How to make car customs clearance cheaper in Russia

The need for customs clearance of goods

Regardless of the type or volume, any cargo when crossing the border undergoes customs clearance. This is a mandatory requirement in international trade.

Processing time depends on several factors:

• The degree of danger of the cargo.
• Volume and list of goods transported.
• Quality of paperwork for cargo and transport.
• The need for examinations to confirm the specified codes.
• Image of the exporter or importer.

Customs clearance, as a mandatory procedure, confirms the legality of the movement of goods across the border: the recipient will be able to legally sell or use the received cargo on its territory.

What nuances should you consider when buying an American car?

When buying a car from the USA, you should take into account all the nuances of the procedure. Particular attention is paid to the choice of car, the method of purchase, and negotiations with an intermediary (dealer).

The most profitable purchasing option is to buy a car from the owner. The easiest way to purchase this way is to buy a car at auction. The client negotiates with the dealer, who helps select the appropriate vehicle option. This is done through online negotiations and Skype calls.

After selecting a car, they transfer the necessary information about it, the lot number, to the dealer who has the authority to make a purchase.

Reference. You need to be careful when choosing a car dealer. It is he who will organize the purchase, delivery and customs clearance of the vehicle from America, will also take part in the auction and until the very end it may not be clear how much the car will cost its owner.

What documents are needed for customs clearance?

When registering imported goods, the following documents are prepared for customs:

• Foreign trade contract (agreement) with the sender (seller, manufacturer), plus additions to it.
• Product and transport documentation.
• A document confirming the declared code for the product.
• Payment orders (currency, ruble).
• Transaction passport and confirmation of the customs value of the cargo.
• Licenses, certificates, certificates (documents to confirm compliance with existing prohibitions or restrictions).
• A package of documents from the recipient.
• Power of attorney for the recipient's representative.
• Sender's invoices or prices.
• If available, certificates of the ST-1 form.

Cars that are allowed to be imported into Russia

So that you can get a title for an American car and register it with the traffic police:

• The vehicle must comply with an environmental standard of at least EURO-5, which regulates the maximum permissible content of harmful compounds in exhaust gases. Cars that meet EURO-5 requirements began to be produced in the United States in 2009.
• A vehicle imported into the Russian Federation must have the ERA-GLONASS system installed. This applies to both new and used cars. This system allows you to automatically send an alarm signal to emergency services in the event of an accident, and also provides voice communication with them.

  

Types of duties when registering cargo

Payment of duties is one of the stages of customs clearance. There are several types of this payment:

• In accordance with the object of imposition of duties - export, import, transit.
• Depending on the payer - the declarant or persons who are responsible for paying taxes and duties (defined in the foreign trade agreement).
• Depending on the method of calculation - ad valorem, specific, combined.
• Depending on the area of ​​distribution - autonomous or conventional.

The procedure for customs clearance of cars from the USA

Before bringing a car from America, you need to calculate the customs duty in advance and make a security deposit via bank transfer to the account of the customs point where the cargo will arrive. It is advisable to have a reserve, because if there is a lack of funds, you will not be able to complete the procedure in a timely manner. The transfer of additional funds will take several days, during which you will have to pay for storage services in a customs warehouse.

Among the documents, you should provide an export declaration, fill out a declaration in form TD-6, a purchase and sale agreement, a registration certificate with a VIN number and a payment order for the payment of a deposit. The unused portion of the paid amount can be returned after completion of all necessary procedures.

Preparation of documents for customs clearance

The list of documents that are provided for each shipment of goods being transported may depend on the individual properties of the cargo: additional documents may be required for the main package.

The preparation of documents is almost always carried out by the owner of the cargo: sometimes this work is undertaken by the recipient or the documentation is prepared jointly. Organizations that are subjects of foreign trade activities either have declarants on their staff or turn to customs brokers for help.

In the first case, this is beneficial if customs documents are processed on an ongoing basis (weekly or daily); the services of specialized specialists are needed for irregular import or export processing.

Customs clearance of used cars from America

For those who want to save a lot of money, we can recommend purchasing a car that has been in an accident. The advantage here is not only the final cost, which can be 50% cheaper than an undamaged model. The following points can be noted as advantages of such a deal:

• Damaged cars often have low mileage because the previous owner did not plan to stop using the vehicle. With the exception of damaged parts, all units are in good condition.
• The selling price does not depend on the configuration and technical characteristics of the vehicle.
• Auctions provide the most detailed description of damage. The end buyer gets what he sees in the photographs.

It is recommended to buy a used car from the USA through a dealer at the well-known auctions discussed above, since they value their reputation and behave as honestly as possible. Before purchasing, you need to estimate the approximate cost of repairing damaged parts in Russia. If the model you choose is not officially sold in our country, most likely you will also have to order spare parts from America. The advantage of such a deal is only the favorable price, and the customs clearance itself is carried out in the same manner as in the case of importing entire vehicles.

Calculation and payment of customs duties

The calculation is carried out using a special formula, and determining the amount of customs duties is within the power of an ordinary accountant. True, there is a peculiarity: the calculation is made taking into account the rate of customs duties and the exchange rate of foreign currencies to the US dollar on the day of cargo clearance (acceptance of the cargo customs declaration). Payments are made only in rubles at the exchange rate of foreign currencies on the day of payment of customs duties.

The main method of making payments remains the deposit of funds into the account of the customs office (the regional office where the cargo is processed). But the legislation provides for several additional methods - a bank guarantee, a guarantee or in the form of a property pledge.

