MIAMI, United States. – In a press conference held this Mondaythe Minister of Transportation of Cuba, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, announced the approval of the new policy for the commercialization of motor vehicles, as well as their import and transfer of ownership.
This legal framework was included in the Official Gazette (ordinary) number 128 and will come into force as of this Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The provisions, which include a decree-law, a decree, ten resolutions from various organizations and four other internal resolutions, arrive after several months of waiting and their objective , according to the owner, is “to take advantage and favor every available opportunity to improve the mobility of passengers and cargo.”
According to Rodríguez Dávila, “this policy will make it possible to make procedures more flexible and simpler in accordance with the current situation, as well as eliminate or counteract causes and conditions of irregularities that arise in these processes.” However, he stressed that the implementation of the new rules “does not by itself solve the problem of transportation in Cubanor will it immediately allow each Cuban to buy a car with their salary,” because, in his opinion, the country’s economic conditions need to improve.
On his Facebook profile, the official stressed the news of this new policy:
- The price of the vehicles to be sold in freely convertible currency will not vary if the buyer is a legal or natural person. For the latter, prices will be lower than current ones.
- The transfer of property between natural and legal persons is authorized, except for state ones or those with state participation and diplomatic ones, which are governed by specific independent regulations.
- The vehicles that remain available in the Cuban market will be allocated in national currency, including those that conclude their exploitation in income and are in good technical condition, for the attention of state and social priorities provided for in the economy plan, replacement of insurance. , taxis and incentive allocation to people from different sectors.
- The special tax on the sale of vehicles is adjusted and generalized, which will vary from 35% of the total value of the sale in convertible currencies, in the case of high-end vehicles, to not applying it in the case of electric vehicles. assembled in Cuba.
- The progressive tax in convertible currencies is adjusted and generalized for the number of vehicles to be acquired by a natural or legal person, starting from the third vehicle that is acquired with the exception of minibuses, buses, trucks, wedges, tractors, trailers, semi-trailers, passenger and cargo tricycles, specialized vans and electric vehicles.
- A maximum limit of six vehicles is established that a natural or legal person can acquire in five years, with the exception of electric vehicles with their charging sources, for which no limits are established.
- The import of mopeds and motorcycles with internal combustion engines up to 250 cc or low-displacement hybrids is authorized, with or without sidecar, both by passenger, as unaccompanied cargo or by shipment.
- The import of electric tricycles with a capacity of more than two seats or with cargo capacity is authorized.
- The commercialization by replacement in Cuban pesos (CUP) of entire vehicles that are technically low in tourism income, which, even being in poor technical condition, can be recovered by interested buyers is authorized.
- The one-time import of vehicles is allowed for people who are on official missions abroad for a minimum period of two years: diplomats, collaborators and others.
Other details
One of the central axes of the new policy is related to the importation of vehicles and other means of transportation. Until now, anyone could import mopeds or electric motorcycles, as well as light trailers or semi-trailers of up to 750 kg, with tariffs in national currency. As of the entry into force of the rule, this option is maintained for the aforementioned vehicles, but the possibility of importing, “as unaccompanied luggage of a passenger or shipment,” mopeds and internal combustion or hybrid motorcycles — new or of use for up to 10 years—with an engine of up to 250 cc, as well as electric or hybrid cargo tricycles or with more than two seats. According to the minister’s explanations, “in all cases, one per person may be imported in five years, paying the tariffs in convertible currencies.”
Likewise, it was established that full-face protective helmets will be exempt from paying tariffs if they are imported together with motorcycles. Likewise, marketers are invited to include these helmets with the sale of motorcycles. Trailers, on the other hand, must pay fees in convertible currencies.
Rodríguez Dávila explained that personnel from state missions abroad, diplomats, businessmen and collaborators can import electric and combustion mopeds and motorcycles under identical conditions. But, in addition, “they may directly import an economy or medium-sized car, new or used for up to 10 years from the date of its manufacture, paying the tariffs in convertible currencies.” To do so, they must have completed at least two years of continuous mission. In all cases, a guarantee from the entity to which they belong and coordination with the Cuban importer Transimport is required.
Before ending his conference on Monday, Rodríguez Dávila acknowledged that the update “does not solve the chronic transportation deficit on its own,” but said he hoped it would encourage “the gradual modernization of Cuba’s vehicle fleet.”
