Car, Boat & Heavy Equipment Shipping to Puerto Rico
Seaway Export ships from Jacksonville to San Juan in 3–5 days port to port, with weekly sailings and rates from $1,200.
A domestic lane with no customs duty: Jones Act sailings from Jacksonville reach San Juan in 3–5 days. Puerto Rico's vehicle excise tax is due before release, and we help you estimate it from the VIN.
Puerto Rico at a Glance
1 port · Container · RoRo- Shipping from
- $1,200+
- Ocean transit
- 3–5 days (Jacksonville → San Juan)
- Arrival ports
- San Juan
- Import duty + VAT
- No customs duty; Puerto Rico excise (arbitrio)
- Customs
- None, domestic lane
No obligation · Response within 1 business day
Shipping to Puerto Rico: What You Need to Know
Shipping a car from the mainland to Puerto Rico is a domestic move, so there is no customs duty and no import permit, and sailings between U.S. ports run on Jones Act vessels. What replaces duty is Puerto Rico's vehicle excise tax (arbitrio), charged by the Departamento de Hacienda on the vehicle's taxable value in Puerto Rico. It must be paid before the car leaves the port, and Hacienda's SURI system gives an estimate from the VIN or the make, model and year.
For vehicles brought in after October 31, 2014, the excise starts at a minimum of $637.50 for a taxable value up to $6,170 and rises by bracket: $1,098 plus 19.6% of the excess over $10,690, up to $9,253.10 plus 34% of the excess over $44,890. Hacienda asks for the bill of lading, an appraisal and the invoice. Vehicles arrive at San Juan; cars from other states can be trucked to Jacksonville first. After release, the car is inspected and registered at a CESCO office.
Key takeaway
No customs and no import permit, but the arbitrio is due before release. Check the SURI estimate for your VIN before you ship so the car is not held at the port.
Shipping Routes & Transit Times to Puerto Rico
| U.S. Departure Port | Arrival Port | Ocean Transit | Sailing Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | San Juan | 3–5 days | Weekly |
Transit times are port-to-port estimates and exclude U.S. export processing and import clearance at destination.
Ports in Puerto Rico
Arrival ports we book for Puerto Rico, with the services each one receives.
San Juan
Main portContainer RoRo Flat rack / open top
RoRo and out-of-gauge service depend on the carrier's schedule and are confirmed at quote time.
What It Costs to Ship to Puerto Rico
Indicative per-unit rates from U.S. ports. Your exact rate depends on vehicle dimensions, departure region, and current vessel space.
| Service | Typical Rate | What to Know | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared 40' HC container | $1,300 – $2,000 | Consolidated with other vehicles; sails when the box is full | Standard sedans & SUVs |
| Dedicated 20' container | $2,400 – $3,400 | One vehicle, sealed for you | High-value or classic cars |
| Dedicated 40' HC container | $3,300 – $4,600 | Fits 3–4 vehicles, or a vehicle plus cargo | Families, dealers, multi-car buyers |
| RoRo (roll-on / roll-off) | $1,200 – $1,900 | Driven on board, no container; running units, no personal items | Running cars, trucks, wheeled machinery |
| Flat rack / breakbulk | Custom quote | When the cargo will not containerize; usually the most expensive option | Oversized equipment, wide boats |
Rates shown are indicative ranges from the U.S. East Coast and are confirmed at booking. · Rates reviewed October 2026
Rates move with fuel surcharges and season. Request today's exact rate for your vehicle and hear back within 1 business day.
Price My ShipmentPuerto Rico Import Duties & Taxes
Information only — assessed and paid by the importer at destination.
| Category | Import Duty | VAT / Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxable value up to $6,170 | None (domestic) | $637.50 | Minimum excise |
| Taxable value $10,690–$21,380 | None (domestic) | $1,098 + 19.6% over $10,690 | Hacienda excise bracket |
| Taxable value over $44,890 | None (domestic) | $9,253.10 + 34% over $44,890 | Top excise bracket |
Indicative rates for general guidance. Destination customs makes the final assessment, and the importer pays duties and taxes on arrival. Ask your clearing agent to confirm the figure for your exact vehicle before you buy.
Import rules for Puerto Rico
The short version for a used U.S. vehicle. The sections on this page carry the detail, and we confirm each VIN before you buy.
- Used cars
- Domestic move, not an import
- Traffic
- Drives on the right
- Left-hand-drive U.S. cars
- Registrable
- Salvage titles
- Confirm per VIN
Rules verified October 2026
Compare import rules for every countryDocuments You'll Need
Export side (we handle)
- Original vehicle title (Certificate of Title) — lien-free
- Bill of sale or commercial invoice
- Copy of passport or government ID for the export filing
- U.S. AES/EEI export filing — we file it
- Dangerous goods declaration for EVs and hybrids — we prepare it
- Packing list for personal items, if any
Import side (your clearing agent will ask for)
- Bill of lading and commercial invoice (we send both to you)
- Importer's tax or ID number in the destination country
- Import declaration, lodged by your clearing agent
- Inspection, homologation or registration papers where required
Estimate the arbitrio first
The excise is set on Hacienda's taxable value for the vehicle, not on what you paid, so a cheap auction car can still carry a large arbitrio. Look up the estimate in SURI with the VIN, or send it to us and we check it with you before the car sails. Reviewed October 2026; brackets are from the Departamento de Hacienda and the final amount is set at payment.
Sources
Customs, tax and transport authorities, official gazettes and press reports used to check the import rules on this page.
