How to buy a non-customs cleared car

Uncleared cars: features, sales, rules:

Buying a car abroad has always seemed like a more profitable idea than searching for the desired model in Russia.

When you dive deeper into the topic, it becomes clear that the car needs to be cleared through customs, sometimes paying its second price.

Many people immediately have a question: “How to drive a car that has not been cleared through customs so that there are no problems on the road?” In some cases this is indeed possible, but most often you will not be able to drive a car without going through customs.

How to drive a non-customs cleared car

Firstly, without registering your car at customs, you can safely drive for 24 hours. This time is given to complete all documents. In order to legally drive a vehicle that has not been cleared through customs for more than one day, it is enough to obtain its temporary import. For such registration, you must provide the following package of documents:

Passport.
Certificate of consular registration abroad.
Technical certificate.
Insurance issued in the country where the vehicle is registered.
Resident card.
Completed declaration for temporary import of cars.

Permitted period for temporary entry

If you arrange everything correctly, then you can safely travel to Russia for six months. Then we go abroad and come back again, filling out all the documents again. You can repeat this procedure as many times as you like, the main thing is that you have all the documents.

You cannot travel with a power of attorney issued by a foreign citizen, so do not try to bypass customs in this way. If you are caught driving a car that has not cleared customs and they prove that it was you who brought it into the territory of the Russian Federation, then the car may simply be confiscated. It will be very difficult to return the vehicle later, and in this case it will definitely not be possible to bypass the customs procedure.

Obtaining citizenship or residence permit

If you decide to try to get a residence permit in another country, then you should be patient. There are several ways to achieve what you want.

Firstly, you can study or work on the territory of a foreign country. Secondly, marriage with a citizen of this country will be considered a valid reason.

Otherwise, you can wait up to six months to receive a residence permit, and in some cases you may even be refused.

Buying a non-customs cleared car

On trading platforms on the Internet and in car markets, you can often meet people who sell uncleared cars with foreign license plates; such cars are often sold on the Avtoria site. Uncleared cars are usually cheap.

The cost of such an offer is very tempting, and the car usually has decent equipment and technical condition. However, you don't need to agree to the deal right away. Carefully check all the documents for the car and think three times.

They won't confiscate your car; at most you'll get a fine. The fact is that, even when purchasing a car in the Russian Federation, you are not involved in its import and may simply not know that the documents for the vehicle are not properly prepared.

In order to later obtain a PTS, you need to familiarize yourself with the PCT regulations. Uncleared cars must meet the necessary requirements.

The problem is that, no matter where you buy a car, if it is not suitable for customs clearance under current legislation, then after the allotted period it will only be good for spare parts. As a result, you lose money and you still don’t have a car.

If you went abroad and decided to drive the car yourself, then in this case you also need to be as careful as possible.

In the CIS countries, where Russians most often buy used foreign cars, you can often run into scammers who offer to prepare for a small amount all the necessary documents to obtain a title at customs.

In this case, no registration takes place, and when crossing the border you will need to collect all the papers again, and most importantly, pay money for customs in full. You also need to be prepared for the fact that selling uncleared cars will turn into a big problem.

Who can benefit from non-customs cleared cars?

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that no one needs cars that have not been cleared through customs, but this is not the case. Very often, buying such a car is much more profitable than buying spare parts for major repairs.

Cars are often brought from abroad to be dismantled for parts. This is especially true for old cars that are no longer subject to customs clearance, but there is a stable demand for spare parts on the market.

So, for example, German cars from the 90s are very popular, which do not meet the standards recognized by the PCT. Uncleared cars brought for spare parts can be divided into 2 large groups: European cars and Japanese ones.

The former appear in the European part of Russia, and the latter in the east of our country.

There are also cases when a car is purchased with specific documents or a car that cannot be restored after an accident or due to other reasons. The car is accelerated by cutting, registered as spare parts, and then restored with substitution of numbers. This method is illegal, but nevertheless such cars are still found on domestic roads.

Where to buy a car abroad

If you have firmly decided that you need a car that has not been cleared through customs, then you need to decide where to buy it. Japanese cars are most often bought at auctions. There are many companies that deliver such machines.

