Shipping a car to Puerto Rico combines two trips: a truck ride from your home to a mainland port, and an ocean crossing to San Juan. NIKI Auto Transport plans both parts for you. We pick your car up anywhere in the continental United States, deliver it to the departure port on time for your sailing, and help you get the paperwork ready so your car is not held at the port. This page covers what it costs to ship a car to Puerto Rico in 2026, which ports cars sail from, how long it takes, what documents you need and how the Puerto Rico excise tax works.
Ready for a price? Request a free quote on our car shipping quote page or call (818) 732-1805. You pay nothing until a carrier is assigned to your order.
On this page
- How much does it cost to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
- Ports and sailings to San Juan
- How long does it take to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
- Documents you need to ship a car to Puerto Rico
- The Puerto Rico excise tax (arbitrios) explained
- How to prepare your car for the ocean trip
- Shipping a car from Puerto Rico to the mainland
- How Puerto Rico car shipping works with NIKI
- Puerto Rico car shipping FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
Most customers pay about $1,200 to $2,000 to ship a standard sedan port to port from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan. If you want us to pick the car up at your home and deliver it to the port, add the cost of the truck trip to Florida. Here are typical 2026 totals by where your car starts:
| Where your car starts | Sedan | SUV or crossover | Pickup truck or large SUV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop-off at the Jacksonville port yourself | $1,200–$2,000 | $1,400–$2,300 | $1,600–$2,700 |
| Door pickup in Florida | $1,500–$2,400 | $1,700–$2,700 | $1,900–$3,100 |
| Door pickup in the Southeast (GA, SC, NC, AL, TN) | $1,700–$2,700 | $1,900–$3,000 | $2,100–$3,400 |
| Door pickup in the Northeast (NY, NJ, PA, MA) | $2,000–$3,000 | $2,200–$3,300 | $2,400–$3,700 |
| Door pickup in Texas or the Midwest | $2,100–$3,100 | $2,300–$3,400 | $2,500–$3,800 |
| Door pickup on the West Coast (CA, WA, OR) | $2,500–$3,500 | $2,700–$3,800 | $2,900–$4,200 |
Estimates for a running vehicle with flexible dates. They include the ocean freight and the mainland truck trip, but not the Puerto Rico excise tax, optional marine insurance or port storage. Your written quote is the final price.
What changes the price
- Vehicle size: ocean carriers price by size, so trucks, vans and large SUVs cost more.
- Distance to the port: the farther your car is from Jacksonville, the more the truck trip costs.
- Season: summer and the holidays are busy, and the weeks before school starts fill up fast.
- Condition: a car that does not run needs a winch on the truck and special handling at the port.
- Insurance: ocean carriers limit their liability unless you buy extra coverage, which is usually priced as a percentage of the car’s value.
- Storage: if you pick the car up late in San Juan, the port can charge daily storage after the free days end.
For a full breakdown, read our guide on how much it costs to ship a car to Puerto Rico.
Ports and sailings to San Juan
Most cars shipped from the mainland to Puerto Rico sail from Jacksonville, Florida, which has frequent roll-on/roll-off and container service to San Juan. Several ocean carriers serve this route, including TOTE Maritime, Crowley and Trailer Bridge. Some services also run from other East Coast and Gulf ports, so we confirm the best port for your date and location when we quote.
- Departure: Jacksonville, Florida (JAXPORT terminals), with sailings several times a week.
- Arrival: the Port of San Juan, where you pick the car up after it clears the Puerto Rico Treasury (Hacienda) and agriculture checks.
- Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo): the car is driven onto the ship and parked on a vehicle deck. This is the most common and affordable option.
- Container: the car is loaded into a container. It can cost more, but it adds protection and may let you ship some household goods with the car.
How long does it take to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
| Step | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Truck trip from your home to Jacksonville | 1–10 days, depending on distance |
| Wait at the port for the booked sailing | 1–5 days |
| Ocean crossing to San Juan | About 3–5 days |
| Hacienda appraisal and release in San Juan | 2–7 days |
| Total door to San Juan | About 1 to 4 weeks |
The best way to avoid delays is to send your documents to the ocean carrier before the sailing. Cars with missing paperwork can be rolled to a later ship or held in San Juan.
Documents you need to ship a car to Puerto Rico
Requirements vary slightly by ocean carrier, but you should expect to provide:
- The vehicle title (front and back), or the registration plus a bill of sale for a recent purchase.
