TERRITORY NOTE: The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is not part of the United Kingdom for customs purposes and operates its own independent customs regime. There is no income tax, VAT, or sales tax; revenue is collected primarily through import duties and the Customs Processing Fee (CPF). The US dollar is the official currency.
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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Passport (bio-data page)
- Work permit, residence permit, or other legal proof of residency
- Letter of exemption issued by the TCI Customs Department (if applicable)
- Original bill of lading (OBL) or air waybill (AWB); express/telex release accepted
- Detailed valued inventory list (values in USD)
- Invoices for any new or unused items (in USD)
- TCI Customs import entry form
Specific Information
The following items are explicitly excluded from duty-free treatment regardless of residency status: motor vehicles, boats, aircraft, foodstuffs, tobacco products, perfumes, and alcoholic beverages.
Customs Processing Fee (CPF). Even when goods qualify for duty-free entry, a 7.5% Customs Processing Fee applies to the total declared value of the shipment. This fee is non-waivable.
Standard import duty. If the importer does not qualify for duty-free entry, standard import duties apply. Most household goods attract a duty rate of 30% on CIF value.
No VAT or sales tax. TCI does not levy VAT or a general sales tax. Import duties and the CPF are the primary customs charges.
ISPM 15. All wood packaging materials (pallets, crates, dunnage) must comply with ISPM 15 and bear the appropriate treatment mark.
Inventory language. Inventories must be in English and valued in USD.
Duties & Taxes
Duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption. All goods imported by an owner relocating to the Turks and Caicos Islands, or by returning residents, are duty-free when shipped within the first 6 months of arrival, provided the goods have been owned and in use by the importer for a minimum of 12 months prior to arrival in TCI. Returning citizens must have lived outside the territory for at least 12 months to qualify.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
- Firearms and ammunition without prior written permission from the Commissioner of Police
- Underwater hunting equipment (spear guns, Hawaiian slings, and parts thereof)
- Controlled substances, illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia
- Pornographic materials
- Prohibited dog breeds (see Section 3)
- Species protected under CITES without valid permits
- Any goods subject to UK or international sanctions applicable to British Overseas Territories
Restricted / Dutiable Items
All imports into TCI are subject to duty and the 7.5% CPF unless specifically exempted. Items of particular note:
- Weapons and ammunition: require written permission from the Commissioner of Police of the Turks and Caicos Islands prior to import; subject to duty
- New and unused goods: dutiable at applicable rates; invoices required
- Meat and meat products: import permit required from the Department of Agriculture
- Plants and plant material: import permit required; subject to phytosanitary inspection
- Alcohol: dutiable; excluded from duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption
- Tobacco products: dutiable; excluded from duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption
- Perfumes: excluded from duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption
- Foodstuffs: excluded from duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption; duties apply
Contact TCI Customs (customs.gov.tc) or the destination agent for current duty rate schedules by commodity.
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Original bill of lading (OBL) or air waybill (AWB); express/telex release accepted
- Bill of sale
- Certificate of title
Specific Information
Motor vehicles are excluded from the duty-free transfer-of-residence exemption and are dutiable regardless of ownership duration or residency status.
Duty calculation. Vehicle import duties are calculated on the CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value of the vehicle. The Customs Processing Fee (CPF) is calculated on the vehicle value only (not including insurance and freight).
Vehicle duty rates vary by type and engine size; contact the destination agent or TCI Customs (customs.gov.tc) for current rate schedules, as these are subject to revision by the TCI Government.
Vehicles must be right-hand drive, as TCI drives on the left. Left-hand drive vehicles are generally not permitted for registration.
Pets
- Import permit from the TCI Department of Agriculture (obtained prior to travel) **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- ISO 11784/11785-compliant 15-digit microchip **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- Health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of travel, endorsed by a government veterinarian **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- Proof that the pet has been continuously resident in the Category 1 country for at least 6 months **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- Parasite treatment (internal and external) shortly before travel **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- 48 hours advance notice to TCI authorities of confirmed arrival details **From Category 1 countries** (Antigua, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Montserrat, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Pierre et Miquelon, St. Vincent, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands):
- Import permit from the TCI Department of Agriculture (obtained prior to travel) **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- ISO 11784/11785-compliant 15-digit microchip (implanted before rabies vaccination) **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- Rabies vaccination administered no sooner than 6 months and no more than 12 months before entry; if the pet has a prior vaccination history, the 12-month rule does not apply provided the vaccination has not expired **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- Rabies titer test (FAVN recommended) administered at least 30 days after rabies vaccination and between 3 months and 24 months before entry **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- Health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of travel, endorsed by a government veterinarian **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- Parasite treatment (internal and external) shortly before travel **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
- 48 hours advance notice to TCI authorities of confirmed arrival details **From Category 2 countries** (all other countries):
Import permit required. An import permit from the TCI Department of Agriculture must be obtained prior to travel. Without it, the animal will not be cleared on arrival. Contact the TCI Government (gov.tc) or the destination agent well in advance.