You don’t have to think about how to bring a car, what documents you need to collect and what to do to bring the goods without any problems. Vehicles are most often imported from Japan cut into pieces. This is a car that should be half disassembled and sawed into the body.

More often they cut the pillar or rear wing - such a car can already be recognized as a cut. The cost of clearing customs for such a specimen is about $600.

Compared to buying a car in Russia, even taking into account customs and delivery costs, cutting it is 2 or even 3 times more profitable. European cars are rarely bought as a cut.

From Europe, cars are most often driven under their own power, ostensibly for further clearance, but instead of going to customs, the car is sent to a car dismantling facility or as a donor to restore the car for a specific customer.

It is better not to take risks on your own and not to import vehicles illegally. Companies that professionally supply such machines bring them in large volumes and register them as spare parts.

This is all completely legal, and no one has any problems with further registration and sale of spare parts.

Purchasing spare parts

To clear spare parts through customs, you must submit a corresponding application to customs. The cost of customs clearance is 30% of the value of the cargo indicated in the declaration, but not less than 4 euros per kilogram.

You cannot drive a fully functional car and declare it as spare parts; it must be cut. In this case, it is profitable to buy cars that have not been cleared through customs.

Their price may be lower than the cost of the necessary parts.

Import of cars from the countries of the Customs Union

There is one legal way to drive a car so that you can drive it without having to pay a huge customs fee.

To do this, you need to buy a car in a country that is part of the Customs Union. These are Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

To bring a car from these countries, it must comply with Euro-4 standards and be produced no later than 2010.

When registering a car, you need to provide a list of required documents, after which you will immediately be given a Russian title. The following documents will be required:

A document confirming registration in the territory of a member country of the Customs Union.
Receipt of payment of duty for importing a car (for cars registered after 2010).
Certificate of conformity of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the seller's country: Certificate ST-1.

Conclusion

Buying a car is something on which, with the right approach, you can save a very large amount of money. If you buy a car outside of Russia, you will get a vehicle that does not yet know what bad roads, low-quality gasoline and reagents are like in winter.

However, the cost of registration in some cases turns out to be higher than the difference when buying a car abroad and here. Many people decide to drive a car with foreign license plates, but this can only be done by holders of a residence permit or citizenship in another country.

But even such people are given only a temporary opportunity to drive a vehicle that has not been cleared through customs.

For citizens of our country, driving a car that has not been cleared through customs can result in a fine and confiscation of the vehicle, so it is highly undesirable to break the law or buy a car from suspicious people in order to save money. In the future, selling uncleared cars will bring you much more problems, because you won’t be able to quickly get rid of such a car.

Source: https://www.syl.ru/article/284831/new_nerastamojennyie-avto-osobennosti-prodaja-pravila

How to buy a non-customs cleared car inexpensively?

The cost of brand new foreign cars in Russia is not affordable for everyone, but buying those that have not passed customs clearance has become more popular today than ever. However, you need to know the laws in order to avoid troubles, end up losing your investment, or completely lose your car recently imported from abroad.

Is it worth buying a non-customs cleared car?

You can often find vehicles with Eastern European or Baltic license plates on the territory of the Russian Federation. It is worth understanding that the risks when purchasing are huge. Buyers sell at a reduced price, but when they contact the traffic police for registration and registration, it turns out that the car is listed as stolen, has been in an accident, or has been damaged by floods.

Lawyers advise! When purchasing a car that has not been cleared through customs, carefully study the history of the car and the documents available to the owner. Otherwise, at customs or in a collision with traffic police officers, difficulties and pitfalls are inevitable.

You can buy a car that has not passed customs clearance and use it without customs clearance in case of temporary import to Russia; in other cases, you need to be prepared for difficulties during re-registration.

Advantages and disadvantages of buying non-customs cleared cars

Of course, vehicles freshly imported from abroad are not listed in the traffic police database and the advantages are that:

you can save a lot when buying a new foreign car and drive the car by proxy;
no need to pay taxes;
there is no need to undergo a technical inspection;
Traffic police officers will not impose fines, since the car is simply unregistered and not tied to any traffic police in Russia, and there will be virtually nowhere to send notices of fines.