- A letter from your lender authorizing shipment to Puerto Rico if the car is financed or leased.
- A clear copy of the owner’s driver’s license or passport.
- A signed letter of authorization if someone other than the owner will drop off the car.
- Tax identification details used for the Hacienda release, such as the shipper’s EIN and the consignee’s Social Security number, as the ocean carrier requests.
- The carrier’s vehicle forms, such as an export sheet and an insurance acceptance or declination form.
- The year, make, model and full VIN.
We tell you exactly which forms your ocean carrier needs and when to send them.
The Puerto Rico excise tax (arbitrios) explained
When a vehicle arrives in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Treasury Department (Departamento de Hacienda) appraises it and charges an excise tax, known locally as arbitrios. The tax applies to most vehicles brought to the island, including used cars you already own, and it must be paid before the port releases the car.
- Create a SURI account with Hacienda before your car arrives. SURI is the online system used for the release.
- Wait for the appraisal. Hacienda appraises the car after it arrives. Your ocean carrier explains how to confirm that the appraisal is complete.
- Pay the excise tax. Hacienda calculates the amount from the appraised value. It can be a significant cost, so check an estimate before you ship, especially for newer or higher-value vehicles.
- Get your release documents, such as the release of goods (levante) and the excise tax payment certificate.
- Pick up the car at the San Juan terminal with your ID, the bill of lading and the release documents.
After pickup, you register the car with the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) through a CESCO office. Ask Hacienda or a local professional about your exact tax before you book, because it is often the biggest cost after shipping.
How to prepare your car for the ocean trip
- Fuel: leave no more than a quarter tank.
- Personal items: remove them. RoRo ships do not allow loose belongings in the car.
- Recalls: fix open safety recalls before shipping. Some carriers charge a fee for cars with unresolved fire-risk recalls.
- Clean the car, including the underside, so it passes the agriculture inspection at arrival.
- Take dated photos from every side and note existing damage.
- Remove toll tags and disable the alarm.
- Check battery and tires so the car can be driven on and off the ship.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids may have special rules or be refused by some carriers, so tell us if your car has a high-voltage battery.
Shipping a car from Puerto Rico to the mainland
We also arrange the trip the other way. Your car sails from San Juan to Jacksonville, and a NIKI-assigned carrier delivers it to your new address anywhere in the continental U.S. Cars leaving Puerto Rico usually need a vehicle clearance from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and a lender letter if the car is financed. See our full guide to shipping a car from Puerto Rico to Florida and the mainland.
How Puerto Rico car shipping works with NIKI
- Get a quote with your pickup ZIP code, vehicle and preferred date.
- We confirm the sailing and the port cutoff time.
- A licensed carrier picks up your car and delivers it to the port before the cutoff.
- You send the documents to the ocean carrier using our checklist.
- Your car sails to San Juan.
- You complete the Hacienda release and pick up your car.
NIKI Auto Transport is a licensed and bonded auto transport broker (USDOT 4535689, MC-1799148). We arrange the mainland truck trip with vetted, insured carriers and coordinate the handoff to the ocean carrier, which operates the ship. Lea esta página en español.
Related guides
- How much it costs to ship a car to Puerto Rico
- Shipping a car from Puerto Rico to Florida
- Jacksonville car transport
- Military car shipping
- Hawaii car shipping
Puerto Rico car shipping FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
Shipping a sedan port to port from Jacksonville to San Juan usually costs about $1,200 to $2,000. Door pickup elsewhere in the U.S. adds the truck trip to Florida, for typical totals of about $1,500 to $3,500. The Puerto Rico excise tax is separate.
How long does it take to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
The ocean crossing from Jacksonville takes about 3 to 5 days. Including the truck trip to the port and the Hacienda release, most shipments take about 1 to 4 weeks door to San Juan.
Do I have to pay taxes to bring a car to Puerto Rico?
Yes. Puerto Rico’s Treasury Department (Hacienda) appraises most vehicles that arrive on the island and charges an excise tax before the car is released.
Do I need a passport to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
No. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so shipping from the mainland is a domestic shipment. You need the title or registration, ID and the carrier’s forms, plus a lender letter if the car is financed.
Can I put personal items in my car?
Not on a roll-on/roll-off ship. If you need to ship belongings with the car, ask about container shipping.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car to Puerto Rico?
Drive the car to the Jacksonville port yourself and book roll-on/roll-off service with flexible dates. If you live far from Florida, door pickup is often cheaper than driving once you count fuel, hotels and time.