Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, shipping a car from the USA to Manila costs approx. $1,450 by RoRo or approx. $3,800 in a 20 ft container (October 2026 quote). Philippine tax stacks on top: customs duty on the CIF dutiable value, excise tax where it applies, then 12% VAT on dutiable value plus duty plus excise.
- Importing used motor vehicles of all types is prohibited in the Philippines; the main exception is a vehicle owned by and for the personal use of a returning resident or immigrant, with an authority to import under the No-Dollar Importation Program, not resold for at least three years (Executive Order 156, 12 Dec 2002, sec. 3.1).
- A personally-owned motor vehicle is NOT covered by the returning-resident exemption: vehicles, watercraft and aircraft are excluded from Section 800(f), and from Section 800(i) for people coming to settle (CMTA; CAO 06-2016 sec. 7; CMO 15-2017 sec. 3.5). There is no tax-free balikbayan car.
- Tax math runs in one order: dutiable value (transaction value plus transport, loading, unloading, handling and insurance to the Philippine port, CMTA secs. 104 and 701) → customs duty → excise tax if any → 12% VAT on the whole stack (NIRC sec. 107, as amended by RA 9337).
- Ocean freight from the USA: approx. $1,450 by RoRo, approx. $2,800 in a shared container, approx. $3,800 for one vehicle in a 20 ft container (October 2026). Send the request through the calculator on this page and a vehicle specialist confirms the exact figure.
Most online "philippines car import tax calculator" tools skip the hard part: eligibility. Before any number matters, you need to know whether your car is even allowed in — and whether the permit is in your name.
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Go to the calculator →Approximate prices: shipping from the USA to Philippines
| Shipment | Price |
|---|---|
| One vehicle in a 20 ft container | ≈ $3,800 |
| One vehicle by RoRo | ≈ $1,450 |
| One vehicle in a shared container | ≈ $2,800 |
| 10 kg courier box | $1756 days |
Prices without ≈ were quoted by our system on October 4, 2026. ≈ Published market freight (Los Angeles / New York–Manila, Sep 2026 (BR Logistics, MoverDB); cars: CFR Classic to the Philippines, 2026), turned into each service with what it adds on our own lanes; excludes origin and destination charges. RoRo and shared container: approximated from the price of a vehicle alone in a container. The calculator on this page takes your shipment and confirms the exact price.
Can You Legally Import a Used Car to the Philippines in 2026?
Quick Answer: Usually no. Importing used motor vehicles of all types is prohibited. One listed exception is a vehicle owned by and for the personal use of a returning resident or immigrant, with an authority to import under the No-Dollar Importation Program, and not resold for at least three years (Executive Order 156, 12 Dec 2002, sec. 3.1).
Start with the law, not the price list. Executive Order 156 of 12 December 2002, section 3.1, bans the importation of used motor vehicles of all types, with a short list of exceptions. That ban is the single most important fact on this page.
The exception most US-based Filipinos use is the personal-vehicle route. A returning resident or immigrant may bring in a vehicle they own and use themselves. It must be covered by an authority to import under the No-Dollar Importation Program, and it cannot be resold for at least three years.
For a used motor vehicle the Bureau of Customs names the agency and the papers directly. The agency is the DTI Fair Trade Bureau (DTI-FTEB). The papers are the Certificate of Authority to Import and the Authority to Release Import Goods (ATRIG) (BOC "Guidelines on Arriving Travelers", 3 April 2023).
Get the authority to import before you buy
Get the authority to import in writing before you buy the car — not after it is on the vessel. A car that arrives without it is a compliance problem, not a paperwork delay. Freight forwarders cannot fix a missing permit at the pier.
Any other eligibility route you read on a forum needs verification. Vehicle age limits, right-hand-drive rules, visa-class exemptions — confirm each one with us or with a licensed Philippine customs broker before you buy or ship. Rules written on Facebook groups are not rules.
One structural point matters here. The Bureau of Customs sits under the Department of Finance (BOC Citizen's Charter, 2021 Edition). Exemption paperwork is issued on the Finance side, not at the terminal counter. That is why permit timelines run on a different clock than vessel schedules.
How Much Is the Import Tax on a Car in the Philippines?
Quick Answer: Philippine import tax on a car is not one rate. It is customs duty on the dutiable value, excise tax where it applies to the vehicle, then 12% VAT on the total value used to determine duty, plus the duties, excise and other charges (NIRC sec. 107, as amended by RA 9337).
