Customs clearance for cars in Moldova: calculator and how it is charged
Work out the cost of clearing a car through Moldovan customs by year, engine size, fuel type and the price in the contract. Below is what the total is made of and what changes it.
What customs clearance is made of
The total for importing a car into Moldova comes from three payments. The calculator shows each one separately so you can see what you are actually paying for.
- excise — the bulk of the total, based on engine size, the age of the car and the fuel type;
- customs procedure fee — 0.4% of the value of the car, capped at 36,000 MDL;
- luxury tax — only for expensive cars, from 600,000 MDL on the contract.
What changes the excise
Excise is charged per cubic centimetre of engine displacement, and the rate per cubic centimetre depends on what the car is and how old it is. Hence a few points people ask about most often:
- electric cars are exempt from excise altogether — only the customs procedure fee remains;
- a regular hybrid gets a 25% discount on excise, a plug-in hybrid 50%;
- petrol and diesel have different rate tables, so two cars with the same displacement are charged differently;
- for cars over 30 years old the excise is flat: 40,000 MDL at 30–39 years, 30,000 at 40–49 and 20,000 for anything older.
Luxury tax
If the contract value of the car starts at 600,000 MDL, luxury tax is added. It rises in steps with the price: 2% between 600 and 700 thousand MDL, 3% up to 800 thousand, 4% up to 900 thousand, 5% up to a million, then 6, 7, 8 and 9 percent every 200 thousand, and 10% for cars above 1.8 million MDL. For most imported cars this tax does not apply at all.
What the calculator does not cover
The calculation covers payments at customs, not the whole journey to Moldovan plates. Shipping and logistics, the road tax (vignette), compulsory insurance, the technical inspection and registration are paid separately. Rates are set by law and change from time to time — the calculator uses the current ones, but it is worth confirming the figure with us before the deal.
Frequently asked questions about customs clearance
How much does it cost to clear a car through customs in Moldova?
The total is excise, the customs procedure fee (0.4% of the value, capped at 36,000 MDL) and, for expensive cars, luxury tax. Excise almost always makes up most of it, and it depends on engine size, age and fuel type — which is why the same purchase price can produce very different totals. Use the calculator above for your specific car.
Is it cheaper to import an electric car?
Considerably. Electric cars are exempt from excise, leaving only the customs procedure fee of 0.4% of the value. Hybrids benefit too: a regular one gets a 25% discount on excise, a plug-in 50%.
How is excise calculated for older cars?
Cars over 30 years old are charged a flat amount instead of the displacement-based calculation: 40,000 MDL at 30–39 years, 30,000 MDL at 40–49 years and 20,000 MDL for anything older. That is why a classic with a big engine often costs less to clear than a recent car.
Petrol or diesel — which is cheaper to clear?
There is no single answer: petrol and diesel have different per-cubic-centimetre rate tables, and the result depends on the particular combination of displacement and year. The simplest approach is to run both through the calculator and compare.
Does the calculation include shipping?
No. The calculator covers payments at customs only. Shipping, road tax, insurance, the technical inspection and registration are paid separately. If you order a car through us, we quote the full turnkey figure including logistics.
How current are the rates in the calculator?
The calculator uses the rules in force, but rates are set by law and change periodically. Treat the result as a planning figure and confirm the amount with our manager before the deal.