The disadvantages associated with the pitfalls when buying such cars are:

the need for periodic trips abroad to extend the temporary import of vehicles;
the possibility of theft of a number that will no longer be recoverable in Russia;
administrative liability and even confiscation of the car if employees record violations when the owner of the car goes through the procedure for registration at customs or an incorrectly executed power of attorney when enterprising sellers try to sell the car faster, violating all generally accepted laws.

As a rule, traffic cops will not search for such cars when they go missing.

Attention! You need to rely on common sense and repeatedly check for good deals when buying uncleared cars. Troubles in the future can result in large expenditures of money and loss of time, especially when purchasing a foreign car from scammers at a symbolic price.

For example, a car sold for 10-15% of the market value is most likely sunk, stolen, damaged, with a high or low mileage. Thus, a BMW X5 cannot cost less than $15,000 if it has a mileage of 500,000 km.

If you want to buy such a foreign car, it is better to import it yourself from abroad or find bona fide intermediaries who can import it to order without risk.

Methods for importing uncleared cars

You can import a car into the territory of the Russian Federation:

having completed the registration procedure in another state;
fictitiously finding temporary employment in another country;
having bought a car in the countries of the Customs Union;
having obtained a residence permit in one of the European countries.

Lawyers advise using all of the above methods with extreme caution. All of them are not entirely legal and there may well be pitfalls immediately upon import into the territory of the Russian Federation.

Registration of a car in another state

Going through the registration procedure in another country means recognizing the car as officially belonging to that country. It can be introduced into Russia temporarily, and the terms are limited - 6-12 months.

Of course, you can extend this period by contacting the customs service at your place of residence, but this is not the best and far from profitable option for those who periodically travel abroad. It will simply be expensive to import a car into Russia temporarily.

Moreover, you will have to constantly deal with the registration and issuance of a temporary certificate and vehicle permit. This is more beneficial for residents of territories bordering Russia, since the car can stay on the territory of the imported state for a limited time.

For example, this method is quite suitable for car owners living in Kazakhstan and Belarus. However, when traveling abroad and re-entering Russia, you will need to re-register the documentation again and for Russians the period is no more than 0.6 months.

Import on a temporary basis

You can import a foreign car for up to 1 year. At the same time, it is not necessary for foreigners to take citizenship of another country,

In particular, freely cross the border by car back and forth for the duration of the term. The disadvantages of this method are that you cannot temporarily import a car if you plan to:

use frequently and for commercial purposes;
carry out domestic private transportation;
use a car that was previously rented. The procedure for such import is not regulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation, so certain difficulties may arise when communicating with traffic police officers.

Advice! Be careful when importing cars from CIS countries. Transactions with private individuals or via the Internet are often illegal and have no legal basis. Often, scammers resell a confiscated car without any legal rights or legal documents for ownership.

Fictitious employment in another country

For buyers, this is the cheapest but riskiest way. Import into Russia will not be entirely legal in the event that the hiring company is re-registered as a legal entity and its unplanned collapse.

In this case, you can quickly lose your car and cash investments. Moreover, even legally proving your case in a foreign country will not be easy.

Cons:

the need to constantly cross the border once every 0.5 years;
living in a foreign country for at least 30 days a year, because you need to accept the conditions of stay and comply with the laws of the host country, while official customs clearance in Russia will no longer be possible.

Import of cars from the countries of the Customs Union

The concluded Customs Union gives the right to import cars from Belarus and Kazakhstan into the territory of Russia that were registered before 2010. At the same time, they do not need to go through an expensive procedure for clearance at customs.

However, a number of conditions must be met:

compliance of the machine with Euro environmental standards;
registration in Belarus or Kazakhstan only until 2010;
the level of toxic exhaust gases should not exceed the established norm.

The advantages of this method of importing cars in accordance with standards:

no state duty;
lack of clearance at customs when registering a vehicle before 2010, although when purchasing a new car with a year of manufacture starting from 2011, fees at Russian customs in favor of the state treasury will have to be paid in full.

Obtain a residence permit in a European country

Today, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit in the CIS countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan) is not particularly difficult, while the import of a car is allowed without any customs clearance into the territory of Russia. Some car enthusiasts manage to obtain a residence permit by registering a fictitious marriage with citizens of a foreign country.