Landed cost is the number you should budget. It is the dutiable value, plus customs duty, plus excise tax if any, plus 12% VAT, plus the local port, handling and broker charges that fall due before the car leaves the terminal.
Outside the exemptions, every import pays duties and taxes. The dutiable value is the transaction value plus the cost of transport, loading, unloading and handling, and insurance to the Philippine port of entry (CMTA secs. 104 and 701). Your freight bill is part of your tax base, not a separate expense sitting outside it.
VAT on importation is a flat 12%, and its base includes the customs duty and the excise tax (NIRC sec. 107, as amended by RA 9337). Duty and excise are therefore taxed a second time by VAT. This compounding is what most free online estimates get wrong.
There is no single tariff rate for every car; confirm the rate for your vehicle with a licensed Philippine customs broker. In 2023 the Philippines' simple average Most Favored Nation applied tariff rate was 6.0 percent (US Country Commercial Guide Philippines, "Import Tariffs", 30 June 2026). That is an economy-wide average, not the motor-vehicle rate — never model your car on it.
Excise tax on motor vehicles is set by statute in brackets tied to vehicle price. Some hybrids and electrics receive reduced treatment. The bracket that applies to your specific car must be confirmed with a licensed Philippine customs broker. Quoting a stale bracket can understate your bill by thousands of dollars.
The same duty-then-VAT stacking logic appears across Latin America too. For a side-by-side look at how the layers compound elsewhere, see our El Salvador Car Import Tax Calculator: 2026 DAI & IVA. Reference guides such as DHL's guide to import duties and customs tax in the Philippines cover the general duty-and-VAT structure for ordinary cargo.
How Do I Calculate Customs Duty and VAT When Importing a Car to Manila?
Quick Answer: Work in four steps. Build the dutiable value (price plus freight, handling and insurance to the Philippine port), apply the tariff rate to it, add excise tax if the vehicle is subject to it, then apply 12% VAT to the dutiable value plus duty plus excise plus other charges.
- Build the dutiable value. Transaction value + transport + loading, unloading and handling + insurance to the Philippine port of entry (CMTA secs. 104 and 701). A RoRo car at approx. $1,450 freight from the USA (October 2026) raises the dutiable value by that freight.
- Apply the tariff rate. Customs duty = dutiable value × the rate for the vehicle's classification. The rate for your vehicle must be confirmed with a licensed Philippine customs broker, so confirm it before you model anything.
- Add excise tax. Excise is an ad valorem tax on the vehicle itself, separate from customs duty, charged on a price base defined by statute. Treat it as its own line and confirm the bracket with a licensed broker.
- Apply 12% VAT. VAT = 12% × (dutiable value + customs duty + excise tax + other charges), per NIRC sec. 107 as amended by RA 9337.
Worked example: the four-line formula
| Line | Basis | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase price | Transaction value, documented | 12,000 |
| Ocean freight (RoRo) | Approx. market rate, Oct 2026 | 1,450 |
| Insurance to port of entry | Policy invoice | 150 |
| Dutiable value (CIF) | CMTA secs. 104 and 701 | 13,600 |
| Customs duty | Dutiable value × your confirmed tariff rate | Confirm rate |
| Excise tax | Statutory bracket, confirm with broker | Confirm bracket |
| VAT | 12% × (13,600 + duty + excise + other charges) | Compute last |
Source: CMTA secs. 104 and 701; NIRC sec. 107 as amended by RA 9337; AB Group Shipping freight reference, October 2026
Notice what the table refuses to do. It does not invent a duty rate or an excise figure. Those two lines are yours to confirm with a licensed Philippine customs broker, because they depend on classification and valuation that only the Bureau of Customs settles at entry.
The assessment is in pesos, at the exchange rate the Bureau of Customs applies. Confirm with your broker which rate will be used rather than assuming the rate on the day you booked the vessel. A four-week swing of two pesos to the dollar moves a PHP 700,000 assessment by real money.
Pro Tip: build the spreadsheet before you shop
Put the four lines in a spreadsheet with the tariff rate and excise figure as editable cells. Then price three candidate cars at once. A cheaper car with a higher excise bracket can land dearer than a pricier one. Ask us for the spreadsheet mirror of this formula when you send your request through the calculator.
What Is Dutiable Value (CIF) and Why Freight Changes Your Tax Bill
Dutiable value is the transaction value plus transport, loading, unloading, handling and insurance to the Philippine port of entry (CMTA secs. 104 and 701). It is not the sticker price. It is the delivered-to-Manila price.
