4 min read
How much does it cost to import a car from the USA
The price you see at the auction is only part of the final cost. To know what the car will cost you in Baku, you need to add up six cost items. This article explains each of them and shows three calculated examples.
What the cost is made of
The price to Baku has two parts: costs on the US side (in dollars) and payments at Azerbaijani customs (in manat).
- Auction price of the car: the price set by the last bid on the lot.
- Auction fee: the fee Copart and IAAI charge the buyer; it depends on the car price.
- Shipping: from the yard in the state to Baku, currently between 2 350 $ and 3 150 $.
- Import customs duty: based on engine size and the age of the car.
- Excise tax: based on engine size only.
- VAT (18%) and the customs fee.
Auction fee
The auction fee changes in steps depending on the car price. These are the steps we use in our calculations:
| Auction price | Auction fee |
|---|---|
| up to 5 000 $ | 400 $ |
| 5 000 – 10 000 $ | 550 $ |
| 10 000 – 20 000 $ | 650 $ |
| 20 000 – 30 000 $ | 800 $ |
| over 30 000 $ | 4% of the price |
Shipping
The shipping price depends on the state where the lot is and on the auction, because Copart and IAAI yards are in different places. Across 10 states the price is currently between 2 350 $ and 3 150 $. See the table by state on the states page and in the article which US state is the best to buy from.
Customs payments
There are four payments at customs: import duty, excise tax, VAT and the customs fee. Engine size makes the biggest difference: the larger the engine, the sharper the rise in both duty and excise. The car's age also increases the import duty. Rates and the calculation method are in the article how car customs duty is calculated.
Three examples
The figures below are calculated the same way as the customs calculator on this site. We took three cars with different prices, engines and ages:
| Example | 1.6 L, 2019, 5 000 $ | 2.5 L, 2022, 12 000 $ | 3.5 L, 2024, 20 000 $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | 5 000 $ | 12 000 $ | 20 000 $ |
| Auction fee | 400 $ | 650 $ | 650 $ |
| Shipping | 2 350 $ | 2 350 $ | 2 350 $ |
| Customs payments | 6 740 ₼ | 14 121 ₼ | 29 490 ₼ |
| Total in Baku | 19 915 ₼ | 39 621 ₼ | 68 590 ₼ |
| In dollars | ≈ 11 715 $ | ≈ 23 306 $ | ≈ 40 347 $ |
The examples show two things. On a cheap car, shipping and customs make up a large share of the total, so a 5 000 $ car costs noticeably more in Baku than its auction price. On a large engine, excise and duty rise sharply. That is why you should calculate the specific lot in the calculator before you bid.
What this estimate does not include
- Registration fee: your CarBuy Logistics account opens after you pay the 800 $ registration fee (registration and payment).
- Repairs: for a damaged lot, the repair cost is known only after the car is inspected.
- Additional services: customs clearance, repair, cleaning and listing for sale are ordered separately (additional services).
- Full insurance: basic insurance is included in shipping, full insurance is extra.
- State registration of the car in Azerbaijan.
The figures are estimates. The official customs amount is set by the customs authority at declaration, and the exchange rate depends on the payment date. The estimate uses 1 $ = 1,7 ₼.
How to get started
- 01
Choose a lot
Check the lot's state, engine size and year at the auction.
- 02
Calculate the cost
Enter the price, engine, year and state in the calculator to see the total to Baku.
- 03
Open an account
Sign up, pay the registration fee and join the auction from your account.
Calculate the cost of a specific car
Enter the price, engine, year and state to get the total to Baku with auction fee, shipping and customs.