Importation of Heavy Equipment

What is a heavy equipment? How do I import a heavy equipment? Heavy Equipment is machinery and vehicles which are intended to be used in the course of a business for construction, dredging, road maintenance or engineering or agriculture work.

In addition, it covers a “special vehicle” which is a vehicle not constructed or adapted for use on roads, having motive power, and designed to be used, with or without accessories, for construction, road maintenance, engineering or agricultural work, and includes:

• a forklift;
• a front-loader; or
• a track-laying or wheeled vehicle.
  1. The requirements applicant (proposed importer) must first submit a completed application form to the Ministry requesting approval to import heavy equipment and one (application form) is required for each piece of heavy equipment.
  2. Details requested in application form to include, but not limited to:
     • Current copy of Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) or Trade & Business Licence (TBL). If the CGS or TBL is expired, a copy of the current renewal receipt.
     • Type of company as well as the nationality and residential status of the applicant.
     • Company has adequate storage in a suitable location for heavy equipment i.e. industrial areas etc.
     • Specifications on heavy equipment being imported i.e. Vehicle Identification (VIN) Numbers
     • Purpose of heavy equipment being imported
  3. The application form must be submitted to the Ministry for its consideration and must have attached a non-refundable CI$100.00 processing fee.
  4. The application form along with the payment should be submitted to the Department of Vehicle & Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL) for payment processing and recording of vehicle particulars for importation.
  5. The application form and receipt showing payment has been processed will be forwarded to the Ministry after 2 business days of the DVDL receiving them.
  6. Once received from the DVDL, the Ministry will then advise the department if the application was successful. The preparation of an approval/refusal letter to import the heavy equipment will be distributed to the applicant on the same day by DVDL.
  7. Approval letters are valid for six months only and upon expiry may be extended for a further six months after a written request is submitted to the Ministry through DVDL.
  8. Applicants must ensure any heavy equipment being imported meets all vehicle inspection requirements as stated in Traffic Regulations, (2021 Revision).
  9. Applicants must ensure the approval form is presented to the Customs & Border Control upon arrival of the equipment to the Cayman Islands.
  10. Once cleared from Customs & Border Control, applicants must immediately ensure the vehicle is duly registered in accordance with the Traffic Regulations, (2021 Revision) at the DVDL. Failure to do so is an offence under section 6(1) of the Traffic Act, (2021 Revision).