Every freight dollar is taxed twice downstream. Once through customs duty, again through the 12% VAT that sits on top of duty. That is the mechanical reason shipping method affects tax, not just logistics cost.
RoRo at approx. $1,450 versus a 20 ft container at approx. $3,800 (October 2026) changes the dutiable value by about USD 2,350 before a single peso of tax is computed. Then duty applies to that difference. Then VAT applies to the duty.
What Is Excise Tax and How Does It Differ From Customs Duty?
Customs duty is charged because the goods crossed the border. Excise is charged on the vehicle as a product, in price-based brackets set by statute. Two different taxes, two different bases, both due at entry.
Excise sits inside the VAT base. NIRC sec. 107 names customs duties, excise taxes if any, and other charges as part of the 12% VAT computation. So excise is paid, then taxed again.
Hybrid and electric vehicles are treated more favorably than comparable gasoline models under Philippine excise law. Confirm the current bracket and the reduction with a licensed customs broker before you buy. The difference between a hybrid and its gasoline twin can be the whole reason one import works and the other does not.
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Send your vehicle details and origin city — a specialist confirms the exact freight for your lane.
Go to the calculator →Philippines Car Import Tax Calculator: What It Computes in 2026
Quick Answer: The calculator on this page takes your origin city, vehicle details, declared value and shipping method, then returns the ocean freight side and routes the tax side to a specialist. For vehicles we confirm the exact figure by hand, because duty, excise and the 12% VAT depend on classification and valuation.
A honest philippines car import tax calculator separates what can be priced from what must be confirmed. Freight is quotable. Duty and excise are not quotable without a classification ruling.
- Origin city and gateway — this moves the freight number more than anything else
- Year, make and model — drives classification and the excise conversation
- Declared value with proof of payment — invoice, wire transfer, title transfer
- RoRo or container — approx. $1,450 versus approx. $3,800 for a dedicated 20 ft
- Destination port — Manila, Subic, Cebu, Batangas or Davao
- Whether you already hold an authority to import — without it, nothing else matters
We show our assumptions openly. VAT at 12% (NIRC sec. 107 as amended by RA 9337). Dutiable value built per CMTA secs. 104 and 701. Tariff and excise entered as confirmed rates, never guessed defaults.
Los AngelesUSLAX
ManilaPHMNL
New YorkUSNYC
ManilaPHMNL
Los AngelesUSLAX
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MiamiUSMIA
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Pro Tip: run several vehicles side by side
Ask for the spreadsheet mirror of the four-line formula. Swap in two or three candidate cars with their confirmed rates. No signup, no follow-up calls — the request goes in through the calculator on this page, and a vehicle specialist confirms the exact freight for cars, containers and moves on this lane.
The same tool logic runs on our other vehicle lanes. See Car Shipping to Mexico Calculator: 7-Day Transit 2026 and Car Shipping to Honduras Calculator: Instant Quotes (2026) for short-haul comparisons.
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RoRo, shared container or a dedicated 20 ft — priced for your exact origin city.
Go to the calculator →How Does the Bureau of Customs Value a Used Car?
Quick Answer: Valuation starts from the transaction value, then adds transport, loading, unloading, handling and insurance to the Philippine port of entry (CMTA secs. 104 and 701). A bare bill of sale with no payment trail invites questions, so build a documentary file that proves what you actually paid.
Transaction value only holds up when it is documented. Build the file before the car moves, not after an examiner asks.
- Invoice or bill of sale showing the agreed price
- Bank transfer record or cashier's check copy — the payment trail is what makes the price credible
- Title transfer document in your name
- Freight invoice (the approx. $1,450 RoRo or approx. $3,800 container charge belongs in the dutiable value)
- Marine insurance certificate and premium invoice
A family-friend price on a clean title raises the obvious question. Expect the declared value to be tested against market references for the same year, make, model and mileage. Paying USD 3,000 for a USD 14,000 car is a conversation you should prepare for.
Keep the condition record too. Photos at loading, odometer reading, service history, and any accident disclosure. Depreciation arguments are only as strong as the evidence behind them.
Do not rely on unverified valuation tables
Any specific reference-value table, depreciation schedule or valuation circular quoted on a forum should be confirmed with a licensed Philippine customs broker before you rely on it. A wrong valuation assumption can double your assessed VAT, because VAT sits on dutiable value plus duty plus excise.
Classic and collector vehicles are a different conversation. There, appraisal documentation matters more than the purchase price. Our Classic Car Shipping Calculator: 2026 Instant Quotes covers how we handle enclosed moves and appraisal-driven declared values.
