Importing a car from China to Benin: full landed-cost guide 2026

Importing a car from China to Benin: 2026 new-car relief, AVD, clearance at Cotonou and ANaTT registration

Cars for Benin are cleared at the port of Cotonou. Under the 2026 finance law a new four-wheel vehicle imported in 2026 pays customs duty on only 10% of its customs value (5% for hybrids, 1% for electric cars) and no TVA, while the statistical tax and community levies remain due. Before the declaration, Bénin Control issues the AVD that sets the customs value; the ANaTT then registers the car.

Policy checked: 26 October 2026. Each rate and step links to its official source, starting with the 2026 finance law (Loi n° 2025-22) and the Code général des impôts 2025. Customs assessment and registration are decided by the Douane and the ANaTT; nothing here guarantees the outcome.

Who can import, and what the car must be

Individuals and companies can import. Per Benin Customs, the importer or a licensed customs broker (commissionnaire agréé en douane) files the advance declaration and the customs declaration. Benin drives on the right, and Chinese-market cars are left-hand drive. The 2026 relief is for vehicles "à l'état neuf"; the law does not define the term, so whether a car already registered abroad qualifies is for customs to decide. For used cars, ask your broker about the current age rules before you pay; we have not found the official text and do not state a limit here.

Taxes and the landed cost

1. Customs duty 20% under the ECOWAS common external tariff (WTO review, Benin annex). For new four-wheel cars from 1 January to 31 December 2026, article 5 of the 2026 finance law reduces the customs value by 90% (95% for hybrids, 99% for electric cars), so a new petrol car pays about 2% of its value.
2. TVA 18% (tax code, article 241) on the customs value plus duties and taxes (article 237). New cars are exempt in 2026 under article 5, so no TVA line appears below; a used car pays it in full.
3. Levies the relief does not cover (article 13): the statistical tax (T.STAT, 1%), the ECOWAS levy (PC, 0.5%), the WAEMU solidarity levy (PCS), the solidarity levy (PS), customs stamp duty, the urban development fee and the road tax. The table shows the first three as estimated by the calculator.
4. Tax on cars of 13 fiscal horsepower or more: 10% of the customs value plus entry duties, excluding TVA (articles 285 to 289). The calculator treats the two 2.0-litre examples as below 13 CV.
5. Advance on profits tax (AIB): 1% at import on the value plus all duties except TVA (article 132), creditable against income tax (article 133). It is not in the calculator yet.

Two petrol SUVs, calculated live by this site's rules engine; rows marked "estimate" are LandedCar estimates, not official fees.

Landed charges come to about 7% of CIF, or 55–60% on top of the ex-works price. These figures depend on the 2026 relief: a car cleared after 31 December 2026 pays the full 20% and 18% TVA unless the 2027 finance law renews it. The customs assessment prevails.

ANaTT inspection and registration

First registration is an online service of the ANaTT. Customs formalities, insurance and a copy of the ANaTT vehicle inspection are required. The file includes an ID with the NPI number (or a company's IFU certificate), the "feuillet n°2" with ANaTT and Interpol visas, the BFU, the invoice and the customs declaration. The published fee for a white plate with ordinary windows is 20,000 FCFA plus 1,000 FCFA tax and a Treasury fee of 5,000 to 8,000 FCFA for a new car depending on fiscal horsepower (77,000 FCFA instead of 20,000 with tinted windows); the stated processing time is 24 working hours. Registration is the ANaTT's decision; LandedCar does not guarantee it.

Shipping and clearance at Cotonou

Cars leave southern China by container or roll-on/roll-off for Cotonou; the calculator uses the current reference freight and insurance. Sea imports need an electronic cargo tracking note from the Conseil National des Chargeurs, opened by the shipper or its agent (WTO review); on LandedCar shipments the exporter side arranges it in China. In Benin the importer or broker files the advance declaration on the single window; Bénin Control checks the documents and issues the AVD, normally within 72 hours and free of charge. The broker then declares in SYDONIA World; containers may be scanned (35,400 FCFA for a 20-foot box), and the BFU is paid at a bank before release. LandedCar delivers to the port (FOB or CIF); clearance, duties, the AVD, inspection and registration are handled in the importer's name, and the responsibility for each step must be written into the quotation and pro forma invoice.

Frequently asked questions

Will the new-car relief still apply in 2027? Not automatically: article 5 covers 1 January to 31 December 2026. Check the 2027 finance law before shipping a car that will clear after that date.

Is an electric car cheaper to clear? In 2026 a new electric car gets a 99% reduction in customs value and no TVA; the statistical tax and community levies are still due.

Sources, checked 26 October 2026: Loi n° 2025-22, finance law 2026, art. 5 and 13 · Code général des impôts 2025, art. 130–133, 237, 241, 285–289 · Douanes: clearance at the port of Cotonou · Bénin Control: destination inspection · Bénin Control: scanning · ANaTT: first registration · WTO Trade Policy Review, Benin annex · US Commercial Service: Benin import tariffs. Estimates are LandedCar's, not official charges. Rules change; the decisions of the Douane, Bénin Control and the ANaTT on the actual vehicle prevail.