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Customs clearance of a car in BiH: transit, homologation and the JCI

A car bought in Germany is not cleared at the BiH border. It enters in transit, is homologated at an authorised technical service within the transit deadline, and is then cleared with the JCI at an inland customs office, where duty and VAT are paid.

What happens at the border

At the crossing where the car enters BiH it is declared for transit, not cleared. The transit declaration is lodged in the NCTS system, usually by a customs agent (špediter). Road motor vehicles always need one, even at crossings where other goods may skip transit (decision of the Indirect Taxation Authority, UIO, of 8 June 2023, article 6). The holder of the transit must lodge security, for example a cash deposit (Službeni glasnik BiH 38/21, article 12, and 40/21, article 7).

How long the transit lasts

UIO's page for citizens says up to 6 days; its explanation of 28 August 2019 sets up to six working days from acceptance of the declaration, Saturday included unless it is a public holiday. The departure office writes the deadline on the declaration, and that date binds every other customs office (Službeni glasnik BiH 38/21, article 13).

Homologation comes before clearance

An imported car must be homologated before it can be cleared. Within the transit deadline you take it to an authorised technical service, not to customs; the homologation guide covers the Euro 5 requirement, the documents and the price. Whatever the result, the car must be presented before the deadline expires at the destination customs office named on the transit declaration (UIO explanation of 2019, point 9.4).

At the destination customs office

The destination office is usually at a customs terminal. The regulated terminal-use fee for a passenger car is 10 KM plus VAT per entry, valid for 48 hours; each further 24 hours costs the same (Službeni glasnik BiH 11/16, article 6). The operator's own services are charged separately.

In practice a špediter lodges the JCI (single customs document). The declarant must have a seat or residence in BiH, except for transit, temporary import or, where customs find it justified, occasional declarations; a representative must be registered in BiH and entered in the customs register (Customs Policy Law, Službeni glasnik BiH 58/15, articles 6 and 76). The špediter's fee and the terminal operator's other services are the providers' own prices and no price list was checked, so ask for quotes; the calculator's 200 KM for the špediter is an estimate.

Which documents go with the JCI

Every document the procedure needs must be attached (Customs Policy Law, article 74). For a used car:

  • the homologation certificate (potvrda o usklađenosti), original shown and copy lodged, under code HOMV;
  • the invoice or sale contract;
  • for 0% duty, proof of EU origin: an EUR.1 or an origin declaration on the invoice; the EUR.1 guide explains which proof fits your seller.

The CoC is a homologation document, not a customs one. Whether customs ask for a passport or ID card is not confirmed; ask your agent.

How duty and VAT are calculated

When the car is cleared, you pay duty and VAT. How much they come to, how the customs value is set and what VAT is charged on is explained on the page below.

Payment, release and origin checks

The car is released only when duty and VAT are paid or secured (Customs Policy Law, article 86; VAT Law, article 39). If customs have reasonable doubt about the proof of origin, they can release the car against security for the possible duty while the proof is checked; the EUR.1 guide explains the check and who pays if origin is not confirmed.

Only after release can the car be registered with the competent MUP, as the registration guide explains.

If the car fails homologation

The homologation guide explains the deadline to fix the defects and the re-inspection. While the car is under customs supervision, only repairs needed for homologation may be done on it, under the procedure of processing under customs control declared before the work starts. If the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH refuses the certificate, or no homologation document is obtained, customs order the car to be returned abroad under customs supervision (UIO explanation of 2019, point 12.2).

Common mistakes

  • "The transit lasts 10 days." No official text gives 10 days; the date written on your declaration counts.
  • "Clearance is completed at the border." Only the transit starts there; clearance is completed at an inland customs office.
  • "Once you have the JCI, you have 10 days for homologation." Homologation comes first; without it the car cannot be cleared.
  • "The seller issues the EUR.1." The customs of the exporting country issue it on the exporter's application.

Next step

Work out the whole cost

Sources

The official laws, decisions and pages this guide rests on, read on 23/09/2026. Rules and amounts change, so check the ones that matter to you before you buy.