Can a Balikbayan Bring a Car to the Philippines Tax Free?
Quick Answer: No. Vehicles, watercraft and aircraft are excluded from the returning-resident privilege, and personally-owned motor vehicles are not entitled to the Section 800(f) exemption (CMTA sec. 800(f); CAO 06-2016 sec. 7; CMO 15-2017 sec. 3.5). The car pays duty, excise if applicable, and 12% VAT.
Clear the myth first. There is no duty-free car for balikbayans. Vehicles, vessels, aircraft and machinery for use in manufacture are also outside the Section 800(i) exemption for people coming to settle.
No-dollar importation is often confused with a tax break. It is not one. It is the program under which a returning resident or immigrant may bring in a personally-owned vehicle with an authority to import, not resold for at least three years (EO 156, sec. 3.1). It is an eligibility route, not a tax exemption.
What Section 800(f) Actually Covers
The exemption applies to personal and household effects. Returning residents are Filipino nationals who stayed abroad for at least six months; for the privilege the term includes the spouse and dependent children.
The goods must arrive with the owner, or within a reasonable time that in no case exceeds sixty (60) days after the owner's return. They must not be in commercial quantities, and not intended for barter, sale or hire.
Section 800(f) exemption caps by years abroad
See the data
| Years abroad | FCA / FOB cap (PHP) | Privilege not used within |
|---|---|---|
| At least 10 years | 350,000 | Last 10 years |
| 5 to 10 years | 250,000 | Last 5 years |
| Less than 5 years | 150,000 | Last 6 months |
Source: CMTA (RA 10863) sec. 800(f); CAO 06-2016 · October 2026
Any amount above the cap pays the corresponding duties and taxes (CMTA sec. 800(f)). For unaccompanied shipments, the returning resident or OFW secures a Duty and Tax Exemption Certificate from the Revenue Office of the Department of Finance (CAO 06-2016 sec. 4.4).
Cargo that arrives before you do
A shipment that arrives before its owner is tentatively assessed and conditionally released on a cash bond equal to 100% of the assessed duties and taxes (CAO 06-2016 sec. 9). Plan the car and the household goods around your own arrival date, not around the cheapest sailing.
As of October 2026, CMO 07-2025 (23 October 2025) set up e-TES Lite, a digital platform for the online filing, validation and confirmation of tax and duty exemption applications.
Balikbayan boxes are a separate allowance entirely. Qualified Filipinos While Abroad may send boxes free of duties and taxes up to three times in a calendar year, with the total FCA value per sender capped at PHP 150,000. Each box holds personal and household effects only, up to 200,000 gross cubic centimetres, sent to relatives up to the fourth civil degree, with an Information Sheet serving as the packing list (CMTA sec. 800(g); CAO 01-2018).
Is It Cheaper to Ship a Car to the Philippines by RoRo or in a Container?
Quick Answer: RoRo is cheaper. From the USA, one vehicle by RoRo runs approx. $1,450, a shared container approx. $2,800, and one vehicle alone in a 20 ft container approx. $3,800 (October 2026). Containers protect the paint and allow a sealed, controlled load; RoRo wins on price.
RoRo vs shared container vs 20 ft container — USA to Manila
See the data
| Method | Freight (approx., Oct 2026) | Exposure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoRo | approx. $1,450 | Open deck, driven on/off | Running daily drivers on a budget |
| Shared 40 ft container | approx. $2,800 per car | Enclosed, shared box | Mid-value cars, flexible timing |
| Dedicated 20 ft container | approx. $3,800 | Enclosed, sealed, sole use | Classic, modified, high-value |
Source: AB Group Shipping vehicle freight reference, USA to Philippines · October 2026. All figures approximate; a specialist confirms the exact price.
RoRo
The car is driven on and driven off the vessel. It must run, steer and brake. It travels with fuel low and nothing loose inside. At approx. $1,450 from the USA (October 2026), RoRo is the cheapest route to Manila — and the cheapest dutiable value.
Container
A shared container splits the box between two vehicles, which is why the per-car figure of approx. $2,800 lands between RoRo and a dedicated 20 ft at approx. $3,800. Timing depends on finding the match. A dedicated box buys enclosure and a sealed load, not speed.
Classic, low-clearance, modified or high-value vehicles belong in a container. Open decks expose paint to salt and handling. The price difference buys protection, not a faster sailing.
RVs, motorhomes, semi-trucks and heavy machinery do not fit in a container. They move on a flat rack or a RoRo vessel, and a specialist quotes them after the request comes through the calculator.
