Cars with foreign license plates can be seen quite often on Russian roads. The most “popular” numbers are Abkhazia, Armenia, Belarus, Germany, Kazakhstan, Ukraine. In order to move freely within Russia, the car owner must incur certain costs by paying for customs clearance of the car. The amount sometimes turns out to be impressive, so many car enthusiasts, in order to save money, register their car purchased abroad as temporarily imported into the territory of the Russian Federation.
After the owner of the car receives a UVTS (vehicle import certificate), he can absolutely legally use the vehicle, but only for a certain time.
What cars can be temporarily imported into the Russian Federation?
The import of vehicles from abroad is regulated by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated November 27, 2003. According to it, all passenger cars and minibuses in which the number of seats does not exceed 12 can be imported, including temporarily.
All temporarily imported vehicles must be used for personal purposes only.
A non-customs cleared vehicle is strictly prohibited from being used for production, commercial or other purposes that involve obtaining financial gain.
Often, a car imported from Europe that has not undergone customs clearance can be purchased at a very attractive price. In this case, the car will be in good condition. This can be explained very simply - in European countries, a used car costs several times less than the same one in Russia.
What to do with a car that has not been cleared through customs if the period of its legal use within the framework of temporary import is coming to an end? There are two options - the car either must leave the territory of the Customs Union, or it will have to be registered according to the law, with the payment of all duties.
How to renew your permit
We looked at how to import a car without customs clearance into Russia. Now let's find out what to do if the car's legal stay on the territory of the Russian Federation has expired. According to customs regulations, in such situations the driver must leave the country in an unregistered car and re-enter it, going through the same procedure for obtaining a temporary certificate as when crossing the border for the first time. The legislation does not provide for other ways to extend the grace period.
Who has the right to temporarily import a car into Russia?
Both citizens of other countries and Russians have this right. In this case, a Russian citizen must have with him documents for the vehicle that confirm its registration, a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, as well as documents confirming the right to own or drive the vehicle. In addition, you must pay customs duty.
As for foreigners, they must also present documents confirming the registration of the car abroad and the right to own or drive the car. A visa or entry permit is also required. Foreign citizens do not pay customs duties.
Russian citizens can import a vehicle for up to 6 months within one year. After this, the temporary import period can be extended or the car can be exported outside of Russia. Foreigners are allowed to import a car into the territory of the Russian Federation for up to 1 year.
Let's look at these and other options in more detail.
Cars with Armenian license plates in Russia
Temporary import of a car by a Russian citizen
For example, a Russian citizen living in France bought a car there. He needs to temporarily enter the territory of the Russian Federation, for example, to visit relatives. A citizen of the Russian Federation can import a car for a period not exceeding 1 year with the payment of customs duties. This means that the car owner must pay an amount equal to the cost of customs clearance of the car. In the future, if the car leaves Russia, the owner will be returned the funds he contributed as security. Otherwise, the entire amount goes as payment for customs duties.
traffic police
For temporary import, the period of which is no more than 6 months, registration of the vehicle with the traffic police is not required. If the vehicle is imported for a longer period, it is necessary to go through the registration procedure.
Recycling collection
Paid only if the car is imported for a period of more than 6 months.
Transferring the car to others
In addition to the owner, the car can be driven by members of his family - spouse, parents, children. You can transfer the car to others for repair or maintenance.
Importing cars from the Customs Union (CU)
The customs union includes countries such as: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan. Cars imported from the Customs Union countries are not subject to customs duties, they do not need to be registered with the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate or pay a recycling fee.
Import of a car by a foreign citizen
For example, a German citizen crosses the Russian border in his own car in order to travel around the country. Without paying duties, he can move around the country for 1 year. After this, the foreign citizen must take the car out of the Customs Union, or pay the cost of customs clearance.
traffic police
State registration is required only if the vehicle is imported for a period of more than 6 months. When importing a car for up to 1 year, you need to make a temporary registration.
Recycling collection
If a car is imported into Russia for more than six months, you will have to pay a recycling fee. If the owner of the car has not paid the recycling fee, he will not be able to register the car temporarily with the traffic police. The recycling fee for individuals who import cars for personal use is 3,400 rubles.
Transferring a car to others
If the car was imported temporarily (customs duty was not paid), then only the owner has the right to drive it. You can transfer control to another foreigner. Cars can be transferred to citizens of the Russian Federation only for repair and maintenance.
Import by a person staying for permanent residence, a migrant or a refugee
Let's consider a situation where a foreigner receives a refugee certificate in Russia and arrives in his own car.
If a migrant, refugee, or person moving for permanent residence crosses the border of the Russian Federation in his vehicle, he has the right to import one car and one trailer without customs clearance. For additional vehicles you will have to pay the full duty.
An important point: a car that is imported without paying duties must be registered in the territory of the state from which the owner arrived no later than 6 months before arriving in Russia. In addition, the car can be imported no later than 1.5 years after the owner moves to Russia.
traffic police
The car must be registered, since it is imported into the Russian Federation for a permanent period of stay.
