Car Imports

Importing a car
You can officially bring one car in if it's under 3 years old (or over five years old with you as registered owner for the last five years) but experienced ex-pats generally recommend against importing a car to TRNC due to the bureaucracy. You’ll also have to pay import duty of 40-60% of the Glasses guide mid-range value within 12 months of the car arriving. You may also find it more difficult to get comprehensive insurance, face restrictions on its resale for periods of time, and face difficulty sourcing spares and parts. General consensus is it’s not worth the effort or hassle, unless you really can’t be separated from a particular car. Second-hand cars often cost more in Northern Cyprus than other European countries due to import taxes, so it may be more sensible to shop around for a good second-hand car or long term car rental once you’re here. You can drive initially on your driving licence from your own country, but if you become resident in North Cyprus, you'll need to apply for a TRNC licence.
Car import to Northern Cyprus – current customs regulations
If you decide to come to Northern Cyprus with your own car, it has many advantages. For example, you can bring everything you need with you. You don’t need to look for a rental car or, if you are spending a long time in Northern Cyprus, you can buy a car here. And of course, if you love traveling, a trip to Northern Cyprus can be one of the most exciting trips in your tourist life.
Short-term import of the car into Northern Cyprus (up to 30 days)
You can come to Northern Cyprus with your own car without any problems. You can use your car for the entire duration of your tourist visa (up to 30 days).
Long-term import of the car to Northern Cyprus (up to 365 days)
For temporary use, you can only bring a car to Northern Cyprus once and for no longer than 1 year. Bringing the same car to Northern Cyprus will only be possible after a year. Of course, you can take a car to Northern Cyprus as often as you like, provided you come with a new car each time.
To drive, you need:
Compulsory vehicle insurance
Technical inspection (TÜV)
Toll fees must be paid
Car import into Northern Cyprus for personal use
The car imported into Northern Cyprus for personal use must meet the following requirements:
The steering wheel must be on the right side (in Northern Cyprus traffic is on the left).
The car must not be older than 5 years.
The car must be technically be flawless and pass the mandatory technical inspection (TÜV).
The car must undergo customs clearance.
Toll fees must be paid.
How much are the customs duties in Northern Cyprus for the car
The amount of customs duties when importing a car into Northern Cyprus ranges from 45 to 60% of the estimated value of the imported car and is calculated based on several indicators:
Age
Engine Volume
Engine Type
Cost Estimate of Imported Car
Example: If you decide to import a Suzuki Swift with engine capacity 1240, you will have to pay the following customs duties:
Customs - 10%
GKK – 2.5%
Rihtim – 4.4%
FIF – 10%
Genel FIF 1240 * 2.03 TL
Bandrol – 33.5 TL
VAT- 20%
If the estimated value of the car is $6,400, then the customs duties will be: $5,340
Our recommendation, if you want to buy a property in Northern Cyprus and stay in Northern Cyprus permanently, sell your car and buy in Northern Cyprus new car, otherwise you have to pay 40-60% more.