Which US Gateway Will Your Car Sail From?
Gateway drives both price and schedule. Pacific gateways are the natural fit for the Philippines, because the sailing is direct across the Pacific rather than routed through a hub.
- Florida → Miami
- Texas and the central states → Houston
- California and the Southwest → Los Angeles/Long Beach
- The Northeast → New York/New Jersey
- The Southeast → Savannah
- The Midwest → rail via Chicago
- The Pacific Northwest → Seattle, a short Pacific run to Luzon
For a Canadian origin facing the same RoRo-versus-container decision, see Car Shipping Calculator: Canada to Argentina 2026.
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Tell us your city and your car — we price the exact gateway your region sails from.
Go to the calculator →Which Entry Port Should Your Car Use: Manila, Subic, Cebu, Batangas or Davao?
Quick Answer: Most privately imported vehicles from the USA enter through Manila (MICT or South Harbor) or Subic Bay Freeport. Cebu, Batangas and Davao serve regional owners and can shorten inland trucking. Service frequency, terminal congestion and your broker's coverage usually decide the choice, not the port tariff.
| Port | Typical use case | Vehicle-handling depth | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manila (MICT / South Harbor) | Metro Manila and most of Luzon | Deepest service coverage, broadest broker bench | Busiest terminals; storage clocks run fastest where congestion is highest |
| Subic Bay Freeport | Central Luzon owners; freeport-routed vehicles | Established vehicle-handling environment | Freeport duty treatment and deferment rules are specific — confirm before routing |
| Cebu | Visayas-based owners | Regional handling | Fewer direct services; confirm the sailing |
| Batangas | Southern Luzon / CALABARZON | Regional handling | Check broker coverage before booking |
| Davao | Mindanao-based owners | Regional handling | Usually requires transshipment from the USA |
Cebu, Batangas and Davao are worth considering when the owner lives in the Visayas or Mindanao. Inland trucking from Manila can cost more than the port difference saves. Measure the drive before you pick the pier.
Subic Bay Freeport deserves a specific caution. Freeport duty treatment and deferment rules are not general rules — they must be confirmed with us or with a licensed Philippine customs broker before you route a car there.
Pro Tip: ask for the sailing, not an estimate
Transit depends on the gateway and the vessel. Pacific coast departures are the shortest route to Luzon. East Coast and Gulf bookings generally move via transshipment, which adds handling touches. We confirm the actual transit from the carrier's schedule when the booking is fixed — and extra touches are a cargo-care argument for a container on a high-value car.
What Happens After Arrival: Charges, Storage and Abandonment Risk
Quick Answer: Freight is only the first invoice. At the Philippine port the car also faces arrastre, wharfage, terminal handling, broker fees and storage — and storage is the charge that destroys budgets when paperwork is missing. A car without its authority to import can sit, accrue cost and become a seizure or abandonment case.
Know the destination charges by name before the vessel arrives:
- Arrastre — cargo handling inside the terminal
- Wharfage — the port's charge for using the wharf
- Terminal handling and documentation
- Broker's professional fee
- Inland trucking to your province
- Storage — the charge that compounds daily
These are local port and service charges, not AB Group Shipping freight. Confirm them locally with your Philippine broker rather than guessing. We quote the ocean leg; your broker quotes the pier.
Free time is short and storage compounds daily. The trigger is almost always a missing permit or an unresolved valuation question, not the shipping line. Demurrage and detention apply to containerized moves when the box is not returned on time, so build the unload plan before arrival.
Seizure, forfeiture and abandonment are real outcomes
Penalty, seizure, forfeiture and abandonment outcomes exist for vehicles imported without the required authority. The specifics are case-driven and must be handled by a licensed Philippine customs broker or counsel, not by a freight forwarder. Re-export is sometimes the lower-cost ending to a non-compliant import — and it costs a second ocean freight. That is why the permit comes first.
Document Checklist Before You Book
- Title and bill of sale
- Proof of payment (wire, cashier's check)
- Passport and arrival record
- Certificate of Authority to Import and the Authority to Release Import Goods (ATRIG) for a used motor vehicle
- Bill of Lading
- Freight and insurance invoices
- Inventory, if personal effects travel with the car
Keep registration and compliance steps on the local side. Plan for the vehicle's local registration after release, and confirm the current requirements with your Philippine broker. Guides such as Importation of Used Vehicles to the Philippines and Philippines Import Duties & Taxes: A Shipping Guide give useful background, but a licensed broker gives you the ruling.
