When does a vehicle cease to be useful in the Dominican Republic according to the law?

Santo Domingo — Law No. 63-17, on Mobility, Land Transportation, Transit, and Road Safety, establishes a comprehensive legal framework to regulate and oversee all aspects of the movement of people and vehicles in the country.

What are the legal criteria for a vehicle to be considered a total loss in the Dominican Republic?

A vehicle is not defined as scrap by a single dictionary definition. Still, it acquires that status and can no longer be used when it meets certain age (useful life), technical, safety, or accident-rate conditions.

According to Article 41, after the vehicle is manufactured, once the regulatory times have passed, it may not obtain the inspection tag or operate: motorcycles (1 passenger): 10 years; light vehicles (up to 4 passengers): 15 years; minibuses (5 to 20 passengers): 17 years; minibuses (21 to 36 passengers): 20 years; buses (37+ passengers): 25 years; and heavy cargo vehicles: 30 years.

The State will be obliged to establish a schedule for the immediate removal and demolition of vehicles that exceed the established terms, and these vehicles will be denied the option to operate.

For Dangerous Physical Condition

The Technical Vehicle Inspection (ITV) is a legal and mandatory mechanism designed to ensure that all vehicles circulating in the country comply with the minimum standards for road safety and environmental protection. Regardless of age, a car is considered unroadworthy if it fails the inspection.

Law No. 63-17 requires that the vehicle must be in optimal technical-mechanical conditions; otherwise, the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation(Intrant) will cancel the authorization to circulate if it is in such physical conditions that it could constitute a danger to public safety.

It also provides that if a vehicle fails to meet its safety requirements, its tag will be withdrawn, and it will not be able to circulate until it is repaired. If it cannot be restored to a safe state, it will not be able to circulate.

Insurance

When a vehicle suffers severe damage, the law establishes liquidation, a strict condition that renders it effectively unserviceable. It also states that cars liquidated by insurance companies due to accident, fire, or total loss may only be sold for parts or demolition. It prohibits the importation of those with salvage or total loss conditions.

What happens to these vehicles?

According to the law, when these units (specifically those of obsolete or replaced public transportation) go out of circulation, they must be removed from the National Registry of Motor Vehicles by the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII), and their demolition must be carried out immediately by the Intrant.