Question & AnswerQ&A (BIS INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE ON USED TRUCKS AND ENGINES)
The importation of Right Hand Drive (RHD) used trucks is banned except for very special vehicles that are off-the-road type such as mining or logging concession vehicles, as classified by the BSP and concurred by the LTO.
Penalties may include payment of fines and seizure of the vehicles, in accordance with the penalties set by the Inter-Agency Committee on Used Trucks and Engines (IAC-UTE).
Importations of used trucks, special purpose vehicles, and buses must be accompanied by Certificates of Road Worthiness and Compliance to Emission Standards issued by authorized inspection centers in the country of origin.
The CRF issued by SGS at the country of origin uses the Certificates of Road Worthiness and Emission Compliance as a basis. No CRF should be issued if the vehicle is RHD (unless exempted) or lacks the required certificates.
An import authorization from the IAC-UTE Secretariat at the Bureau of Import Services (BIS), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) must be secured before importation.
An import application, a notarized undertaking, and the original pro-forma invoice describing vehicle details like number of units, value, gross vehicle weight, year model, and terms of payment must be submitted.
The processing fee is P500 per unit, and the processing time is three (3) days.
A fine of P25,000 per unit is imposed for shifts in mode of import arrangement not covered by an approved amendment.
A penalty of P25,000 per unit is imposed for discrepancies in gross vehicle weight not covered by an approved amendment.
If the used vehicle is loaded on board before the CAI is issued or after the CAI's validity has expired, importation is deemed effected without CAI and is subject to penalties.
CAI validity is 60 days for L/C payment, and 120 days for D/P and self-funded modes within which importation must be effected.
A Release Certificate is required only for importations done under the self-funded mode before the imported vehicles are taken out from the Bureau of Customs premises.
Penalties specified in Annex B apply to confiscation or fines for releasing units without the required Release Certificate.
Importers themselves are considered primarily responsible and accountable for any violations or transactions affecting their importations.