Clearing a US car through customs in Azerbaijan in 2026: the 10-year limit, excise, benefits for EVs and hybrids

Azerbaijan is one of the main buyers of cars that pass through Georgia: according to Geostat, more than 4,000 cars were re-exported there in January–September 2026. Below: the rules for clearing a US car through customs in 2026. Data as of November 2026.

The ban on cars older than 10 years

Since April 2023, Azerbaijan has banned imports of used passenger cars more than 10 years past their production date. Age counts from the manufacture date — on a US car it is on the sticker in the driver's door jamb, not in the model year.

From 2026 — higher excise for cars older than 7 years

Since 1 January 2026, higher excise coefficients apply to passenger cars older than 7 years — for petrol and even more so for diesel. So cars under 7 years work out noticeably better at customs.

What the payments consist of

• Customs duty — depends on engine size.
• Excise — depends on engine size and age.
• VAT.
• Fees — for customs processing, electronic services and registration.

We do not publish amounts: they depend on the car and they change. The main levers are engine size and age.

Benefits for electric cars and hybrids

Electric cars up to 3 years old are exempt from import duty and VAT. Hybrids up to 3 years old with engines up to 2,500 cc are exempt from VAT. Check how long the benefits apply before buying.

Documents

• Auction (Copart or IAAI) invoice.
• Title — the US ownership document.
• Export declaration of the country of export.
• Bill of Lading and CMR.
• Georgian transit documents.

The documents that pass through us — the auction invoice, Title, Bill of Lading and transit documents — we hand over together with the car in Poti or Batumi.

Where clearance takes place

The car is cleared at Azerbaijani customs after entering via the Red Bridge. Important: Azerbaijan's land border is closed to passengers (at least until January 2027), so the car enters on a car carrier. In detail — in our article route Georgia → Azerbaijan.

What this means when choosing a car

• Up to 10 years by manufacture date — mandatory.
• Better under 7 years — because of excise.
• A smaller engine — lower duty and excise.
• New electric cars and hybrids (up to 3 years) — with benefits.

How to check a lot — in our Copart and IAAI guide (it works for buyers from Azerbaijan too).

Rules may change. Check the current requirements before buying or contact us. Our service for Azerbaijan is on the cars from the USA to Azerbaijan page.