Recycling collection
If a car is brought into Russia by a refugee, migrant, or participant in a resettlement assistance program, the recycling fee is not paid.
Transferring the car to others
There are no restrictions on the operation of the vehicle, that is, it can be transferred to the control of other people.
Please note that if a recycling fee was not paid when importing a car, then after the sale its new owner is obliged to pay the specified fee.
Importing a car that was inherited
For example, a Russian citizen inherited a car on the territory of another state and wants to temporarily transport it to Russia for personal use.
In this case, a Russian citizen can import one car and one trailer without customs clearance if they were received by him as an inheritance. For other vehicles you will have to pay the full duty.
traffic police
The car is subject to mandatory registration as imported for permanent stay.
Recycling collection
Paid in the amount of 3,400 rubles.
Transferring a car to others
There are no restrictions on the operation of a vehicle received by inheritance and legally imported into the country.
Importing an inherited car
Inheritance of a vehicle is carried out according to the laws of a foreign state, but when importing, one should be guided by international laws and regulations of the Russian Federation.
When crossing the border, you will need documents confirming the basis for the emergence of ownership rights.
Payment of customs duties
If one inherited car and a trailer in the same quantity are imported into Russia, customs clearance is not needed. In other cases, you will have to pay in accordance with the established tariffs.
Example:
A citizen of the Russian Federation inherited two cars in Germany. When crossing the border, he only needs to pay a fee for one of them.
There are no restrictions on use. Any person can ride the vehicle with the permission of the owner.
Recycling collection
The amount of such a fee is fixed and amounts to 3,400 rubles.
traffic police
In the case of inheritance, temporary import of a car into Russia is not relevant - the car is imported here on a permanent basis. It must be registered with the traffic police within 10 days from the moment of crossing the border.
Example:
A citizen of the Russian Federation inherited a car in Finland. Having completed all the documents there, he decided to return to Russia by car. In the process, he had to pay a recycling fee, and he is exempt from customs duties by law. Registration is required; for this you need to contact the traffic police.
Required documents
The list of documents that will be needed to register the UVTS is as follows:
- Passport.
- A document confirming the right to own or drive a car.
- A valid MTPL car insurance policy for the entire duration of the car’s stay in Russia.
- Customs declaration form TD-7.
In addition, the car must be declared. To submit the declaration you will need the following documents:
- Civil and foreign passport of the car owner.
- Foreign registration certificate for a car.
- A document that confirms the fact of purchase of the vehicle.
- Customs declaration TD-6.
Procedure for obtaining temporary import of a car
The car owner can receive an UVTS certificate directly at the customs post after passing customs control. To do this, you need to fill out a declaration, provide all the above documents, and also take out a compulsory MTPL insurance policy. Insurance can be obtained directly at customs for the entire duration of your stay in Russia. The calculator for online calculation of compulsory motor liability insurance is here.
Thus, the place of registration of UVTS is the customs post through which the car owner and the car enter the territory of Russia. If it is necessary to extend the period of stay of a vehicle in the country, the owner must visit the regional customs office at the place of stay.
Can they refuse to temporarily import a car into Russia?
Customs officers may prohibit the import of a vehicle into the territory of the Russian Federation if they have reason to believe that the owner cannot guarantee compliance with the laws of the Russian Federation.
Simply put, customs officers have a suspicion that the car is stolen, the documents do not meet the requirements, etc. Attempts to import a stolen car into Russian territory are by no means uncommon, so customs officers are suspicious of citizens who are trying to import a car and carefully check all documents .
The basis for refusal may be, for example, the absence of a receipt for paying taxes, or a disorder with documents confirming the right to drive a vehicle.
Import of a car by a person with a residence permit into the Russian Federation
After receiving a residence permit in the Russian Federation, at the Armyansk checkpoint (Crimea), entry into the car that has belonged to me since 2008 was prohibited. As far as I know, I can import one transport unit for the duration of a residence permit (i.e. for a period of 5 years) without paying duties and fees. The car is a 2008 Toyota Corolla.
Second question. What is the procedure for importing a car if I moved from Ukraine for permanent residence in order to register it in Russia. How much is it?
Thank you in advance. Vladimir
Dear Vladimir! Hello! Despite your receipt of residence permit, you remain a foreign citizen.
What to do if a temporarily transported car cannot be removed on time
There are force majeure situations due to which it is impossible to take the car out of Russia within the time limits established by law. This could be an accident, theft, breakdown or other reason. In this case, you must immediately submit an application to the Federal Customs Service (FCS), on the basis of which the temporary import of cars will be closed.
In this case, all the necessary data is transferred to the customs department that issued the UVTS. The information must be received by customs no later than 15 days from the date of expiration of the UVTS.
If the information does not reach the customs authority within the prescribed period, the vehicle will be marked in the database as not exported. In other words, the car will be put on the wanted list. For the car owner, this is fraught with a substantial fine.
