Vehicle Documentation

As we are moving to South Africa we intend to import our vehicle to the country. This is possible as Linnéa is a returning citizen. The import laws are quite strict and it is impossible to import a vehicle to then sell in South Africa. Importing a vehicle involves obtaining an Import Permit, a Letter of Authority (LOA) and customs clearance. The necessary forms can be downloaded from the internet and sent to SA. In order to be able to import a vehicle you have to have owned it for at least six months and have been employed for the time that you've owned the vehicle. You also need an address in South Africa to which all the paperwork can be sent as they won't send it abroad.

The import permit is only valid for 12 months so don't be too hasty in applying for one. The LOA is obtained from the SABS and is a letter stating that the car meets South African specs. For this you need to obtain a letter from Land Rover (South Africa) saying that the vehicle was manufactured to EU standards. Land Rover (SA) was very helpful and prompt in fulfilling this request for us.

The infamous Carnet de Passage is another necessary bit of paper to keep border officials happy. we are getting ours from the RAC who are very helpful in the application process. You need to apply about 3 months before you go and we are going for the insurance option. Although this is the most expensive way of doing it, it invoves the least amount of money being tied up.

We are not buying vehicle insurance here as the excesses are huge and the chances of being able to claim minimal. We will buy third party insurance for each country as we go.

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