How Do You Get a Real Number for Your Car in 2026?
Quick Answer: Send the request through the calculator on this page. Enter your origin city, vehicle and shipping method, and a vehicle specialist confirms the exact freight for your lane. Reference points from the USA, October 2026: RoRo approx. $1,450, shared container approx. $2,800, one vehicle in a 20 ft container approx. $3,800.
Dutiable value → customs duty → excise tax if any → 12% VAT on the whole stack. Skip a step and your estimate is wrong. Nothing in the tax stack is quoted as a flat percentage of the purchase price, because the 12% VAT alone sits on dutiable value plus duty plus excise plus other charges.
Freight and taxes are two separate budgets. We quote the freight. The duty-excise-VAT stack follows the published Philippine rates applied to your confirmed classification and valuation.
- Confirm eligibility and the authority to import with DTI-FTEB and a licensed broker.
- Confirm classification and the excise bracket before you commit to a purchase price.
- Book the vessel — and only then fix a delivery date with the family in Manila.
Shipping from outside the listed gateways? We price your exact origin city and tell you which port your region sails from. The figure uses the nearest listed origin's approximate rate, written with its departure port. Guides like the Zonos Philippines country guide cover general import mechanics; your car still needs a vehicle-specific quote.
Use the calculator on this page to send your origin city, vehicle details and preferred method. No signup, no follow-up calls — a vehicle specialist confirms the exact price before you commit a dollar. Start with the calculator on this page, and bring the permit question to us at the same time.
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RoRo, shared container or a dedicated 20 ft to Manila, Subic, Cebu, Batangas or Davao.
Go to the calculator →There is no single rate. The car pays customs duty on its dutiable value — the transaction value plus transport, loading, unloading, handling and insurance to the Philippine port of entry (CMTA secs. 104 and 701) — plus excise tax where it applies, then 12% VAT on the dutiable value, duties, excise and other charges (NIRC sec. 107, as amended by RA 9337). Confirm your vehicle's tariff classification and excise bracket with a licensed Philippine customs broker before you buy.
No. Vehicles, watercraft and aircraft are excluded from the returning-resident privilege, and personally-owned motor vehicles are not entitled to the Section 800(f) exemption (CMTA sec. 800(f); CAO 06-2016 sec. 7; CMO 15-2017 sec. 3.5). The Section 800(f) allowance covers personal and household effects only, capped at PHP 350,000, PHP 250,000 or PHP 150,000 of FCA or FOB value depending on years abroad.
Usually no. Importing used motor vehicles of all types is prohibited, and one listed exception is a vehicle owned by and for the personal use of a returning resident or immigrant, with an authority to import under the No-Dollar Importation Program, not resold for at least three years (Executive Order 156 of 12 Dec 2002, sec. 3.1). For a used motor vehicle the Bureau of Customs names the DTI Fair Trade Bureau and the Certificate of Authority to Import plus the ATRIG (BOC 'Guidelines on Arriving Travelers', 3 Apr 2023).
RoRo is the cheaper method, because the vehicle is driven on and off the vessel instead of being blocked and braced inside a box. A container costs more and buys enclosure, a sealed load and better protection for classic, modified or high-value vehicles. See the price table on this page and send your details through the calculator — a vehicle specialist confirms the exact figure for your origin city.
It depends on your gateway and the sailing. Pacific coast departures are the shortest route to Luzon, while East Coast and Gulf bookings generally move through a transshipment hub, which adds days and extra handling. We confirm the actual transit from the carrier's schedule once the booking is fixed, so ask for the sailing before you commit to a delivery date.
Sources
We checked the rules and figures in this guide against these sources on November 13, 2026.
- Bureau of Internal Revenue: REVENUE REGULATIONS 18-2025 Digest · 2025-08-05
- Bureau of Customs (Philippines): Bureau of Customs Citizen's Charter 2021 Edition
- CMTA sec. 800(f)
- Executive Order 156 of 12 Dec 2002, sec. 3.1
- CMTA sec. 800(f); CAO 06-2016 sec. 7; CMO 15-2017 sec. 3.5
- BOC 'Guidelines on Arriving Travelers', 3 Apr 2023
- CMTA sec. 800(i)
- CMTA secs. 104 and 701
- NIRC sec. 107, as amended by RA 9337
- CMTA (RA 10863) sec. 800(f); CAO 06-2016 sec. 3.18
✓ Fact-checked by AB Group Shipping on November 13, 2026. Prices come from our own rate system. How we check our guides · Spotted an error? [email protected]
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