Quick Answer: Shipping a car from the USA to Honduras, in its own 20 ft container to Puerto Cortés, with AB Group Shipping costs from $2,020 from Houston (September 2026 quote), with 3 days of transit; from Miami it costs $2,770 and takes 21 days. Honduran import taxes of roughly 35%-60% of CIF value are paid on top.
- Ocean freight alone runs approx. $1,650 for RoRo from Miami and $2,770 for an exclusive 20' container from Miami to Puerto Cortés (September 2026 rates).
- Honduran taxes stack on CIF value: DAI (0-15%), ISC by engine size (10%-60%), then ISV 15% on top of everything.
- Aduanas/SAR values your car from reference tables, not your purchase invoice — a $6,000 receipt does not guarantee a $6,000 tax base.
- The calculator on this page prices freight, insurance, and estimated duties by model year, engine size, and origin port in under two minutes.
Most price pages you find for a calculadora envio carro honduras only quote the ocean leg. The tax cascade at Puerto Cortés usually costs more than the vessel does, so this guide prices both.
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Go to the calculator →Reference prices: shipping a vehicle from the USA to Honduras
| Departure port | Price | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| MiamiPort Everglades | $2,770 | 21 days |
| HoustonCheapest | $2,020 | 3 days |
| New JerseyPhiladelphia | $2,770 | 17 days |
| Los Angelesleaves from Houston | $2,020 | 3 days |
Port to port to Puerto Cortes, in USD, quoted with our system on September 28, 2026. Includes freight and US export charges; excludes import taxes and destination charges. Each vehicle travels alone in a 20 ft container; two can share a 40 ft one. The calculator on this page gives your exact price, with pickup and delivery. What our customers are quoted for a sedan, often with pickup and delivery: typically $3,402, half of them between $2,590 and $4,021 depending on the origin city.
Shipping from another state? Which port to read
Each port in the table is the one that cargo from these states usually leaves through. Miami: Florida. Houston: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. New Jersey: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia. California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii ship through Los Angeles / Long Beach; Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama ship through Savannah; Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota ship through Chicago (rail); Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska ship through Seattle / Tacoma: those ports are not in the table yet. We pick up in every state, and the calculator finds the best port from your city.
How much does it cost to ship a car from the United States to Honduras?
Quick Answer: Shipping a car to Honduras in its own 20 ft container costs $2,770 in ocean freight from Miami or New Jersey and $3,010 from Savannah to Puerto Cortés (September 2026 rates). RoRo is cheapest, at approx. $1,650 from Miami. Add marine insurance, Honduran import taxes, and port charges, and most sedans land between $4,900 and $7,500 total.
Your total bill has four buckets. Competitors quote only the first one. That is why so many shippers get surprised at the port.
- Ocean freight: $2,020 from Houston and $2,770 from Miami for an exclusive 20 ft container (September 2026 rates); RoRo approx. $1,200 from Houston and approx. $1,650 from Miami.
- Marine insurance: 1.5%-2.5% of declared value, with a $250-$500 minimum premium.
- Honduran import taxes: DAI + ISC + ISV, typically 35%-60% of CIF.
- Post-arrival fees: terminal handling, customs agent, storage, plates — $600-approx. $1,400.
Freight ranges by vehicle type from Miami
Size drives the RoRo price. Terminals bill by cubic meter or by lane space, not by weight.
MiamiUSMIA
Puerto CortésHNPCR
Port EvergladesUSPEF
Puerto CortésHNPCR
A standard sedan such as a Corolla or Civic books at approx. $1,650 RoRo from Miami. An SUV or half-ton pickup runs approx. $1,650 as well. A shared 40' container carrying two or three cars prices at approx. $1,950 per unit. An exclusive 20' box costs $2,770 (September 2026 rates).
Honduran import taxes on a gasoline passenger vehicle almost always exceed the ocean freight. A car with an $8,000 customs value can generate $3,000-$4,500 in duties before you touch plates or storage.
Departing from Houston costs $2,020 for an exclusive 20' container versus $2,770 from Miami (September 2026 rates); from Los Angeles, it is $2,020 leaving from Houston. West Coast bookings route through the Panama Canal or transship at Manzanillo, Panama. That extra handling shows up in both cost and transit time.
Price your exact vehicle
Enter make, model year, and origin port for a real number — not a range.
Go to the calculator →How does the car shipping to Honduras calculator work?
