Compliance with Road Worthiness and Emission Standards
- All imported used trucks, special purpose vehicles, and buses must meet government road worthiness and emission standards.
- Importers must present Certificates of Road Worthiness and Emission Compliance from authorized Inspection Centers in the country of origin.
- These certificates must be presented to SGS examiners and are prerequisites for issuing the Clean Report of Findings (CRF).
- Used motor vehicles lacking required certificates upon arrival are subject to penalties including fines and seizure.
Requirement of Prior Clearance for Regulated Commodities
- Import authorization must be secured from the IAC-UTE Secretariat/BIS before shipment loading.
- Importation is considered effected on the date units are loaded on board.
- Import application requires submission of notarized undertaking, original pro-forma invoice detailing vehicle specifications (number, value, payment terms, weight, year model, wheels, type/brand, spare tires), and payment of P500 processing fee per unit.
- Processing time for import applications is three (3) days.
Amendments to the Certificate of Authority to Import (CAI)
- CAI is final; changes require approval via an Amendment from IAC-UTE.
- Maximum of three amendments allowed per import authority with escalating fees: P500 first amendment, P750 second, P1,000 final.
- Processing time for amendments is three (3) days.
- Unauthorized changes in import mode or gross vehicle weight result in fines of P25,000 per unit.
Penalization of Unauthorized Importations
- Importations are deemed unauthorized and penalized if units are loaded before CAI issuance or after its expiration.
Validity Period of CAI
- For Letter of Credit (L/C) imports: validity is 60 days from issuance; L/C must be opened within this period.
- For Documents against Payment (D/P) and Self-Funded imports: validity is 120 days.
- Importation must occur within the validity period respective to the mode of payment.
Release Certificate Requirement for Self-Funded Imports
- Self-funded mode imports must obtain a Release Certificate from IAC-UTE before removal from Bureau of Customs (BOC) premises.
- Removal without the Release Certificate triggers penalties as prescribed.
Importer Responsibilities and Accountability
- Importers must strictly comply with all terms and conditions in the CAI.
- They are primarily responsible for ensuring compliance and liable for any violations.
- Review of importation terms is encouraged to avoid punishable infractions.
This framework aligns with Executive Orders No. 782, 354, and 361, and BSP Circular No. 92, ensuring regulatory control over used truck and bus importation in the Philippines.