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Importing a US car to Jordan in 2026: salvage ban, age limit, taxes

Since 1 Nov 2025, Jordan bans cars with salvage/junk status — a typical damaged Copart or IAAI lot can't be imported. Petrol cars and hybrids must be no older than 5 years (model year 2021 and newer in 2026), EVs no older than 3 years. Taxes on a petrol car come to about 51% of the customs value.

Updated: 2026-11

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Key facts

Age and eligibility

• Passenger cars older than 5 years before the year of clearance are banned (since 2012; per customs, effectively up to 6 years). In 2026 that means model year 2021 and newer.
• EVs, since 1 Nov 2025: no older than 3 years, counting the year of clearance.
• Since 1 Nov 2025, all passenger cars (petrol, hybrid, electric) must meet Jordanian technical requirements and one of these specs: EU, US, GCC or Saudi. US-spec cars qualify.

Duties and taxes

• Petrol: since 29 Jun 2025 the combined tax (general + special) is ≈ 51% of customs value (was 71%).
• Hybrids: ≈ 39% (was 60%).
• The base is the customs value (CIF to Aqaba). There's no separate excise: the "special tax" is the excise part and is already inside the 51% and 39%.
• The 16% general sales tax applies to all cars under Decision No. 4306; for petrol and hybrids it's already included in 51%/39%.

Damaged cars and salvage titles

• Since 1 Nov 2025, cars with salvage or junk status in the country of origin are banned — after serious accidents, fire, flooding or with heavy damage. A typical Copart/IAAI lot with a salvage title can't be imported.
• Jordanian sources don't say whether a car repaired in the US and retitled as rebuilt can be imported.
• Before 1 Nov 2025 Jordan was a major market for damaged US cars; the new rules sharply narrow this channel.

EVs and hybrids

• Special tax on EVs: a flat 27% for all categories and prices (previously up to 55%).
• Cabinet Decision No. 4306 (28 Jun 2025) removed all exemptions from the 16% sales tax, so an EV pays ≈ 27% + 16% in total (per Dooz and Jordan News).
• EVs and hybrids cleared before Decision No. 4306 are exempt from the new sales tax.

Documents

• Confirmed: compliance with EU/US/GCC/Saudi specs and a title without salvage/junk status.
• New "0 km" cars only via official dealers with a certificate of conformity. The full document list for individuals isn't confirmed.

Shipping from the US

• By sea from the US to Aqaba, then usually to the Zarqa Free Zone (the main used-car market). Customs clearance happens when the car is released to the domestic market.
• Shipping times and costs aren't confirmed.

Example: 2021 Toyota Camry 2.5, $10,000

• Age is OK: model year 2021 and newer is allowed in 2026.
• Taxes ≈ 51% × $10,000 = $5,100 — excluding shipping, port, free-zone storage and registration.
• Only if the title is NOT salvage/junk and the car isn't burned, flood-damaged or heavily damaged.
• Estimate: customs uses its own customs value (CIF), so the result may differ.

Still being checked

• How the 51% and 39% split between duty, special tax and sales tax.
• The 27% + 16% total for EVs is confirmed by a single industry outlet.
• Whether a rebuilt-title car can be imported.
• Exact age count for EVs and registration fees.

Cars to look at

Sources

1. Jordan News: Vehicle Sector Restructuring Comes into Effect 2025-11-02
2. Lexis Middle East: Jordan to enforce new vehicle import rules from November 2025 2025-10-29
3. Jordan News: No Changes to Taxes and Fees on Hybrid and Electric Vehicles 2025-09-14
4. Jordan Times: Cabinet overhauls vehicle import rules, slashes taxes, bans damaged car imports 2025-06-28
5. AGBI: Jordan cuts vehicle taxes and blocks 'junk' car imports 2025-06
6. Dooz: Sales Tax on Cars in Jordan 2025 2025-09
7. Ammon News: ban on importing cars older than 5 years 2012-07-02
8. Jordan Zad: permitted age is 6, not 5 years 2012

This is a reference, not legal advice. Rules change often: confirm the numbers with customs or a licensed broker before you buy.

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