Quick Answer: The calculator on this page prices your shipment from five inputs: U.S. pickup city, origin port, vehicle make and model year, engine displacement, and shipping method. It returns ocean freight, marine insurance, estimated CIF value, and a Honduran tax estimate in under 30 seconds.
We built the tool so you can see the math, not just the total. Every calculadora envio carro honduras should show its formula. Ours does.
- Enter your pickup ZIP code. Inland trucking to PortMiami or Port Everglades prices separately at approx. $0.85-$1.40 per mile for open carriers.
- Choose your shipping method. Select RoRo, shared container, or exclusive 20' container. The tool reprices instantly.
- Enter model year and cilindraje. Cylinder capacity drives the ISC bracket. It does not change the freight.
- Review the CIF build. The tool adds vehicle value + freight + insurance, then runs DAI, ISC, and ISV in sequence.
- Compare origin ports. Switch between Miami, Houston, Newark, and Los Angeles to see the freight delta.
The manual worksheet if you want to check the math
You do not need the tool to run the numbers. Write down these five lines and fill them in.
- Line 1 — Customs value of the vehicle (reference table, not your receipt).
- Line 2 — Ocean freight to Puerto Cortés.
- Line 3 — Insurance premium paid.
- Line 4 — CIF = Line 1 + Line 2 + Line 3.
- Line 5 — Apply DAI, then ISC, then ISV 15% on the accumulated base.
We use the same open-formula approach for air cargo. See How to Calculate Air Freight Rates USA to Colombia: 2026 Per-Kilogram Formula Guide for the chargeable-weight version of the same logic.
Pro Tip
Run the calculator before you buy the car, not after. Engine displacement moves the ISC bracket by 30 or more percentage points. A 2.0L crossover and a 3.5L crossover can differ by $2,000 in Honduran tax on nearly identical purchase prices.
Run your numbers now
Freight, insurance, CIF, and estimated duties in one screen.
Go to the calculator →How do I calculate the import taxes on a vehicle in Honduras?
Quick Answer: Honduran vehicle import taxes are calculated on CIF value in this order: DAI (import duty), then Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo based on engine size, then ISV at 15% applied on the accumulated base. Total tax burden usually lands between 35% and 60% of CIF.
Start with CIF. It stands for Cost, Insurance, and Freight. Every Honduran vehicle tax is built on that single number.
The three taxes, in order
DAI (Derecho Arancelario a la Importación) is the import duty. Passenger cars classify under HS heading 8703. Rates run 0% to 15% depending on classification and origin. CAFTA-DR preference can reduce DAI on qualifying U.S.-origin goods, but most used vehicles were built elsewhere.
ISC (Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo) scales with cilindraje. Roughly 10% up to 1,500cc. Between 15% and 25% for 1,501-3,000cc. Up to 60% above 3,000cc. Vehicle value also influences the bracket in practice.
ISV (Impuesto Sobre Ventas) is the 15% sales tax. It applies last, on CIF + DAI + ISC. That cascade is why any estimate that skips the order comes out wrong.
The cascade order matters
ISV is not 15% of CIF. It is 15% of CIF plus DAI plus ISC. On a $10,000 CIF with 10% DAI and 25% ISC, the ISV base becomes $13,500 — not $10,000. That single mistake understates the bill by about $525.
Worked landed-cost examples by vehicle type
These figures assume Miami RoRo freight and a lempira rate of about L 26.30 per USD. Treat them as planning estimates, not official assessments.
| Vehicle | CIF value | DAI | ISC | ISV 15% | Total landed (USD) | Total landed (HNL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Toyota Corolla 1.8L | $9,300 | $465 | $976 | $1,611 | $12,352 | L 324,858 |
| 2019 Toyota RAV4 2.5L | $16,800 | $1,680 | $3,700 | $3,327 | $25,507 | L 670,834 |
| 2017 Ford F-150 5.0L | $19,500 | $1,950 | $8,580 | $4,504 | $34,534 | L 908,244 |
| 2021 Tesla Model 3 (EV) | $24,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 | $27,600 | L 725,880 |
Look at the F-150 line. The 5.0L V8 pushes ISC to the top bracket, adding more than $8,500. The Tesla shows the opposite effect: electric vehicles frequently qualify for DAI and ISC exemptions, which collapses the tax bill to the ISV alone.
Honduran customs publishes an official digital estimator. Aduanas Honduras confirmed the tool in this public notice about its digital calculator. Use it alongside our freight tool for a cross-check.
Readers comparing duty structures across Latin America should also read Import Duties on Machinery from USA to Colombia: Complete 2026 Guide. Colombia's IVA-plus-arancel model works differently from the Honduran ISC cascade.
