As a rule, all east African citizens can cross the border to all east African nations in a rental vehicle without much issue. Nonetheless, there are things you have to get ready for as Customs operators are always watchful for people attempting to import a car without paying taxes so they give careful attention when you are driving a vehicle that isn’t yours.
The main question the Customs officer is attempting to determine is whether you are bringing the vehicle crosswise over “briefly” or permanently. In the event that the agent isn’t certain the rental is returning across the border relatively soon, they may think you are importing/smuggling the vehicle. You will then be liable to duties, taxes, and the majority of the nation’s vehicle safety laws. In the event that they find you lying about your purpose, they will probably seize the vehicle begin talking about jail time and expansive fines.
Uganda and Rwanda Border
The trickiest circumstances emerge when you fly across the border, hire a vehicle, and after that drive back to your nation of origin. This will always bring up issues with customs agents so you need your paperwork and justification in good order.
General Rules and Tips for Driving a Rental Car across East African borders
The following are general things that apply whenever you will take a hired vehicle over the East African borders.
You should inform the rental agency that you going to cross the border to another country with their vehicle from the nation, and they should affirm it is okay. Not all car rental companies will permit you to cross to another country with their car, and the truth is told, there may be different guidelines between various rental locations for the same agency. You will void your renter’s agreement in the event that you cross without their endorsement, and all very costly issues will come up in the event that you get a ticket or have an accident. Also, customs really requires that the rental agency has given their consent for the vehicle to cross to another country so it would be wise to be in the rental agreement.
Hired RAV4 – 4×4 Uganda Ltd
Remember that rental companies are never in charge of legal expenses, tickets, or fines. You may face extra penalties or charges in the event that they wind up being assessed against the vehicle.
Ensure you have all the required documentation for border crossing, for example, international IDs and driver’s permit, a copy of the vehicle logbook, and later from the car rental company allowing you to cross the border to another country with their vehicle.