Temporary Imports In To Cyprus

Temporary or Permanent Vehicle Shipping – What’s the difference?

If you’re looking to ship your vehicle to Cyprus temporarily for less than six months then this guide will help you understand what you will need to know about shipping your car successfully without any hitches.

When importing your vehicle in to Cyprus there are two possible categories in which your vehicle can fall under – temporary importation and long-term importation. Within this guide we will be taking a look at temporary importation which will allow you to import your vehicle into Cyprus for a period of up to six months, per year consecutive or not, as long as the vehicle is then exported back out of the country or it is stored by the countries customs before the end of the six month period.

Any vehicle that is imported into Cyprus for temporary use from another member of the EU states is able to be imported with no excise duty or VAT, although this is only available if the vehicle still possess its EU number plates and registration documents. This however is negated if the excise duty or VAT was granted when the vehicle left its country of registration.

Temporary Car Shipping in to Cyprus – Obtaining a C104O

Upon entry into the country, the vehicle owner or their agent will need to obtain a C104O Form; this acts as the vehicles temporary import registration document. This document needs to be kept with the vehicle at all times while the vehicle stays within Cyprus as it may be required by customs officials or by the police. This piece of documentation will also be required to be presented when the vehicle is leaving Cyprus.

Once your vehicle has been exported into Cyprus under the pretence of temporary importation, you are allowed to drive your vehicle temporarily as long as one of these three conditions are met:

• The driver has a valid certificate or registration and road licence from another EU member state
• The driver holds a valid International Drivers Permit, and their licence is valid in their own country;
• The vehicle is insured by a Cypriot insurance company, or is covered by the green car scheme.

While the vehicle is within Cyprus, it may not be sold, rented or disposed of, in some instances though your vehicle may be allowed to stay for an extended period of time longer than the appointed six months on foreign plates and registration and this can either be due to:

• You are a student who is studying within Cyprus, in which case you will be given permission to use the vehicle throughout your stay in Cyprus exclusively for your studies
• You have been assigned with a task that has a fixed duration exceeding six months, in which case you’ll be allowed to use the vehicle throughout your stay in Cyprus exclusively for the fulfilment of your task.
• You have transferred your normal residence from another country to Cyprus and you’re intending to apply for relief of the vehicle