Microchip before vaccination. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is administered. Documentation must reflect the microchip number throughout.
Spay/neuter requirement. All dogs must be spayed or neutered before importation. Exemptions apply only to owners holding a valid animal breeder's license issued by the TCI Department of Agriculture.
Advance notice. At least 48 hours' notice must be provided to TCI authorities of the confirmed arrival date, time, airline or vessel, and port of entry.
Port of entry. All pets must enter via Providenciales International Airport (PLS) or through approved marinas. Entry is not permitted through other ports.
Inspection on arrival. All live animals are subject to inspection on arrival and must be accompanied by an original inspection certificate issued by the agricultural authority at origin. Pets that fail inspection will be held for no more than 48 hours pending deportation or euthanasia at the importer's expense.
Prohibited breeds. The following dog breeds are strictly prohibited: Dogo Argentino, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Japanese Tosa, Perro de Presa Canario, Fila Brasileiro, fighting dogs, and all non-domestic canine species and hybrids.
Restricted breeds (import permitted with advance notification to veterinary officials): Appenzeller, Aryan Molossus, Bandog, Beauceron, Belgian Mastiff, Bull Mastiff, Danish Broholmer, Dogue de Bordeaux, Great Swiss Mountain Dog, Korean Jindo, Kuvasz, Leonberger, Moscow Watchdog, Neapolitan Mastiff, Perro de Presa Mallorquin, Rottweiler, Boerboel, and Tibetan Mastiff.
Other animals. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, rodents, and rabbits are not subject to rabies requirements but require an import permit and health certificate. CITES-protected species require additional permits.
Vaccinations for dogs. All dogs must be vaccinated against canine parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. Dogs entering from countries where Lyme disease is present must be vaccinated against Lyme disease or provide a negative serological test result within 10 days of travel.
Vaccinations for cats. All cats must be vaccinated against feline calicivirus, panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis, and feline leukemia.
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air and sea shipments.
TCI is served primarily by air via Providenciales International Airport (PLS) on Providenciales, which handles the majority of international freight. Sea freight arrives through the port of Providenciales. Grand Turk, the capital, has limited freight capacity; most commercial shipments clear through Providenciales.
All inventories must be in English and valued in USD. Ensure new items are itemised separately with invoices, as they are assessed at different duty rates from used personal effects.
The 7.5% Customs Processing Fee applies to all shipments, including those qualifying for duty-free entry. Importers should budget for this fee regardless of residency or exemption status.
The duty-free exemption must be applied for in advance by obtaining a letter of exemption from TCI Customs before the shipment arrives. Shipments arriving without the exemption letter in place may be assessed full duty and cleared as general imports.
Unpredictable port handling costs and storage charges can accumulate quickly. Confirm current conditions with the destination agent before booking.
Cultural & Other Information
- OpenFactBook -- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Wikipedia -- Turks and Caicos Islands
- TCI Government Portal -- gov.tc
- TC Customs -- customs.gov.tc *(JS SPA; accessible in browser)*
- UK Government -- Turks and Caicos Islands
- PetTravel.com -- Turks and Caicos Pet Import Requirements
- embassypages.com/turksandcaicosislands *(WAF-protected; accessible in browser)*
- IAM Baseline PDF -- Turks and Caicos Islands (May 2017)
The Turks and Caicos Islands is an archipelago of approximately 40 islands and cays in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas. The population is approximately 60,000, concentrated primarily on Providenciales. The capital is Grand Turk. The US dollar is the official currency, and English is the official language. The economy is driven by tourism and offshore financial services. TCI has no income tax, capital gains tax, or VAT; government revenue comes primarily from import duties, stamp duty, and tourism-related fees.
As a British Overseas Territory, TCI residents are British Overseas Territories Citizens. The UK is responsible for defence and foreign affairs; the TCI Government manages domestic affairs including customs.
Useful resources
Quick Links & Resources
As a British Overseas Territory, the Turks and Caicos Islands have no independent foreign representation. Consular services are provided through UK embassies and consulates worldwide.