Do You Know How To Import Used Cars in Zambia?

Import Your Car From a Reliable Company

In a Landlocked Country like Zambia there are many challenges that come with importation of Vehicles in our country, the challenges that one has to endure are many and it often calls for patience and proper cost analysis to cover all expenses involved in importation of a vehicle. We often hear of stories of people that have lost their cash through bogus vehicle sellers that have no track record in vehicle import and export business. Many people ought to be careful in terms of how they purchase cars online, however companies such as BE FORWARDwith their agent offices set up right in the heart of the city, the chances of one being duped have lessened as one can always verify and authenticate any documentation and company details.
Security concerns about the company and the vehicle are often raised as one does not wish to lose his/her finances especially in instances where one has spent time saving every penny to purchase a car online. Online purchasing of vehicles is a very big business in the African continent as access to second hand vehicles is open to everyone with Internet connection. As much as there are some who feel like second hand vehicles are just being dumped on the continent I would beg to differ in that they have really made the cost of transport and foodstuffs to really go down.
Speaking of the biggest thing that has ever happened to our nation is to see the reality of people getting employment in the transport sector and this is all attributed to second hand vehicles being brought into the country. Apart from the convenience that every person gets from having their own vehicle outweighs any so called disadvantages that one can put up. I have been importing quite a number of vehicles in the country and I will still continue doing so as I have a passion for online purchasing of cars. I once ordered and purchased a pearl white Toyota Mark II with year of model being 2004, CC capacity 2500. This car was very comfortable and neat in every sense of it all as I bought the same with a price bargain of $ 1,150.00 up to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania East Africa.

Payment Process

The whole process of sending of cash and receiving of invoice was done in a short space of two days. Once an individual orders the car, the next thing that BE FORWARD does is to immediately send a Proforma Invoice in the email provided when ordering the car. You are expected to make transfer of payment for the vehicle within 48 hours as any delay can lead to the Proforma Invoice being cancelled and the car being eventually offered to another client, as more and more people are always looking out for cheap and good condition vehicles. Upon transferring the same funds, never forget to scan and send a copy of electronic transfer to BE FORWARD as they will expect proof of payment and car details such as the allotted vehicle number clearly shown on the transfer copy. This process helps BE FORWARD to reserve and quickly start the shipping process in a short space of time.

Important Documents When You Import Used Cars

I received soft copies of export certificate, bill of lading and invoice in approximately two weeks, with the original papers arriving a week before the vehicle reaching the Port. These three documents are very important as one cannot import any vehicle without the presence or availability of the same. The other document that one needs to be very much aware of is Jevic inspection. This service is available both at the border and also can be done from the exporting country as the vehicle has to be inspected prior to being exported and crossing the border.
Car Shipping to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania
In getting back to the above mentioned vehicle that I had purchased, the whole shipping process for the vehicle was handled in a professional manner by BE FORWARD, where I had bought the vehicle from, was at hand in alerting me as to when the car was going to be shipped, and a tracking number was provided for easy monitoring of the ship online and SMS were often sent to alert me on the expected date of arrival of the ship at the port which in this case it was Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
I personally prefer Dar es Salaam as it is near and the cost of freight is reasonable when compared to other Ports. It took the vehicle approximately three (03) weeks for it to arrive at the port of Dar es salaam and BE FORWARD was at hand to assist me in getting the right clearing agent to pay and sort out my paper work with Tanzania Port Authority with the cost of hire of an agent ranging between $250 and $300 utmost.
The whole shipping process and docking of the car was done smoothly with no scratches on the car. This is usually common with cars being exported as multiple units are shipped in one ship at a time. However shipping companies always take necessary precautions to prevent damage to whatever units they might be carrying.

How to Pay the Import Duty

Once you receive your car and pay the authorities landing fees, the next thing to do is to hit the road as you are expected not to prolong your stay but within a time frame of 24 hours. Upon collection of the vehicle one, must be at the crossing border point.
At the crossing border point there are usually agents that are able to clear the vehicles within the shortest possible time. However, caution has to be taken here as some people have ended up being duped out of thousands of Kwacha to individuals impersonating as clearing agents. This risk can also be avoided as the Zambia Revenue Authority; the authority that is mandated to collect taxes on behalf of the Zambian Government has come up with a system in which you can pay the duty of the car prior to its arrival and the process can be done from any location other than the border. Inspection of the car is normally handled by customs officers and relevant documents such as invoice, export certificate, travel insurance and bill of lading are required for the purposes of charging the right taxes and excise duty.
We were able to clear our papers and an amount of ZMK 14,389.60 was paid as duty to the Zambia Revenue Authority. Please take note here that the amount that you have to pay for duty and taxes always varies as the year of manufacture, cc capacity and other accessories are taken into account. The older your vehicle is, the more you have to pay for taxes as old vehicles are taken to have high carbon emission than latest models where the issue of being environmentally friendly is being upheld and as a matter of fact the climate change has become a major issue among United Nations and various research institutions.

*For the latest information please refer to Zambia Revenue Authority Website.

Coming back to my journey, I must say that the whole trip took a toll of 2000 km as the distance between Dar es salaam and Lusaka is approximately that range. The vehicle reached Lusaka in good condition and without any incidences thanks to City Delivery Service by BE FORWARD Tanzania. In concluding this article I can say that the process of ordering, paying and actual receiving of vehicle is one that is really simple and easy to implement as long as you follow all the right channels and rules on exporting and importation of vehicles act. Proper guidance is always available and freely accessible to all; if you are a newbie to online purchasing of cars please take time to consult the right people in the industry and you will never go astray.
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