Costa Rica
Shipping Car to Costa Rica
We are an International Car Shipping company based USA and have been shipping cars to Costa Rica for over 25 years. This is a favorite retirement haven for Americans, most of whom have purchased property and are retiring in Costa Rica. It is also a safe country for American tourists. If you need us to arrange one of our car transporters to meet you (or the designated person) to pick up your car, let us know and we will bring it to the nearest shipping dock. Costa Rica is very strict with their importation of vehicles and the rules have to be followed.
There is one main method of shipping a car to Costa Rica which is container shipping; below are some pictures. We have shipping ports departing from both the West and East Coast. There are weekly sailings which take only a few days.
| Departure Ports in USA - Shipping Car to Costa Rica via Container | |
| Newark, NJ (Shared Containers) |
Wilmington, DE (Shared Container) |
| Port Everglades, FL (Exclusive Container) | Tampa, FL (Exclusive Container) |
| Arrival Ports - Shipping Cars to Costa Rica via Container | |
| San Jose, CR (Shared Containers) | Puerto Caldera, CR (Shared & Exclusive Container) |
Advantages of shipping car to Costa Rica via container:
There are many reasons why Americans choose to retire in Costa Rica. One great advantage our container shipping line provides is being able to send your household belongings. If you can fit you car and all your belongings in an exclusive container, this will save you a ton of money. This is the shipping method many Americas use. Here is more information on shipping cars via container. If you want the measurements for a typical container, read more about limitations when shipping in a container.
The RoRo car shipping method should be used when transporting a car and nothing else. There is absolutely nothing allowed inside the car except for the jack and spare tire. This is normally the cheapest way to ship a car to Costa Rica since the car only needs to Roll On and Roll Off (RoRo) the ship. Since this is the case, the car must be in good mechanical condition.
Once the car is aboard the ship, it will be blocked and braced to the ship's deck to prevent it from moving around the ship. While damage to any vehicle is highly unlikely, ships will rock while out to sea. Marine insurance is available to cover damages and/or total loss.
| Departure Port - RoRo Car Shipping to Costa Rica |
| Houston, TX |
| Arrival Port - RoRo Car Shipping from USA |
| Limon, CR |
Additional Information:
Contact the Embassy of Costa Rica located in Washington, DC for the latest import tax information.
Costa Rica Embassy
2114 S Street, NW - Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 234-2945
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm EST
- A Title of Ownership free and clear of any liens.
- Bill of Sale is required to be presented along with the Title in Costa Rica.
- Taxes are payable when the car is delivered.
- Taxes for Costa Rican's bringing in vehicles always have to be checked with their local import offices as they have been known to change often.
- It doesn't matter how old your car is. You can ship a new or used car.
Very Important Tourist Information:
As a tourist, you are afforded the right to drive the vehicle for three months without paying taxes. The time begins when you enter the country, not when the vehicle enters the country. As an example, if you enter Costa Rica on the 1st of January, and your car arrives 1st February you will only have two months left . At the end of three months, you have the option to extend the right to drive the vehicle for an additional three months. In order to do this you must follow the following procedure. You will have to leave the country prior to the three month limit by driving across the border to neighboring Panama or Nicaragua for 48 hours. When you re-enter, they will re-stamp your passport, which will allow you to drive the vehicle for three additional months. If you wait until the three month period is up, theoretically you are required by law to pay the taxes on the vehicle.
Why choose us over the competition?
We have a solid track record and are an Accredited Company registered with the Better Business Bureau. Click the BBB image to the left to validate our A+ Accreditation. When shipping a car, an owner should only work with a BBB Accredited business.
We are registered with the FMC (Federal Maritime Commission). Click the image to the left and Select "Organization Name" and type in "Ship Overseas". Here is proof of our FMC Certification (also known as a NVOCC License). Never use an international car shipping company who cannot prove they are certified with the Federal Government.
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