Lawyers advise! Remember that this or that method is still temporary and not entirely legal. Staying a car on the territory of Russia without customs clearance beyond the time limits established by law may result in administrative and criminal liability.

The disadvantages of a residence permit are:

long-term registration of residence permit;
the need to cross the border after the end of the permitted period for a residence permit;
carrying out periodic procedures to register the car if the deadline has expired.

It is important to understand that all of the above methods are used by scammers. For example, they import used cars from Lithuania without going through the customs clearance procedure.

Drivers are poorly informed about the cost of a car imported, for example, from Lithuania. Before purchasing, it is recommended to first check the brand, model, technical specifications. characteristics, year of manufacture of the car, taking into account that often freshly imported cars are often stolen or do not actually belong to the owner (seller).

Our traffic cops have a mixed opinion regarding cars imported from abroad. It is difficult to predict how they will behave if they stop on Russian territory. Parents may face serious problems.

Penalty for buying a car that has not been cleared through customs

Taking into account the legislation of the Russian Federation, you can drive a non-customs cleared car on the territory of Russia for no more than 1 day, i.e. time is given to freely reach the first customs post.

At the same time, it is important to understand that customs clearance is not complete without paying taxes and state duties, receiving accompanying (permit) documents with further registration of the car. If for some reason drivers do not have time to complete this procedure within 24 hours, they will be subject to fines. Traffic police officers can simply confiscate the car.

In this case, the car is considered contraband. Only foreign citizens have an advantage. You can drive and stay on the territory of the Russian Federation with foreign license plates for up to 2 months. However, in the future you will still have to comply with generally accepted deadlines.

Lawyers advise! Seek help with customs clearance from specialists, also operate the car and move within the territory of Russia, taking into account the legislation.

Fines for uncleared cars

People who are foreigners can register a car at customs on temporary terms or deliver a car imported from abroad, but if they have documents confirming the registration procedure and all payments for customs duties.

At the same time, a car cannot remain on the territory of the Russian Federation for more than 6 months, for foreigners - more than 1 year. In all other cases, the lack of customs clearance is fraught with administrative liability and fines of 500 rubles, and in the absence of a timely submitted declaration and other documents for customs clearance - up to 25,000 rubles.

up to the confiscation of the car. At the same time, restrictions and prohibitions on importing cars into Russia must be strictly observed. Otherwise, a fine of 2000 rubles is inevitable for evasion of customs duties, up to and including criminal liability in accordance with Art. 194 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
If a citizen evades payment of state duty, the fine is 1,000-500,000 rubles. In this case, the defaulter may be subjected to forced labor for up to 48 hours or restriction of freedom for up to 5 years as a crime.
If the customs duty is large in the case of importing an expensive foreign car, then the amount of fines can significantly exceed and reach up to 500,000 rubles, up to imprisonment for up to 2 years.

In case of failure to fulfill such obligations regarding the customs clearance of the driven car, drivers may suffer significant monetary damage and, of course, they will no longer see any financial benefits from such a purchase of the car.

On a note! Lawyers advise not to break the law if you buy a car that has not been cleared through customs.

Checks by customs officers at traffic police posts are inevitable. However, be confident and defend your rights, if you see violations by traffic cops, write a statement to higher authorities.

Do not try to bypass customs clearance of your car in any way. Check all the documentation thoroughly when purchasing a car that has not been cleared through customs, so as not to fall into the trap of scammers and end up without any investment or car.

Source: https://autopravilo.ru/pokupka-prodazha/kak-kupit-nerastamozhennuyu-mashinu-sposoby-i-nakazanie.html

Responsibility for a vehicle not cleared through customs

The high cost of foreign-made vehicles in Russia is primarily due to high customs duties that are paid when importing a car into the Russian Federation.

Many citizens, trying to save money on purchasing a car of their favorite brand, try to circumvent the law and buy a car directly in the country of their production. Moreover, to save more money, some of them avoid registering their cars at customs so as not to pay duties.

However, few of these violators realize that the fine for using a vehicle that has not been cleared through customs can be many times greater than the cost of the car.

Is it possible to drive a non-customs cleared car?

The legislation of the Russian Federation directly requires that any vehicle entering the territory of Russia must be cleared through customs in strict accordance with the procedure defined by law. A person is given 24 hours to complete such activities.