Ecotasa and matrícula are separate. You pay those at registration, not at the customs window.
Estimate your duties
Enter cilindraje and model year — the tool runs DAI, ISC, and ISV for you.
Go to the calculator →How does Honduran customs value your imported vehicle?
Quick Answer: Aduanas de Honduras, administered by the SAR, values imported vehicles using international reference tables such as Kelley Blue Book and N.A.D.A. plus official depreciation schedules by model year. Your purchase invoice supports the declaration but does not override the reference value.
This is the single biggest surprise for first-time importers. You paid $3,500 for the car. Customs books it at $8,200. Duties are assessed on $8,200.
What is the DUA?
The DUA (Declaración Única Aduanera) is the single customs declaration filed for your shipment. Only a licensed agente aduanero can submit it. You grant that agent a poder (power of attorney) to act for you.
The DUA carries the declared value, HS classification, and calculated taxes. Once accepted, changing it is slow and expensive. Get the numbers right before filing.
How depreciation works by model year
Aduanas applies depreciation schedules tied to model year. A 2016 unit carries a materially lower base than the same trim from 2021. Mileage and documented condition also factor in, but the year does the heavy lifting.
- Keep the original Certificate of Title — no photocopies.
- Keep the bill of sale, ideally notarized.
- Keep repair invoices and condition reports — they support valuation appeals.
- Photograph the odometer and any body damage before loading.
Verify your customs agent's credentials
Only a licensed Honduran customs agent may file the DUA. Confirm their registration with the SAR before wiring any funds. Aduanas Honduras publishes guidance for prospective vehicle importers, including this official briefing on importing a vehicle to Honduras. AB Group Shipping is a freight forwarder, not a Honduran customs broker — for binding duty rulings, consult a licensed agent.
Is it cheaper to ship a car by RoRo or in a container to Honduras?
Quick Answer: RoRo is cheaper — approx. $1,650 from Miami to Puerto Cortés versus $2,770 for an exclusive 20' container (September 2026 rates). Containers cost more but let you load personal items, protect the vehicle from weather, and handle non-running cars. Shared containers split the difference at approx. $1,950.
RoRo stands for Roll-on/Roll-off. Your car is driven onto a vessel deck and lashed down. No container, no packing, no crating. Keys stay with the terminal.
RoRo
Lowest cost and the fastest gate-to-vessel process at PortMiami. The vehicle must run, steer, and brake. Fuel must sit under a quarter tank. You cannot leave personal belongings inside — terminals empty the cabin. Best for a clean, drivable daily driver where price wins.
Container
Higher cost, better protection. The car is loaded and braced inside a steel box, shielded from salt spray and deck handling. You may load personal items, spare parts, or tools with a proper packing list. The only route for non-running, salvage, or heavily modified vehicles.
| Method | Price per vehicle | Transit to Puerto Cortés | Personal items | Damage risk | Sailing frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RoRo | approx. $1,650 (Miami) | 6–9 days | Not allowed | Moderate (deck handling) | Weekly from Miami |
| Shared 40' container | approx. $1,950 (Miami) | 8–12 days | Limited, with packing list | Low | Weekly, subject to consolidation |
| Exclusive 20' container | $2,770 (Miami, Sep 2026) | 21 days | Yes, full load allowed | Lowest | Weekly from Miami/Everglades |
Shared containers work well for mixed loads. Two motorcycles plus a sedan fit comfortably in a 40' high cube. For bike-specific rates and bracing standards, see Motorcycle Shipping from USA to Central America: 2026 Rates and Container Options.
One operational note. Shared container sailings depend on consolidation timing at the Miami CFS. If your unit is the first booking of the week, you may wait for the box to fill.
Compare RoRo vs container
See both prices side by side for your exact vehicle and port.
Go to the calculator →Which U.S. port is cheapest, and how long does shipping take?
