Customs offers online tool to estimate car import taxes

The General Directorate of Customs (DGD) offers a free online simulator on the ALCES portal, at alces.douane.gov.dz, Maghreb Emergent reported. The tool estimates the duties and taxes on imported vehicles, both new and used, so buyers can plan their budget before they buy a car.

To run a simulation, users need the purchase invoice, the cost of transport to Algeria and the technical details of the vehicle. The foreign registration document (carte grise) shows the date of first registration and the engine capacity.

The user first chooses the vehicle type. The options include a new car, a vehicle less than three years old, or a car imported by someone returning to Algeria for good.

Next, the user enters the purchase price and the freight cost. These figures are used to set the declared value of the car.

The user then enters the customs regime, the SH code for the vehicle and the code of the currency used. For a passenger car, the SH code is generally 8703.

After clicking the button to calculate duties and taxes, the result shows a detailed estimate of the sums to pay.

For a vehicle less than three years old, the calculation depends on the engine and on eligibility rules. This category is reserved for petrol, petrol hybrid and electric vehicles, subject to the rules that apply.

Algerians living abroad who return to Algeria for good can also simulate the costs of importing a vehicle less than five years old, under a certificate of change of residence.

The result is only an estimate. Customs sets the final value from supporting documents and can revalue a declared price that it judges too low.

Freight forwarder fees and some other costs may not be included in the estimate. After customs clearance, the vehicles must also meet conformity and registration requirements.