Important nuances

It should be noted right away that you are unlikely to be able to directly buy a car from the previous owner. American society lives by completely different rules, unlike us. The average US citizen is unlikely to advertise his car for sale and meet with many buyers, unless it is an expensive or exclusive model. It’s easier for him to give the car to some dealer and instantly get his money.

It is much easier to look for an overseas iron horse at auctions, of which there is no shortage today. The oldest and most popular of them is Manheim, where you can even buy collectible and rare models. You can also search on eBay Motors, Barrette-Jackson, Russo and Global Auto USA. If you participate in the auction yourself, then the first option will not suit you, because only dealers are allowed into Manheim. You can participate in other auctions, but it will be very difficult to “catch” a good car on your own.

The best option for buying a car in the USA through an auction is to use the services of intermediary dealers who will buy the model you are interested in on order and arrange for its delivery to Russia.

You choose a car via the Internet and give the intermediary the lot number, and then he will act independently. The main disadvantage of an auction is that you do not know in advance the final cost of your purchase.

Delivery

Since the USA is located overseas, your American car will not get to Russia under its own power. Delivery can be done in two ways - by plane or ship. The first option is much more expensive. Delivery by sea in a container is carried out to St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk and Vladivostok. Therefore, for customs clearance you will have to come to one of these cities or hire a special broker and issue a power of attorney for him.

Technical points

When purchasing a car directly from America, you should take into account some important technical points in its configuration:

• Vehicles for use in the United States are equipped with red turn signals and yellow side lights. In Russia, such equipment is unacceptable, so they will have to be changed.
• Models with automatic transmission accelerate much slower than their European counterparts.
• The suspension is tuned for comfort and designed for driving on perfectly smooth highways.
• The speedometer shows driving speed in miles (1 mile = 1.6 km), but some models may have two scales - in miles and kilometers. In the advertisement for sale, the mileage of the car is also indicated in miles.
• The coolant temperature gauge is in Fahrenheit (1°F = -17.22°C).

Customs inspection of cargo

Inspection is one of the forms of customs control of goods (cargo). It is carried out both in relation to cargo (packaging is opened, goods are taken out) and in relation to transport (search for hiding places).

Reasons for conducting an inspection may be:

1. There is information about a violation of customs legislation by the importer or exporter: violations either occurred previously, or in relation to the cargo being moved.
2. The integrity of the awning or walls (for vehicles), container or tank (for sea or railway transport) is damaged.
3. The integrity of the seals installed at the border has been compromised.
4. Automated customs system solution: the operation of the algorithm is understandable only to a narrow circle of specialists, and your cargo is selected at random.

Before customs inspection, the sender (for export) or recipient (for import) receives notification of the procedure. Inspection of cargo (selective, complete) or identification of goods, recalculation of cargo packages (or items in them) or weighing may be carried out; taking samples and samples, or disassembling a product - to determine its characteristics.

The inspection is carried out only in the presence of the sender or recipient (or their representative), and ends with the drawing up of an inspection report.

Conclusion

If you decide to order a used car from the USA, you should carefully consider not only the financial component - delivery, customs costs, VAT, etc. It is very important to evaluate in advance all the inconveniences of such an acquisition. You will definitely have to change the headlights, install new tires and get used to the miles on the speedometer. You should also find out in advance about maintenance costs during operation - prices and availability of spare parts, cost of repairs. A well-thought-out approach to business will save you from disappointment in the future.

Prices for customs clearance WTS-Group

Each service has its own specifics and can be provided in the form of several separate services. During customs clearance, it may be necessary to provide additional documents and carry out additional work - in each individual case, the cost of services is determined by the volume of work performed.

RUSSIA—DUTY RATES

Cars from the date of production of which no more than 3 years have passed, with the exception of cars whose country of origin is the Russian Federation

Cars that have been manufactured for more than 3 but not more than 5 years, regardless of country of origin

Cars that have been manufactured for more than 5 years, regardless of country of origin

Cars that are cleared through customs at excise customs posts. A list of passenger cars of certain brands classified in heading 8703 of the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Customs Union, from the date of production of which no more than 3 years have passed.

• ACURA
• ASTON-MARTIN
• AUDI (models: A8; A8L; A7; A6; S4; S5; S6; S7; S8; RS3; RS4; RS5; RS6; R8; Q5; Q7; TT)
• BENTLEY
• BMW (models: 5th (including Grand Turismo); 6th; 7th; M; X5; X6; Z series)
• BMW
• ALPINA
• BUGATTI
• CADILAC (ESCALADE models; CTS-V)
• CHEVROLET (models: CAMARO; CORVETTE; SUBURBAN; TAHOE)
• CHRYSLER
• FERRARI
• FORD (models: EXPLORER; EXPEDITION; MUSTANG; F series)
• HONDA (models: PILOT)
• HUMMER
• HYUNDAY EQUUS
• INFINITI
• JAGUAR
• JEEP (models: COMMANDER, GRAND CHEROKEE)
• KOENIGSEGG
• KIA
• QUORIS
• LAMBORGHINI
• LAND ROVER (models: RANGE ROVER; DISCOVERY)
• LEXUS
• LOTUS
• MASERATI
• McLAREN
• MERSDES-BENS
• MAYBACH
• MORGAN
• ASSAN (models: ARMADA; GT-R; PATROL; TITAN; Z series)
• PAGANI
• PORSCHE
• ROLLS-ROYCE
• SUBARU (models: TRIBECA; WRX STI)
• TESLA
• TOYOTA (models: 4RUNNER; ALPHARD; AVALON; FJ CRUISER; LAND CRUISER; HIGHLANDER; SEQUOIA; TUNDRA)
• VOLKSWAGEN (models: CALIFORNIA; TOUAREG; PHAETON; MULTIVAN)
• WIESMANN