Quick Answer: Houston is the cheapest gateway to Puerto Cortés: $2,020 for a car in its own 20 ft container with a 3-day transit (September 2026 rates). Miami and Port Everglades run $2,770 with 21 days and weekly sailings, Newark approx. $2,770 at 10-14 days, and Los Angeles $2,020 leaving from Houston.
| Origin port | Port code | RoRo range | Container range | Transit days | Sailings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PortMiami, FL | USMIA | approx. $1,650 | $2,770 (Sep 2026) | 21 | Weekly+ |
| Port Everglades, FL | USPEF | approx. $1,650 | $2,770 (Sep 2026) | 21 | Weekly+ |
| Houston, TX | USHOU | approx. $1,200 | $2,020 (Sep 2026) | 3 | Weekly |
| Newark, NJ | USEWR | approx. $1,650 | approx. $2,770 | 10–14 | Bi-weekly |
| Baltimore, MD | USBAL | approx. $1,650 | approx. $2,770 | 11–15 | Bi-weekly |
| Los Angeles, CA | USLAX | approx. $1,200 | $2,020, sale via Houston | 3 (via Houston) | Bi-weekly, transship |
PortMiami and Port Everglades hold the highest sailing frequency to Puerto Cortés (HNPCR). Carriers including Crowley, Seaboard Marine, and King Ocean run regular South Florida–Honduras services. That density keeps rates competitive year round.
Houston makes sense for Texas-based shippers. The slightly longer transit usually beats trucking a car 1,200 miles to Florida.
Port cut-off is not the vessel ETD
These two dates are different, and mixing them up costs you a sailing. Cut-off is the deadline to gate your vehicle into the terminal. ETD is when the ship departs.
Cargo must gate in 48-72 hours before departure for RoRo. Container bookings often need documentation cut-off even earlier. Miss cut-off by two hours and you wait a full week.
Pro Tip
Book inland trucking to arrive two full business days before cut-off. Open-carrier transport runs approx. $0.85-$1.40 per mile and schedules slip. A car sitting in Atlanta on cut-off day is a car that misses the vessel. The calculator adds inland trucking automatically when you enter a pickup ZIP.
Check rates from your port
Miami, Houston, Newark, Baltimore, or LA — compare all six in one click.
Go to the calculator →What documents do I need to import a car into Honduras?
Quick Answer: You need the original Certificate of Title, a notarized bill of sale or commercial invoice, your passport or Honduran ID, RTN number, the Bill of Lading, and the DUA filed by a licensed customs agent. U.S. export side also requires AES filing and 72-hour CBP title submission.
Split the paperwork into two sides. The U.S. export side and the Honduran import side. Both must clear before your car moves.
U.S. export documents
- Original Certificate of Title — CBP requires the original document. Photocopies are rejected.
- CBP 72-hour rule — per CBP regulations at 19 CFR 192, the title must be presented to Customs at the export port at least 72 hours before lading.
- AES/EEI filing — an Electronic Export Information filing that returns an ITN number. No ITN, no loading.
- Bill of Lading (B/L) — issued by the carrier or NVOCC once the vehicle gates in.
- Lien release letter — required if a lender ever financed the vehicle.
Honduran import documents
- Factura Comercial or notarized bill of sale showing the purchase price.
- Certificado de Origen when claiming CAFTA-DR preferential treatment.
- RTN (Registro Tributario Nacional) — your Honduran tax ID.
- Passport copy or Honduran national ID card.
- Poder granting authority to your agente aduanero.
- Packing list for any personal effects shipping inside the container.
A lien on the title blocks export
If the title shows an active lienholder, CBP will not release the vehicle for export. Request a written lien release from your lender before you book. Processing can take two to four weeks — start early, not the week of cut-off.
Shipping household goods alongside the car? The documentation logic is similar across the region. See Moving to Ecuador from USA: 2026 Complete Cost Guide & Required Documents for a full personal-effects checklist.
Can I import a salvage-title car into Honduras?
Quick Answer: Yes. Honduras allows salvage-title vehicles, unlike several neighboring countries, but they must ship inside a container if they are not drivable and they still pay taxes on reference value, not on the salvage purchase price. Confirm current rules with your customs agent before buying.
Honduras remains one of the more open Central American markets for rebuilt units. That said, the tax math rarely matches buyer expectations.
- Declare the title brand accurately. Misdeclaring a salvage title as clean triggers penalties and possible seizure.
- Non-running units cannot go RoRo. Terminals reject vehicles that will not drive on. Plan on a shared or exclusive container.
- Left-hand drive only. Right-hand drive conversions face registration problems at the Honduran level.
- Age and emissions rules shift. Verify current model-year restrictions with a licensed agent before you bid at auction.
- EVs and hybrids often get reduced ISC treatment. That changes the math substantially on a Tesla or a Prius.
Salvage price ≠ tax base
You bought a flood-damaged Camry at Copart for $2,800. Aduanas may still book it against a reference value near $9,000, adjusted for condition. Bring documented damage evidence and repair estimates. Without proof, the reference table wins the argument.