If, within the time established by law, the citizen has not fulfilled the requirement for customs clearance of the car, then his vehicle will be considered smuggled. This status of a thing makes it possible for authorized services to arrest, and subsequently confiscate, transport.

Car decoration

In order not to risk their property and the money spent on it (if a car is confiscated, no money is returned to the person), a citizen must register it properly. This is not at all difficult, especially since such actions are now carried out by customs officers located right on the border, at the nearest point.

To register a car and subsequently use it on the territory of the Russian Federation, a person must pay:

If the total period of use of the vehicle exceeds 8 years, then the owner additionally has an obligation to pay tax, except in cases where the car was received under a gift agreement or by inheritance.

According to the law, only after proper registration of the car, the owner will be able to legally use his vehicle on the territory of the Russian Federation.

How to drive an unlicensed car

At the legislative level, a list of cases is defined when a motorist can use a vehicle that has not been cleared through customs, without any consequences. In particular, these include:

Foreigners who have obtained temporary residence status on the territory of the Russian Federation.
You can obtain this status upon entering Russia, right at the customs point. In this case, the citizen is issued a temporary permit, according to which he can temporarily use his vehicle on the territory of the Russian Federation. No duties or customs duties will be charged in this situation. After registration, a foreign citizen has the opportunity to use his car in Russia for 1 year.
Citizens of the Russian Federation who have received the right to use a foreign car. The maximum period of such use is six months within 1 calendar year. In addition, in this case, the owner will have to pay a number of government duties and customs duties. After the maximum period of use has expired, the car owner must take the vehicle out of the Russian Federation (an appropriate document is drawn up confirming the end of temporary import), or extend the period of use of the car (this must be done at the customs point where the import was made).
In the second case, the owner will have to additionally pay all state duties and fees.

In all of the above situations, information about the actions taken must be provided by the owner of the car to the customs point at which the car was registered for import into the territory of the Russian Federation.

The list of reasons for using transport in the Russian Federation without customs clearance is exhaustive and cannot be supplemented.

Contrary to existing opinion, such exceptions do not include registration of a car by proxy from a foreigner.

Many citizens believe that the presence of such a document gives them the right to use transport on the territory of the Russian Federation without any registration, but in practice this turns out not to be the case.

According to the law, a power of attorney gives such opportunities only to foreign citizens, and does not apply to Russians.

Advantages of driving a non-customs cleared car

Many citizens prefer not to register cars at the border, taking into account the following advantages:

Significant financial savings, because the cost of an unregistered vehicle is several times lower than those cars that are sold in showrooms in Russia.
Possibility not to pay transport tax, since the car is not registered on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Possibility not to undergo technical inspection of the vehicle.
Problems with imposing fines on a driver driving a foreign vehicle.

Difficulties in bringing a motorist under administrative responsibility are due to the fact that foreign license plates cannot be recorded by the technical means used by the traffic police, since information about them is simply not available in the database.

In this case, the inspector will not be able to send a notice of fine, since the database does not contain information about who is the owner of the vehicle.

In addition, in some cases, the car turns out to be registered in the name of a foreign citizen, who may not be subject to the laws of the Russian Federation, since he is actually located in another country.

The presence of these advantages indicates that when using non-customs cleared transport, the owner can save significantly on it.

Disadvantages of driving a non-customs cleared car

However, in addition to the advantages of using such vehicles, there are also some risks that an owner who refuses to clear his car through customs may face. In particular, these include:

A car owner who has issued temporary import will have to periodically go to his customs office to renew the import of the car.
In Russia, there is a large percentage of thefts of foreign license plates for the purpose of their subsequent resale or obtaining a ransom from the owner.
Impossibility of restoring lost numbers on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Liability for using a vehicle that has not been cleared through customs.

Responsibility for driving an uncleared car

Another negative consequence of driving a disabled vehicle is liability. If traffic police officers determine that the owner of the vehicle did not register his car upon entry into the territory of the Russian Federation, then the citizen will be held accountable under administrative or criminal law.

Administrative responsibility

Late payment of customs duties and tax payments may result in liability in the amount of up to 2,500 rubles.
If the owner is late in filing a declaration or other mandatory documents, he is subject to a fine of up to 2,500 rubles.
For untimely registration of a vehicle in the Russian Federation, liability is also imposed in the amount of up to 2,500 rubles.

