Customs duties in the Dominican Republic are taxes applied to the import or export of goods. These customs taxes are paid when goods enter customs, whether by air, sea, or land.
In this article, we will discuss the taxes applied to imports in the Dominican Republic, which are regulated by Law 146-00 (on imports and exports).
The primary purpose of import taxes in the Dominican Republic is to regulate competition that may affect the competitiveness of domestic products. Their goals include revenue collection and the application of trade policy.
What are Customs Duties in the Dominican Republic? What are Import Taxes in the Dominican Republic? What is the Customs Tariff Table in the Dominican Republic? What is the Import Tariff Table? We’ll explain it all here.
What Are Customs Taxes?
Customs taxes in the Dominican Republic are tax charges applied to goods imported and exported through the country’s customs. These taxes include the customs duty, which is a percentage of the value of imported goods, as well as other levies such as the Tax on the Transfer of Industrialized Goods and Services (ITBIS) and other specific taxes depending on the nature of the products. These revenues are important for the Dominican government as they contribute to the national budget and are used to fund various public programs and services. Customs taxes also impact the cost of imported products and can influence international trade and the country’s economy.
Types of Import Tariffs
There are three types of import tariffs:
- Ad Valorem Tariffs: The most common type of tariff, which involves paying a percentage of the value of the imported goods. The taxable base for calculating this tariff is given by the CIF value (cost, insurance, and freight).
- Specific Tariff: Calculated based on a specific monetary amount per unit of goods entering a country, such as a certain number of dollars per pound, kilo, ton, unit, etc.
- Compound or Mixed Tariff: A combination of both the ad valorem and specific tariffs.
If you need advice on paying customs duties in the Dominican Republic, Contadores Dominicanos has highly qualified professionals ready to assist you.
What Are the Customs Duties in the Dominican Republic?
According to the Reform Tariff Law 46-00, the ad valorem duties on imported products in the Dominican Republic are subject to the following tariff rates: 0%, 3%, 8%, 14%, and 20%.
This tariff applies to all products and goods in foreign trade in the Dominican Republic.
The customs duty is calculated based on the CIF value (cost, insurance, and freight).
Tariff Structure Exemptions:
The tariff subheadings found in the following laws and decrees are exempt:
- Law 50 of November 9, 1966: Exempts the payment of taxes on vehicles for legislators.
- Law 890 of January 15, 1990: Regarding the promotion and creation of free zones.
- Law 150-97 of July 7, 1997: On Customs Tariffs for agricultural equipment and products.
- Law 66-97 of April 7, 1997: General Education Law.
- Law 486-98 of November 1, 1998: Zero tariff on customs duty for insulin.
- Law 345 of July 21, 1998: Exempts ITBIS and tariffs on personal computers.
- Law 72-00 of September 16, 2000: Modifies the tariff on pork and beef.
- Decree 367-97 of August 29, 1997: Authorizes the provisional delivery regime for machinery, raw materials, and equipment.
Exemptions from Paying Tariff Duties:
- Imports made by public service organizations and institutions of the State.
- Imports made by diplomatic missions of foreign governments accredited in the country.
- Imports of personal effects by foreigners who will reside permanently in the Dominican Republic.
- Donations made by official foreign institutions or foreign governments.
- Dominican goods previously exported, which are re-entering the country.
- Reduced samples of pharmaceuticals labeled externally and internally.
- Catalogs and samples imported by legally authorized firms.
- Imports of raw materials and their spare parts for the manufacture of medicine for human and animal use.
- Imports of personal computers, as well as their parts, spare parts, and other accessories.
Learn about the vehicle import tax table for the Dominican Republic: Requirements for importing vehicles.
You may also be interested in learning about tariffs in the Dominican Republic, as well as the requirements for importing and exporting in the Dominican Republic.