- 1.Excise tax on vehiclesDepartamento de Hacienda de Puerto Rico · accessed Oct 24, 2026
- 2.SURI: vehicle excise estimate and paymentDepartamento de Hacienda de Puerto Rico · accessed Oct 24, 2026
What We Ship to Puerto Rico
Every cargo type has its own routing, loading method, and import path. Pick yours to see the exact process.
Cars, SUVs & Classics
Shared or dedicated containers, or RoRo where the ports serving Puerto Rico offer it. We handle the U.S. export side; your clearing agent handles import.
- Sedans, SUVs & pickups
- Classic & collector cars
- Motorcycles & ATVs
Heavy Equipment
Dismantled into a 40' HC container is usually the least expensive way to ship machinery to Puerto Rico; open top, RoRo or flat rack when it will not containerize.
- Excavators & dozers
- Agricultural machinery
- Oversized project cargo
Boats & Yachts
Boats up to about 30 ft with a beam of 102 in or less ship side-loaded on a cradle in a 40' HC to Puerto Rico; larger boats go RoRo on a trailer or on a flat rack.
- Powerboats & sailboats
- Larger yachts, by survey
- Jet skis & PWC
How It Ships to Puerto Rico
The methods below match the services at the arrival ports for Puerto Rico. Dots show relative cost: one dot is the least expensive.
Vehicles
Shared 40' HC container
- What fits
- Your vehicle with 2–3 others, loaded and strapped
- Best when
- One standard car or SUV at the lowest container price
Dedicated 20' container
- What fits
- 1 vehicle
- Best when
- Classic, high-value or non-running car shipped on its own
Dedicated 40' HC container
- What fits
- 3–4 vehicles
- Best when
- Several cars for one consignee, dealers and families moving together
Dedicated 45' HC container
- What fits
- Up to 6 compact vehicles (selected lanes, confirmed at quote time)
- Best when
- Dealer volume of compact cars where the lane offers 45' equipment
RoRo (roll-on / roll-off)
- What fits
- Running vehicles driven aboard; oversize trucks by measurement
- Best when
- Running cars, pickups and trucks to ports with RoRo service; no personal items inside
Boats
Dedicated 40' HC, side-loaded on a cradle
- What fits
- Boats up to about 30 ft with beam up to 102 in; windshield, arch, tower and antennas removed and packed inside
- Best when
- Most trailerable powerboats and center consoles: protected, sealed and usually the least expensive
RoRo on its trailer
- What fits
- Boats on a roadworthy trailer, sized by length, width and height
- Best when
- Boats too wide or tall for a container, to ports with RoRo service
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Boats that will not containerize, cradled and lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- Over-width or over-height boats where no RoRo service exists
Breakbulk (yachts)
- What fits
- Yachts and large vessels lifted aboard by crane
- Best when
- Vessels beyond flat-rack limits, planned by survey
Heavy equipment
Dismantled into 1 × 40' HC container
- What fits
- Compact excavators, skid steers, tractors and machines with bucket, cab or tracks removed
- Best when
- The default for most equipment and usually the least expensive
Split load: 40' HC + 40' open top
- What fits
- Machines whose base is too tall for a closed box; the open top is crane-loaded
- Best when
- Height is the only problem and width still fits
RoRo
- What fits
- Self-propelled machines and towables driven or rolled aboard
- Best when
- Large running machines to ports with RoRo service; not available on most lanes
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Over-width or over-height machines lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- The machine cannot be dismantled to fit and no RoRo service exists; the most expensive option
Breakbulk / project cargo
- What fits
- Very heavy or very large units loaded by ship or shore crane
- Best when
- Beyond flat-rack limits; planned per shipment by survey
Popular U.S. → Puerto Rico Routes
Jacksonville, FL → San Juan
3–5 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
Step-by-Step: How Your Shipment to Puerto Rico Moves
Quote & booking
Day 0Lock in your rate and vessel space. We confirm the best U.S. departure port for your cargo and sailing date.
Delivery to our U.S. warehouse
Days 1–7Drop the cargo at our partner warehouse or terminal, or have us arrange U.S. pickup from an auction, dealer or address — quoted only if you choose it. Condition photos are taken on receipt.
Export clearance & loading
Days 5–12AES filing, title validation with CBP (72-hour rule), dangerous goods declaration where needed, and professional loading, blocking and bracing.
Ocean transit
3–5 days (Jacksonville → San Juan)Sailing to San Juan, with departure and arrival notices from us.
Arrival and handover
After arrivalWe send the arrival notice and release the bill of lading. Your clearing agent lodges the import declaration, settles duties and taxes, and collects the cargo.
Buying from a U.S. auction? Read our step-by-step playbook before you bid.
Read the auction shipping guideFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about shipping to Puerto Rico. Can't find the answer you're looking for? Contact our team.
No. A move from the mainland is domestic, so there is no customs duty or import permit. You do pay Puerto Rico's vehicle excise tax (arbitrio) to the Departamento de Hacienda before the car is released at San Juan.
On the vehicle's taxable value in Puerto Rico, by bracket: a $637.50 minimum up to $6,170, then rates of 10.2%, 19.6%, 23%, 27.2% and 34% on each band above. SURI gives an estimate from the VIN or the make, model and year, and Hacienda can adjust it.
Our published lane runs from Jacksonville to San Juan in about 3–5 days on Jones Act vessels. If the car is in another state, it can be trucked to Jacksonville first, and we include that leg in the quote when you ask for it.
RoRo ($1,200–$1,900) suits a running car with nothing packed inside. A shared container ($1,300–$2,000) or a 20ft box ($2,400–$3,400) suits non-runners and buyers moving household goods with the car. Either way, the arbitrio is the same.
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