For the last two reasons, the vehicle may be confiscated.

Criminal liability

Bringing the owner of a car to criminal liability is possible only in cases where the unpaid amount is considered large (up to 1 million) or especially large (up to 3 million). As a rule, citizens who drive expensive foreign cars that are not cleared through customs in accordance with the procedure established by law are subject to such punishment.

For non-payment of duties on a large scale, a person is subject to the following penalties:

A fine of up to 500,000 rubles.
Or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

If the amount of customs duties is particularly large, then the citizen will face the following penalties:

Fine up to 500,000 rubles.
Or imprisonment for up to 5 years.

Of course, the risks of not properly registering a car far outweigh the financial benefits. Therefore, experts still recommend clearing the car through customs in compliance with all requirements, so that later you do not have to pay a fine in an amount several times higher than the cost of the imported vehicle.

Source: http://AutoLegal.ru/avtoyurist/otvetstvennost-za-nerastamozhennyj-avtomobil/

Lithuanian cars. Is it possible to buy a non-customs cleared car in Ukraine and not be left in the cold?

Our streets are increasingly reminiscent of the Polish-Lithuanian border. You look to the left - cars with Lithuanian license plates, to the right - with Polish ones. Ukrainians fell in love with uncleared cars. Is this legal and does it make sense?

Is it possible to buy an inexpensive, non-customs cleared car in Ukraine and drive it without legal or any other problems? Common sense says no.

But many Ukrainians still ask this question, attacked from all sides by advertisements of numerous “offices” that are ready to inexpensively and “with documents” drive a car “from Europe” or “from Lithuania without customs clearance.” And some “offices” even offer cars that are already in Ukraine, again “with documents”.

All these proposals have two things in common.

Firstly, they offer cars that have not cleared customs, the presence of which on the territory of Ukraine is a violation of current legislation.

Secondly, the prices for such cars are several times lower than for their customs-cleared counterparts.

The second circumstance outweighs the first for an increasing number of Ukrainians. The desire to buy a Behu with Lithuanian license plates at the price of a Lanos is much stronger than the fear that the dormant state will finally decide to hear the hysterical cries of car importers and Ukrainian manufacturers who are protesting against uncleared cars.

Uncleared cars in Ukraine are 2-3 times cheaper than their “legal” counterparts

Let's try to figure out what the consumer benefits are, how you can buy a car that has not been cleared through customs, and what risks this entails.

During the preparation of this material, the author, under the guise of a potential buyer, talked with several companies involved in the sale of uncleared cars. We decided not to list the company so as not to advertise to a business that is actually not very legal.

We try to look at the situation from the buyer's point of view, not the seller's. We will not go into legislative subtleties. We look at the situation from the position of an ordinary Ukrainian, which Lanos does not want.

Uncleared cars - price and choice in Ukraine

1The number of companies and individuals associated with this business in Ukraine is already in the hundreds. And the number of active advertisements for the sale of non-customs-cleared cars in Ukraine on popular sites on this topic is in the thousands.

The bulk of the cars offered belong to the age category - from 10 years and older, i.e. earlier than 2006-2007. Although there are also offers for newer cars.

2Most of the uncleared cars come to Ukraine from Lithuania. Although there are many “Polish” cars. Among other countries from which we receive uncleared cars are Slovakia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and others.

German cars of the prestigious brands Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen are the leaders in popularity. Also popular are Opel, Citroen, Renault and Volvo. Japanese and American cars are less common.

Most often, cars that meet two key characteristics are brought here - “station wagon and diesel”. In other words, the cars most common in Europe.

Uncleared premium cars are also in demand among Ukrainians

3And now - about prices.

This is the main factor of interest in uncleared cars.

Let's give just a few examples.

So, the average price of a 2000-2003 Volkswagen Golf IV with a diesel engine and manual transmission in Europe is 1,500-2,000 euros. In Ukraine, such a customs cleared car will cost $5,000-8,000 depending on the condition.

In Europe, a BMW 5 Series station wagon with a 3-liter diesel engine and an automatic transmission produced in 2000-2003 costs an average of 3000-4000 euros. In Ukraine, a customs-cleared and completely legal car will cost $8,000-10,000.

