+1 (908) 436-2150
Shipping a Car to Costa Rica
Getting ready to ship a car to Costa Rica from the United States? You may find yourself with a long list of questions. You may want to know what the general cost is, how the shipping process works, how often cars are shipped, and what you need to do to be sure your vehicle will pass inspection when arriving in Costa Rica. This article provides a complete guide on how to understand shipping costs as well as what you’ll need to do to get your vehicle from the US to Costa Rica. By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll feel much more familiar with what you’ll need to do to ship a car from the United States to Costa Rica.
NOTE: If you’re in a rush, you can also read this brief overview provided by International Living regarding how you can go about bringing your car to Costa Rica.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car to Costa Rica?
The cost of shipping your car from the US to Costa Rica depends on several factors. First, you’ll need to determine how you will ship your car to Costa Rica. Then, you’ll need to decide what port you will ship your vehicle from. The decisions you make will greatly influence how much you’ll pay when shipping your car.
Two common methods for shipping a car are Roll on Roll off (RoRo) shipping and container shipping.
RoRo shipping is less expensive than container shipping but may lead to your car experiencing minor damage. When using this method, your car will be rolled onto the ship and will travel across the sea with other cars.
Container shipping, on the other hand, will provide your vehicle with the safety of being placed within a container for safety. How much the container will cost depends on whether you share the container with another vehicle, or if you ship your vehicle with other personal cargo you are sending overseas.
One of the primary factors that influence the overall cost of your shipment is the weight and size of what you are shipping. This applies to both your vehicle and any other cargo you’ll be sending overseas.
Posted below, you’ll see a general estimate of the cost of shipping a car from different US cities.
Cost & Time Examples For Shipping a Car to Costa Rica
| To/From | Ground | Ocean | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY to (New York port) to Caldera | $275 | $3,600 | 5+22 |
| Los Angeles to (California port) to Caldera | $350 | $3,100 | 5+13 |
| Las Vegas, NV to (California port) to Caldera | $450 | $3,100 | 5+13 |
| Seattle, WA to (California port) to Caldera | $550 | $3,100 | 6+13 |
| Detroit, MI to (New York port) to Caldera | $575 | $3,600 | 6+22 |
| Chicago, IL to (New York port) to Caldera | $675 | $3,600 | 6+22 |
| Denver, CO to (California port) to San Jose | $775 | $3,600 | 7+17 |
| Memphis, TN to (New York port) to Caldera | $800 | $3,600 | 6+22 |
| Miami, FL to (New York port) to Caldera | $925 | $3,600 | 7+22 |
| Dallas, TX to (California port) to San Jose | $1,025 | $3,600 | 7+17 |
After looking at the table above, you may have a question about what the “Ground” section of the table is referring to. Some carriers offer what is known as a door to port service. This service is when the carrier will come to your home to retrieve your vehicle and transport it to the port it will be shipping from. Door to port is considered a specialty service and will drive up the cost of your shipment. In order to cut down on the cost of shipping your car, you can drive it straight to the port it will be shipping from.
Each decision you make during the shipping process will effect the overall price you pay for shipping your car.
How Long Will it Take to Ship my Car to Costa Rica?
Another question you may have is how long will it take to ship your car to its final destination. And the answer you receive will vary. The length of time it takes for your travel from the United States to Costa Rica depends on what port you are shipping from as well as the season. Shipping your car during the summer or winter may take longer because there is typically more congestion out at sea. The summer season is also when the majority of cars are shipped, so you’ll need to plan for shipping delays. You may also have to wait for your car to ship if it’s a particularly busy season.
To avoid long wait times when shipping your car to Costa Rica, it’s best to use a commercial shipping company. They’ll be able to offer you lower prices, faster shipping times, and more resources.
Now, the average ship time is anywhere between 18 to 25 days when you are sending your car from the US to Costa Rica. This time will vary depending on what US port you are shipping from, what Costa Rica you are shipping to, and the schedule of the carrier you choose to use.
Preparing to Ship Your Car to Costa Rica
Preparing to ship your car from the United States to Costa Rica can feel like an overwhelming task. There’s paperwork and customs forms you’ll need to have before you can send your car overseas. The primary documentation you’ll need to have in your possession is proof of ownership, a bill of lading, import documents, and customs forms. Each of these forms are required in order to show you are adhering to the country’s regulations and guidelines. It’s very important to have all of these documents ready when transporting your car so that you won’t run into any issues when your car arrives at its destination port in Costa Rica.
