Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu
Minister of Transport and Communications
The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) is the Government department responsible for the design, implementation, coordination and evaluation of the policy, defined and approved by the Council of Ministers, for the areas of transport and communications.
The Port Administration of Timor-Leste – APORTIL, the Airport and Air, Navigation Administration – ANATL EP, the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste, AACTL and the AANC – National Communications Authority are dependent on the Minister of Transport and Communications.
Regulatory Requirements
The MoTC has a regulatory responsibility to help control the import and export of certain goods. Article 2 of the Conditions and Procedures to observe Regarding the Importation of Motor Prohibitions (Decree law 30/2011) prohibits the importation of vehicles over five years old.
Types of Goods
Goods are identified by an 8-digit numerical number known as the Harmonized System (HS) number.
The law prohibits the import of mixed and light passenger vehicles over five years from the date of manufacture.
These types of vehicles include:
Cars
Pick-ups
Mini-vans
(people carriers)
Mini-busses
(less than 20 seats)
Light commercial
Trucks
(less than 4 tons)
Exceptions
There are a number of exceptions to this law, including:
Motor vehicles imported by residents of Timor-Leste who have been outside of the country for twelve months or longer.
The vehicle must have been bought and registered in the name of the person importing it, and it must have remained in the possession of that person abroad, at least twelve months before being imported to Timor-Leste.
Heavy passenger vehicles with a seating capacity of over 20 places
Heavy goods vehicles, including vans and trucks with load capacity of over four tons, farm vehicles, construction and material handling vehicles;
Motor vehicles imported under the scope of international agreements
Motor vehicles imported for personal use identified as collector’s items, notably
“Veteran” motor vehicles (collector’s item) built before 1909
“Era” motor vehicles (collector’s item) built before 1930
“Classic” motor vehicles (collector’s item) built before 1980
Motor vehicles that can be used for assisting the community and will be donated to registered charitable organisations:
Commercial Purposes
If you are importing vehicles for ‘commercial’ purposes, such as to sell, lease, hire or exchange, you will need written approval from the Foreign Trade Department and Land Transport Department within the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry.