A family minivan Volkswagen Touran produced in 2006-2008 with a gasoline engine and manual transmission will cost 5,000-6,000 euros in Europe. The same customs cleared car in Ukraine costs $11,000-12,000.

Even taking into account the cost of the “fit” and documents (from 700 euros), the benefits are obvious.
Moreover, we can remember the prices at which Ukrainians are offered to buy Ukrainian-made cars. For example, the ZAZ Sens costs 179 thousand UAH (about $7,000) in its initial configuration, and the ZAZ Forza costs 260 thousand UAH (about $10,000).

4Sellers of non-customs cleared cars in Ukraine also often cite the excellent condition of cars from Europe as an argument.

They say that they did not “sniff” lousy Ukrainian gasoline and drove on normal asphalt, and not on the pitiful “directions” that UkrAvtodor passes off as roads.

It is difficult to argue with this statement. Although there are reservations, more on them below.

How can you buy a car that has not been cleared through customs in Ukraine?

1The simplest option is to buy a car that is already in Ukraine. To do this, simply open one of the many sites with advertisements for selling cars, choose a car, give money and receive a car with a “package of documents” in return.

Who and when imported this car into Ukraine, whether the company to which the car is registered actually exists in Lithuania (Poland, Slovenia, etc.), whether it is wanted or arrested somewhere - check all this with this way of purchasing is very difficult.

For the cost of a new Lanos you can buy a pretty decent 10-year-old European car

However, some sellers are ready to provide very serious-looking documents and powers of attorney even with this method of purchase. But you won’t know what these “pieces of paper” are really worth until you are faced with the need to check.

2Fit to order is the most common option. Cost - from 700 euros. Many companies offer the opportunity to choose a car on one of the car websites in Lithuania or other countries.

The person “there” will look at the cars and send you photos via Viber or Skype. Then the car will be brought to Ukraine and delivered to any point convenient for you.

In this case, documents are handled differently. A popular option is to provide documents stating that the buyer works for a foreign company, which has entrusted him with driving a car registered to it in Ukraine.

There are “firms” who swear that their documents are suitable for trouble-free driving around Ukraine for 5 years. There are those who talk about the need to cross the border once a year.

This option has another variation. Some companies provide the client with travel to Lithuania and personal selection of the car. Then the owner himself drives the car to Ukraine, including crossing the border with it. He is provided with documents, for example, indicating that he is an employee of a Lithuanian company.

3There is another option that is most similar to the legal one.

It is practiced by a small number of companies and costs more (from $1,400). In this case, you also choose a car on the websites of Lithuania or other countries, then agree on the chosen option via Viber, and the car is driven to your home.

The difference is that the car is imported into Ukraine by a foreigner working for the same foreign company that owns the car. And you enter into a support agreement with the company. A year later, for a symbolic amount of $150-200, the company will again ensure that your car crosses the border, and again, the driver will be a foreign citizen.

For most Ukrainians, uncleared cars are the only chance to try the “sweet life.” Leather interiors, climate control, etc. not in Lanos

Uncleared cars - what are the risks and pitfalls?

1Not a single option for driving “Lithuanian license plates” in Ukraine is completely legal.

Legislation allows a vehicle that has not cleared customs to remain on the territory of Ukraine for up to 10 days. It doesn’t matter who imported the car and how, but after this period has expired, you violate the provisions of Art. 95 of the Customs Code of Ukraine.

This violation will result in a fine. Moreover, sellers of non-customs cleared cars usually talk about it something like this: only 8,500 UAH, no more than once a year (they say the law does not allow you to be punished twice for the same administrative offense) and in general, almost no one is fined like that.

In principle, this is true. But no one will tell you the sad truth that the car is taken to the impound lot, and after paying the fine, you will have to pick it up from there, paying for the services of a tow truck and parking.

But, the sellers say, the police on the road do not have contact with the customs service servers, so they do not know when the car was imported into Ukraine. And customs officers who have such data do not have the right to patrol the roads and check cars.

In fact, this is true about police officers and customs officers. But for now the state takes a passive position on the issue of uncleared cars.