You’ll also want to be sure you know all of Costa Rica’s laws for importing cars. Every country has rules and regulations for what vehicles are permitted in the country. Oftentimes, a car must be manufactured within a certain timeframe in order to be accepted. Your car will also most likely need to be inspected upon arrival to be certain it meets all of the country’s standards. It’s highly suggested that you work with a Costa Rica Customs’ Agent when preparing to ship a car into the country. They’ll be able to provide you with answers to every question you have about importing your car into the country.
Different Methods for Shipping a Car to Costa Rica
As mentioned earlier, there are different methods you can use for shipping a car. The majority of car shipping carriers will offer either RoRo shipping or container shipping for getting your car to its final destination. RoRo shipping is the cheapest and most common way cars are shipped overseas. When choosing this method, a carrier will either require you to drop your car off at the port you are shipping from, or they will offer door to port service. Either way, once the car is at the port, you’ll be expected to pick up your car once it arrives at its destination port,
RoRo shipping is less expensive, but your car runs the risk of being damaged during transport. many commercial auto carriers offer insurance for the cargo they transport, but it’s something you’ll want to look into before preparing to ship a car.
Container shipping is safer but costs more. If you choose to use container shipping your car will remain within a container during transport. The size of your container will depend on your needs and what resources the carrier is able to provide. Container shipping is always more expensive than RoRo shipping, but you may prefer to use it to give yourself more peace of mind.
Things to Consider When Choosing Your Shipping Method
A few other things you’ll want to consider when choosing your shipping method are the type of car you have, and what services you’d like to use when shipping your car. When you choose between either RoRo Shipping or Container shipping you should also see whether the carrier offers door-to-door service or door-to-port service.
Door-to-door service is the most expensive way to ship your car but doesn’t require you to transport your vehicle to or from the port. The carrier will pick up your car from your home and then transport it to your new home overseas.
Door-to-port, on the other hand, will allow you to have your car picked up from your home and driven to the port it is shipping from. You’ll still need to pick up your car from its destination port, but you won’t have to go through the hassle of dropping your car off and then traveling all the way back home without your car. This method may be a good idea if you feel are living in a rural area.
Working with a Customs Agent When Shipping a Car to Costa Rica
As mentioned earlier there’s a bit of paperwork that needs to be completed when shipping a car to Costa Rica. Assuming you are shipping the car to Costa Rica permanently, you’ll need to have several required documents with you. Before you start filling out the necessary forms, it’s highly suggested to reach out to a Costa Rica Customs agent. The agent will be able to inform you of all the different documents you’ll need to provide before your car can be imported into the country.
Some of the documents you’ll need to have before being able to import your car are a Commercial Invoice and Bill of Lading. The customs agent will also explain to you the different taxes you’ll need to pay once your car is imported into Costa Rica.
The age of your car will determine how its taxed Older cars will need to be taxed more than newer vehicles. The value of your car and the way it’s taxed is also determined by the Ministry of Finance AutoValor.
Tests and Inspections When Shipping a Car to Costa Rica
After your car arrives in Costa Rica, and you pay the taxes for importing your car, you will be provided with a Documento Único Administrativo (DUA). This document proves you paid the taxes on your vehicle and are now able to own your vehicle within the country. But, you aren’t done yet. Your car needs to still be verified, and possibly inspected.
Costa Rica uses a verification system to determine what steps need to be taken after your car enters the country. Your car will be assigned either a green, yellow, or red light. A quick review of Costa Rica Law will let you know exactly what each of the three lights means.
- A green light means your vehicle doesn’t need to be inspected and you are able to drive your car.
- A yellow light means your car will need to be manually inspected by a customs’ officer who will release your car to you once its passed inspection.
- A red light (which is fairly uncommon) requires for your car to be inspected by a customs’ officer in addition to a full review of the paperwork the used for importing the car. They’ll be making sure the car is registered to you and that all the necessary paperwork was completed correctly
NOTE: You will be expected to pay the cost of having your car inspected.
In addition to having your car inspected, it will also need to pass an emissions test. This test will be conducted to make sure your car is environmentally safe and permitted to drive in Costa Rica.
Conclusion
There are multiple steps you’ll need to complete in order to ship your car from the US to Costa Rica. You’ll need to choose what shipping method and services you’ll use. You’ll also need to have all the necessary paperwork to have your car successfully imported into the country. A Costa Rica customs agent will be able to provide you with a full overview of everything you’re required to do in order to have your car accepted into the country.
Shipping a car from the US to Costa Rica may feel as if it is a time-consuming process. If you choose to ship with a commercial carrier, it’s very likely one of their agents will offer to help you with completing each step of the shipping process. Commercial carriers are very familiar with the process of shipping cars overseas and getting cars successfully imported into foreign countries.
