How to Bring Your Car to Cyprus in 2026

Importing a car into the Republic of Cyprus is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. It is important to understand that the vehicle will “travel” exclusively by sea, and you will need to collect it from the port. There are options to import a car into Cyprus temporarily or for permanent use — taxes, fees, and the registration process will depend on this. The import and registration procedure is also influenced by the country from which the car or motorcycle arrives.

Transportation of a car from EU countries and the United Kingdom

This is one of the least expensive methods, as within the European Union there is usually no need to pay VAT (on Cyprus it is called VAT) in most cases:

1. if the car is for personal use while permanently residing on the island (from 185 days per year);
2. if the car is used, there are two conditions: mileage over 6000 km and more than 6 months have passed between the date of registration (commissioning) and the date of purchase in the EU (both conditions must be met);
3. if temporary use is planned: the car will be on the island for less than six months or belongs to a student studying here (but only until the end of studies).

If the car is new, VAT of 19% of the car’s value must be paid. Importing a car from EU countries is also not subject to customs duty. You only need to pay for the vehicle registration in Cyprus if it will be used permanently, as well as for services that may be required in the port (for example, charging or refueling, unloading from the ship, etc.).

Important! The same rules apply to a car from the United Kingdom — but only if its “origin” is proven. Otherwise, taxes and duties for the vehicle will be as for imports from third countries (see below).

The list of documents is quite simple:

1. document T2L or Τ2LF (confirms that the vehicle is in free circulation within the European Union; the certificate is issued at customs in the EU country where the car was purchased or provided by the previous owner);
2. license plates and the original vehicle registration document issued by the previous EU member state;
3. application for verification of customs status (link);
4. for used cars: a certificate from the Department of Road Transport confirming carbon dioxide emissions (TOM119A, issued after submitting the original registration certificate from the previous EU member state to the Department of Road Transport);
5. if the status is not confirmed: receipt of payment of customs duty;
6. when importing a new car: VAT payment document and EU certificate of conformity;
7. for temporary stay of the vehicle on the island: a driver’s license from another EU country + local or international, confirmation that the car will be used exclusively for personal use, insurance, and registration documents of the car in another EU country.

Procedure for receiving a vehicle that has arrived in Cyprus:

1. Go to the port and collect the car or motorcycle — cash may be needed for minor services; you should arrange a pass to enter the port area in advance (usually issued based on documents proving that you purchased the car and paid for the transport company’s services; the procedure is quite simple, but preparation a few days in advance is required).
2. Within 10 working days from the verification of customs status, register the vehicle at any district customs office — on a permanent or temporary basis. Another option is to place the vehicle in a customs warehouse or transfer it from Cyprus to another country within this period (if the island was a “transit point”).
3. Register the car with the Department of Road Transport of the Republic of Cyprus: after this, a tax will be charged (link).

Important! If the vehicle is imported temporarily, it is allowed only for personal use — it cannot be given to others, rented out, or used for business purposes.

Import of a car from non-EU countries

A vehicle imported from third countries can also be exempt from customs duties and VAT — but only if it is intended exclusively for personal use. To do this, it is necessary to prove that the owner will permanently reside in Cyprus (residence permit, rental agreement, etc. are sufficient).

Otherwise, you must either pay duties and tax, place the car in a customs warehouse, or send it to another country. VAT amounts to 19% of the vehicle’s value.

Import duties on goods brought from non-EU countries are regulated by TARIC — the electronic tariff of the European Union. Import duty rates vary depending on the category of the vehicle, its weight, engine capacity, and purpose of use. The standard import duty rate for passenger cars is 10%. For commercial vehicles, the rate varies from 10% to 22%.

For motorcycles with engine capacity up to 250 cc, the import duty rate is 8%, and for motorcycles with engine capacity over 250 cc — 6%.

Summary! Import duty is calculated based on the customs value, which includes the purchase price plus transportation and insurance costs.

Temporary stay without payments is possible for:

1. students for the entire duration of their studies;
2. people permanently living abroad who plan to drive their own car in Cyprus for 6 consecutive months or cumulatively within a year;
3. having all documents for ownership and registration of the vehicle in a third country.

Regardless of whether the car will stay in Cyprus temporarily or permanently, it makes sense to immediately obtain form C.104O: it allows the vehicle to remain in Cyprus for one month without any registration. For permanent stay, you need to fill out form AP.2 and submit it together with form C.104O to any district customs office. After that — registration with the Department of Road Transport of the Republic of Cyprus.

Import of a car from Japan

Many people are attracted to Japanese auctions: it is there that you can buy a vehicle at a truly low price. At the same time, the age of the car may be surprisingly low, and the mileage — impressively small. 

When importing a vehicle from Japan to Cyprus, the same conditions apply as for third countries, but with one caveat: at customs on the island, the price of a good car may be considered unreasonably low. This can lead to delays and a reassessment of customs duties and VAT. Therefore, it is best to carry out such transactions not independently, but with experienced intermediary companies.

Additional costs and transportation specifics

Buying a car or motorcycle abroad is not that difficult. But they still need to be delivered to Cyprus! And this can only be done by sea transport. 

The whole process looks roughly like this:

1. A person buys a vehicle and registers it in their name. 
2. The new owner receives from the previous owners (or sellers) the necessary documents for the vehicle, such as T2L or Τ2LF.
3. The new owner finds a transport company that will ship the purchase by sea to Cyprus.
4. A contract is concluded with the transport company, and its services are paid for.
5. The company transports the vehicle; the owner collects it and goes through customs (see above).
6. The owner processes the vehicle at Cyprus customs, paying duties and taxes if necessary.
7. The owner arranges the vehicle for permanent or temporary (strictly personal) use on the island, places it in a customs warehouse, or sends it to another country.

Overall, the process is quite transparent. The biggest variable in this whole process is the cost of transportation, as it depends on a large number of factors. These include the dimensions and value of the vehicle, distance, type of vessel, transport company rates, etc. It is simply impossible to even name an approximate cost: this must be clarified individually in each specific case.

However, in some cases, all the effort and extra costs are justified. For example, this is relevant for exclusive classic cars (with collectible value), rare models, temporary stays on the island, etc. Another point is the purchase of cheap used transport. Sometimes it is indeed cheaper to leave Cyprus and search independently. So importing a car often turns out to be justified.

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