Even the dealers of non-customs-cleared cars interviewed by NV admit that this state of affairs can easily be changed literally with the stroke of a pen.

2You are not the owner of the car.

Yes, if you buy a car that has not been cleared through customs, you do not have property rights. For example, in the event of a theft, the police may refuse to accept your report of the theft. The police require documentary evidence that you have rights to this property or represent its owner.

Sometimes it is at this stage that it turns out that the documents that were given at the time of purchase turn out to be a “filka’s letter”. For example, that in Lithuania the company for which the car was purchased has long been liquidated.

There are not many companies that provide up-to-date documents that can pass verification by any law enforcement agencies, and they price their services more expensive than their competitors.

Prices on European websites with advertisements for used cars can give the average Ukrainian a heart attack

In one of these companies, the author of this material was shown that they were ready for any inspections.

We stopped near a police patrol and asked to check the car documents with Bulgarian license plates.

After an almost 10-minute check, which included database searches and even phone calls “to the department,” the police returned the documents with the words: “there are no complaints, you can go.”

By the way, this was just one of those companies that ensure the import of cars into Ukraine with the help of foreign citizens. And they don’t promise the illusory “5 years” of use. They immediately say that the car must cross the border once a year.

3Other risks also make you think about the advisability of buying a car that has not been cleared through customs.

There are no official statistics, partly because owners cannot always contact the police. But some experts say that “Lithuanian cars” in some areas of the country lead in the number of thefts.

Moreover, such cars are often stolen in broad daylight, sometimes using tow trucks. The arrogance of car thieves knows no bounds, because powerless owners cannot do anything.

According to an employee of one of the commenting companies in this article, his “Lithuanian” BMW was stolen in Kyiv a few weeks ago. The police did not accept his statement of theft, not considering the documents he had as sufficient grounds to consider him the owner of the car.

Another commentator told NV that the car stolen from him, as it turned out, according to the Customs Service, did not enter Ukraine at all. In other words, obviously, it was a “criminal” car with a broken VIN code.

Obviously, risks can be minimized only by monitoring the purchase of a car personally, including carefully checking the documents, body number, etc.

And again, if you decide to buy a car that has not cleared customs, it is better to overpay, but make sure that you are provided with a full package of legal documents.

Many Ukrainians can switch to a decent car only thanks to the existing “schemes” with cars not cleared through customs

Verdict NV

Opponents of uncleared cars often say that their owners are beggars and “rednecks.” But, in all honesty, the desire to buy a 10-year-old BMW instead of a new Lanos rather indicates not “redneckness”, but rather the complete mental adequacy and sanity of a person.

In modern economic conditions, it’s hard to blame Ukrainians for wanting to spend their honestly earned savings on a decent, comfortable car.

Especially when in the eyes of ordinary citizens the picture is simple - the state protects with taxes and import duties the interests of virtually inactive domestic producers. And in a country where the average salary is several times lower than in European countries, and used cars paradoxically cost many times more.

In a word, Ukrainians are ready to take risks even if it is a purchase with dubious legality and vague prospects.

If, despite the obvious conflict with the law, the unpredictability of Ukrainian parliamentarians and the prospect of losing money, you still decide to take the risk of buying a decent car at a cheaper price, keep a few points in mind.

Firstly, you should contact only reputable sellers and do not skimp on paying for their services. Secondly, it is better to go pick up the car yourself and check it thoroughly. Thirdly, you should not buy expensive cars that have not been cleared through customs. After all, if the state does tighten the screws, the only thing left to do is hand over the car for disassembly. With cheap cars it’s easier to “stay with your own.”

However, all this does not guarantee the absence of problems.

It is important to understand that purchasing and moving around Ukraine in a vehicle that has not cleared customs is currently impossible without breaking the law.

Another question is that the state turns a blind eye to this. It is not yet clear how long this situation will last.

The market for non-customs cleared cars is so large that it is extremely difficult to consider all its features in one article. If you know about any subtleties and “schemes” of driving from Lithuania and driving around Ukraine “with Lithuanian license plates” that we have not mentioned, write about it in the comments.

Source: https://nv.ua/techno/auto/litovskie-tachki-mozhno-li-kupit-nerastamozhennoe-avto-v-ukraine-i-ne-ostatsja-v-durakah-1007104.html