What hidden fees and post-arrival costs should you budget?
Quick Answer: Budget $600-$1,400 beyond freight and taxes. That covers terminal handling at Puerto Cortés, customs agent fees of $150-$350, scanner and inspection charges, free-time storage overruns at $25-$60 per day, and Honduran registration with plates at roughly $180-$400.
| Cost item | Typical range (USD) | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Marine insurance | 1.5%–2.5% of value ($250 min) | At booking |
| Destination THC, Puerto Cortés | $120–$260 | On arrival |
| Agente aduanero fee | $150–$350 | At DUA filing |
| Scanner / physical inspection | $40–$120 | During clearance |
| Storage after free time | $25–$60 per day | If clearance is delayed |
| Matrícula, placas, revisión | $180–$400 | After nationalization |
Marine insurance covers total loss and general average. General average is a shared-loss rule that can hit uninsured cargo hard after a vessel casualty. Skipping it to save $300 is a bad trade on a $15,000 car.
A Miami RoRo shipment typically runs 3-6 days to gate in and load, 6-9 days at sea, then 7-15 days for DUA clearance and registration. Delays almost always come from paperwork, not from the vessel.
Free time at Puerto Cortés is short
Storage and demurrage clocks start fast. Have your customs agent pre-positioned before vessel arrival with the DUA drafted and funds ready. Cars that sit five extra days can burn $300 in storage alone.
Registration is a separate line item. Matrícula, placas, revisión vehicular, and ecotasa are all paid after nationalization — at the registry, not at the port.
If the car is part of a full household move, budget both together. International Moving Costs from USA to Chile: 2026 Prices & Required Documents shows how vehicle and household-goods budgets interact on a single relocation.
Get your full landed-cost estimate
Freight, insurance, duties, and destination charges — one number, no email required.
Go to the calculator →Ready to price your shipment?
Quick Answer: Use the embedded calculator on this page to price RoRo, shared container, and exclusive 20' container rates from any U.S. port to Puerto Cortés. Enter your ZIP, model year, and engine size for freight, insurance, and estimated Honduran duties in under two minutes.
AB Group Shipping moves vehicles and consolidated cargo across the Miami–Central America corridor every week. We handle the U.S. export side: inland trucking, AES filing, CBP title submission, booking, and the Bill of Lading. Your licensed Honduran agente aduanero handles the DUA.
Skip the guesswork and the follow-up calls. The calculadora envio carro honduras sits right on this page. Enter your details, compare methods and ports, and see a real landed-cost estimate in seconds — no email, no sales call.
Calculate your car shipping cost to Honduras
Container from $2,020 (September 2026, Houston). RoRo approx. $1,200. Real prices, instantly.
Go to the calculator →Ship your car with AB Group Shipping
AB Group Shipping is an NVOCC-licensed international car shipping company: RoRo, container or air to 140+ countries, with your rate in 60 seconds.
For current ocean freight by RoRo or exclusive 20' container to Puerto Cortés, see the price table at the top of this page. Import taxes add another 35%-60% of CIF value depending on engine size. The calculator on this page gives the landed cost for your car, plates included.
Ocean transit from Miami to Puerto Cortés takes 6-9 days with weekly sailings. Add 3-6 days for port cut-off and loading, then 7-15 days for customs clearance and registration in Honduras. Door-to-plates usually runs 25-40 days total.
Start with CIF value: vehicle value plus freight plus insurance. Apply DAI (0%-15%), then ISC based on engine displacement (10%-60%), then ISV at 15% on the accumulated total. The calculator on this page runs that cascade automatically once you enter model year and cylinder capacity.
RoRo is cheaper per vehicle — see the price table at the top of this page for both prices. Containers cost more but allow personal items inside the car, protect against weather and handling damage, and accept non-running or salvage vehicles that RoRo terminals reject.
Yes, Honduras accepts salvage and rebuilt titles. However, non-drivable units must ship in a container, and Honduran customs values the car using reference tables rather than your salvage auction price, so the tax bill can exceed what buyers expect.
You need the original Certificate of Title, notarized bill of sale, passport, RTN, Bill of Lading, and the DUA filed by a licensed Honduran customs agent. On the U.S. side, the title must be submitted to CBP at least 72 hours before export along with the AES filing.
Guides for shipping to Honduras
- Honduras Container Calculator: Instant Quotes, 2026 · Container (FCL) calculator
- Courier Calculator Honduras: Instant Rates (2026) · Boxes & packages calculator