 25 people in it and takes about 20 minutes, its very efficient.
4. Go BACK to Hacienda and show them you paid the fee.  The person at the front desk will stamp the document, depending on the line this may be instant or might take 10 minutes.
5. Return to Crowley, show them you've paid the duty, and the car is yours.

The whole process took me a morning. 

Registering the car was easy as well, but it takes a bit of a local knowledge to be fast. The whole thing took me three hours, cut could have been 2 hours if I would have known the secret.  For this, it is best that you know a bit of Spanish.  The same rules apply for imported vehicles or those purchased within Puerto Rico.

1. Bring all of your paperwork from importing the vehicle, and especially the title, Hacienda document showing duty paid.  You will also need your driver's license and proof of residency.  Bring a passport if you don't have a PR Driver's License, bring a passport and either a utility bill or rental contract for your home.  Its amazing, but in PR they want a utility bill for almost everything, as it is used as proof of residency.
2.  Go to DTOP, also known as CESCO.  Here is the hot tip - Go to the Caguas office.  Its a 20 minute drive to the interior of the island, but that office is way more organized and much less busy than the ones in the metro area. I've heard of two days to register a car at Bayamon and Carolina.  Don't do that.
3.  First, just when you walk in the gate, enter the trailer in the parking lot and buy a 'Diez Sello' (literally, a 'Ten Stamp) for $12.00 (as of 9/2015).  This is the usage fee for using any service in the CESCO office. 
4. Enter the building, and go straight to the Informacion line. It will seem long, but you'll be through it in under 30 minutes. The attendent at the window will give you a number and direct you to the orange seating area (orange chairs as of 9/2015) and wait your turn.  I waited 7 minutes.
5.When your number is called, just be pleasant and give the attendant your paperwork.  It will take about 30 minutes here.  She will give you some documents.  If you need a license plate (placa) for the car, just ask her for one.  From parking the car, to being finished and back in the car, the above process took me 45 minutes.
6. BUT WAIT!  You're not done yet.  You will need to go to get the car inspected and a new 'Marbete' (annual registration sticker).  I recommend finding a PUMA gas station as many do this, but anywhere that says 'Inspecion y Marbete' is fine - there are dozens or hundreds of stations all over San Juan that do this.  Have the inspection done, which will take 10 minutes maximum if there is no line (and there never really is).  If you purchased the car in PR, you are now done.  Whole process will take under three hours including driving time.
7.  IF YOU IMPORTED THE CAR.  Your car will not be in the registration system and you cannot get the Marbete from an inspection station.  Everyone will tell you it can be done at any bank - that's not true either.  I know, I tried them both.  You will need to buy your Marbete at a Colectaria.  Take your registration forms given to you by DTOP/CESCO, hand it to the attendant, and in 5 minutes you are done.

You need to re-register your car every year by buying a new Marbete.  You will not receive anything in the mail reminding you, but its super easy and takes 5 minutes.  Go to any Inspecion location and they will sell you a new sticker good for another year.  I hear the #2 reason for getting pulled over in PR is an expired Marbete, and if it's too old they will impound your car, so don't forget to renew your Marbete every year.

Now the hard part - avoiding the potholes!  Enjoy!

What state was the car at before they pick it up?
What year is the car?
Sounds like you paid no import tax, im confused?

Hello,  The car is a 2013 Nissan Leaf - fully electric car. I have one in CA and love the car, so I bought another for here.  I actually think they are a perfect car for San Juan, as the city is so compact.  Car has 85 mile range, so I can drive for 3 days without charging.  And my company Planet Solar near San Patricio installed a free electric car charging station, powered by solar, so I drive for free on sunshine!  Have done the same thing in my offices in CA and FL for 4 years now.

Bought it from a dealer from Georgia via Autotrader  Electric cars are exempt from the import duty.  The paperwork shows the import duty was $1,950, but then I was credited $1,950 per the law that applies to electric cars.

Cheers!

Ben

Ben,

Sounds like a good deal to me!

Is your company dealing with residential solar power in the island?

Do we get a discount?

side241,

Send me the info in am email, your post got deleted......