Shipping a Car from the USA to Jamaica
Jamaica is a short sail from Florida and a paperwork-first destination: the island wants its import license approved before your car ever touches a vessel. Get the order of operations right and the shipment is quick and painless. We truck your car to the departure port, and our FMC licensed sister company, Royal Port Container Lines, Inc. DBA Cassandra Logistics, books the crossing to Kingston.
What will it cost to ship a car to Jamaica?
Two visible pieces. The US trucking leg prices instantly in our calculator. On the ocean leg you see the ocean carrier's actual invoice with our commission capped at $100. Because Jamaican duty is assessed on value plus freight, honest freight pricing quietly trims your tax bill too.
Why must the import license come before the car ships?
Because Jamaica says so, and the wharf enforces it. The Trade Board import license approves your specific vehicle for entry, confirms it meets the age caps, and must exist before sailing. Cars that arrive without one sit at the port generating fees while paperwork catches up. The happy path is boring: license approved, then book with us, then sail.
How long is the sail from Florida to Kingston?
Days, not weeks. South Florida departures reach Kingston in roughly three to five days, and East Coast sailings typically land within one to two weeks. If your car starts up north, we truck it to the departure port first, and the New York to Florida guide shows how that leg runs.
What happens when the car lands at Kingston?
Your Jamaican customs broker files the entry against your import license, duty and taxes are paid on the vehicle's value with rates that climb for bigger engines, and the wharf releases the car. Returning residents should ask about the concession program before shipping, because the savings can be large.
Should a Jamaica-bound car go RoRo or container?
RoRo rules this lane: constant short-haul service, quick loading, minimal cost. Container suits high value vehicles or shippers sending cargo alongside the car. Either way the US export paperwork is the same, and the full checklist is in our export documents guide.
Jamaica shipping questions
Do I need permission from Jamaica before shipping a car there?
Yes. Jamaica requires an import license from the Trade Board before the vehicle ships, and arriving without one creates expensive problems at the wharf. License first, vessel second, always in that order.
How new must a car be for Jamaica?
Jamaica caps imported motor cars at roughly five years old, with a slightly older allowance for SUVs, pickups, and light commercial vehicles. The Trade Board confirms your exact vehicle's eligibility when you apply for the license.
Jamaica drives on the left. Can I still send an American car?
Jamaica's roads are left-side and most imports are right-hand drive, and the rules on importing left-hand drive vehicles have shifted over the years. Confirm current left-hand drive policy with the Trade Board when you apply for your import license.
How is Jamaican import duty calculated on a car?
Duty and taxes are assessed on the vehicle's value plus freight, with rates that climb for larger engines. The total burden is substantial, so run the numbers with a Jamaican customs broker before you buy the car, not after.
How quickly does a car reach Kingston from the USA?
Sailings from South Florida reach Kingston in just a few days, and East Coast departures typically land within one to two weeks. It is one of the shortest ocean legs we book.
Do returning Jamaican residents get a duty concession on a car?
Jamaica's returning resident program offers meaningful duty concessions on a personal vehicle for citizens moving home after qualifying years abroad. The eligibility rules are specific, so confirm your status with Jamaica Customs before shipping.
Actual carrier invoice, our commission capped at $100. Price the US trucking leg in the calculator.
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