Everything you need to CROSS borders legally with your car
The festive season is coming up. So, whether for work or holiday, here’s everything you need to cross borders legally with your car.
You need documents like a passport and visa to enter another country, and the same applies to cross borders legally with your car. Business Live provides a handy breakdown of what you’ll need.
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A worse-case scenario would be driving all the way to the border only to find you’re not prepared at all and don’t have the correct documentation. So, here’s the ultimate checklist to cross borders legally with your car.
CROSS BORDERS LEGALLY WITH YOUR CAR
1. VALID LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Just as you would bring along your valid driver’s licence, passport and visa (if required) – for each and every passenger in your car – so should you for your car. Your vehicle’s certified registration papers are like its passport, and border control are going to want to see those. This also proves it is your car and hasn’t been stolen.
2. ALERT YOUR INSURER
To cross borders legally with your car, you must let your insurer know you’ll be leaving SA’s borders. Your insurer may have different accident, breakdown or theft policies in a foreign country. It’s also good to let them know where you and your car will be purely from a safety point of view. Check what sort of cover they offer in that particular country – if any – so you can stay safe.
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3. WRITE YOUR BANK
As we mentioned many times before, if your car is financed through a bank, that institution is the legal owner of your car. That’s until you complete the final repayment, of course. Therefore, to cross borders legally with your car, you need to notify your bank/car financier of your trip. They need to authorise any cross-border travel and be kept abreast of the car’s whereabouts.
4. FAMILIARISE YOURSELF
Going across borders legally with your car is one thing. Finding out the roads on the other side are rough as hell is quite another … and highly likely. Research the quality of the infrastructure where you’re going. Make sure your car is in good driving condition, and that you always have emergency items, such as a first-aid kit, a reflector triangle, a jack, pump and spare wheel in the car.
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