Reviewed 9 October 2026. Cabo Verde’s enacted 2026 State Budget contains a specific electric-mobility import incentive. For a buyer sourcing an electric car in China, the opportunity is meaningful, but the exemption decision, import declaration and road-registration file still need to be prepared. This guide separates the current fiscal provision from the practical purchase and clearance work.
Why the island and the vehicle’s operating route matter
Start with the island where the car will operate and the location where it can charge. A quotation delivered to one port may leave inter-island transport and the final handover outside its scope. Ask the carrier to identify the discharge port, any transshipment, onward movement, free-storage period and responsibilities for the release documents. A fleet buyer should compare the full operating plan, including workshop access, rather than treating the lowest vehicle purchase price as the lowest project cost.
Evaluate the intended passenger load, hills, air-conditioning use and daily kilometres against the selected battery and charging arrangement. Confirm the exact China-market charging inlets and the equipment available at the planned site. Request a practical compatibility check, including the vehicle’s AC onboard-charger limit and its DC charging curve. Laboratory range can help compare factory grades, but it cannot establish a guaranteed island route or charging time.
The 2026 policy: article 54 exempts DI, IVA and ICE
Article 54 of Law 69/X/2025, approving the 2026 State Budget, exempts the import of electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, from IVA, ICE and DI. These correspond to VAT, special consumption tax and import duties. The same article places the granting of the exemption within the competence of DNRE. Obtain the applicable classification and exemption instructions for the actual vehicle and importer before committing funds.
The article also exempts customs duty and VAT on new equipment exclusively for EV charging, with specified associated equipment and energy installations for public charging stations. That equipment provision has its own description and conditions; an unrelated electrical device should not be added to a consignment and labelled exempt merely because an electric car is being shipped with it.
Use this enacted 2026 provision as the fiscal reference for a 2026 transaction. Ask DNRE how the particular vehicle’s powertrain is classified; do not presume a hybrid or range-extender receives the same treatment as a battery-only car. If clearance could occur in 2027, require an updated assessment under the legislation applying then. A 2026 budget incentive is not evidence of a guaranteed future exemption.
What an exemption leaves in the landed-cost quotation
A tax concession does not make transport, handling or administration free. Request separate figures for China-side vehicle sourcing, inspection, export documents, ocean freight, insurance, destination carrier charges, port handling, storage, clearance services, inspection and registration. Include any onward delivery to the operating island. Ask the agent to distinguish fiscal charges from commercial charges and identify the legal basis for every exemption entered in the declaration.
The government’s trade portal publishes a general vehicle-import cost and procedure guide, but its standard tax figures are not an EV-specific 2026 assessment. Apply the later enacted incentive through the competent authority instead of adding ordinary IVA, ICE and DI automatically. Equally, do not write every destination charge as zero. A useful quotation shows which exemption is approved, which costs remain, and who pays them.
For a fleet or charging project, separate the vehicle and equipment lines in the commercial documentation. Record equipment descriptions, quantities and intended use clearly. Keep the approval correspondence and assessment together with the supplier invoice. This makes it easier to explain the treatment of the consignment and to identify a missing condition before a shipment reaches port.
Set up the importer and documents before departure
The official Trade Portal’s vehicle procedure begins with Título de Comércio Externo (TCE) through an official customs representative. It then identifies the DGTR inspection/registration application and the customs declaration in Sydonia World. Have a locally qualified representative confirm the current route for your status: a licensed commercial importer, individual purchase and qualifying returning resident do not necessarily use the same supporting file. Resolve ownership and consignee names before the bill of lading is issued.
The published vehicle procedure lists the commercial invoice, approved TCE, Modelo 10 vehicle dispatch record, Modelo 2 inspection/registration declaration, freight and related-expense invoices where applicable, bill of lading and packing list. For a previously registered vehicle, retain the original foreign registration record. Obtain a written document checklist and translations or authentication instructions from the agent for the particular transaction.
As procurement safeguards, also retain the contract, payment record, VIN and identification-plate photographs, factory configuration record and any battery inspection report. These additional records help reconcile the car with its invoice. They should be described as purchase controls, not substitutes for government forms or exemption approval.
DGTR inspection and registration: prepare the physical vehicle evidence
The government’s January 2022 Trade Manual describes a registration process using Modelo 2, Modelo 10, a vehicle catalogue and the original registration document for an already registered import. It explains that a DGTR inspector physically checks the vehicle against the submitted information; an approved file enters the registration database, with a DUC issued for payment. The resulting copies support clearance and provisional registration documentation. Use that manual as a procedural baseline and obtain the current 2026 booking and submission instructions directly from the representative and DGTR.
Send the exact model, powertrain, seats, dimensions, steering position and VIN when allocated for eligibility review. A China domestic-market specification should not be presented as already approved simply because it has a factory certificate. Agree any model-approval evidence, inspection, insurance and final registration steps before shipping. Keep government acceptance evidence with the final handover file so that a future owner can follow the vehicle’s identity and import history.
A six-stage purchase and import workflow
- Define the use: select the operating island, daily route, charging site and service arrangements.
- Confirm the import route: appoint the local representative and verify the importer, TCE and registration requirements.
- Confirm fiscal treatment: submit the actual vehicle and any charging equipment for classification and article 54 exemption instructions.
- Inspect in China: verify VIN, grade, condition, battery, charging and accessories against the written order.
- Approve shipping documents: reconcile the invoice, consignee, vehicle list, carrier documents and agreed delivery scope.
- Complete local procedures: coordinate DGTR inspection, customs release, required payments, insurance and registration before operational handover.
Continue planning your China EV import
Return to the country import-guide directory to keep the destination rules beside your vehicle shortlist. For a Cabo Verde enquiry, compare available model families and record the exact factory steering layout, powertrain, charging interface and approval evidence before choosing a grade.
Comparing destinations? Read the separate guides for Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire. Their tax and registration rules apply to those markets and must not be carried over to Cabo Verde.
Use our China import service overview to define who handles sourcing and documents, and the EV charging checks to prepare the operating specification. Send that specification with the destination and quantity in your enquiry.
Choose supportable vehicles and request a Cabo Verde quotation
For a first purchase, specify the parts and diagnostic support that should be available after arrival. Ask who can supply charging-system components, common body parts and software-related assistance. Confirm whether connected features, mobile applications and warranty arrangements will work for the destination owner. For used cars, request an underbody and battery-condition review; for fleet purchases, use a trial vehicle to validate charging and passenger comfort before expanding the order.
Send the preferred model or vehicle size, quantity, new/used preference, destination island and port, and local importer’s requirements. We can prepare a China-side sourcing specification, an inspection plan and an itemized shipping quotation to support the local approval process.
Request an electric-car sourcing quotation for Cabo Verde →
Official references and review scope
The fiscal reference is the enacted 2026 Budget. Published procedural guides are supplemented by current confirmation for the allocated vehicle, importer and planned clearance date.