CMTA calls for urgent recall of vehicle valuation and import processes

The Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) has highlighted the fact that Sri Lanka’s vehicle import framework requires urgent recalibration to ensure fairness, transparency, and the protection of state revenue. The CMTA states that one of the most critical issues that must be addressed is the automatic 15 per cent reduction applied to the CIF value of used vehicle imports when calculating import duties. The CMTA maintains that duty calculations should be applied uniformly across all importers, whether the vehicle is brought in through an authorised agent as brand new or through a dealer as a used import.

For example, if an authorised agent imports a 2026 zero-mileage vehicle of a particular brand at a CIF value of USD 50,000, the full value is used for duty assessment. However, if a dealer imports the exact same 2026 model, also zero mileage and identical in specification, but registered and subsequently de-registered prior to shipment, the CIF value for duty purposes is reduced by 15% to USD 42,500. This concession is granted solely because the vehicle is technically classified as “used” due to prior registration, despite there being no practical difference in mileage, condition, or specification between the two vehicles.

The CMTA believes this practice creates a structural imbalance in the market and results in a significant erosion of import duty revenue to the State. When two identical zero-mileage vehicles are assessed at different CIF values purely on the basis of a procedural registration classification, it distorts competition, disadvantages compliant authorised agents, and undermines equitable tax collection. The Association therefore calls for a uniform valuation approach that reflects the true transacted value of the vehicle, regardless of its registration status prior to export.

Compounding this issue is the widespread application of a 15% depreciation adjustment, which further distorts declared values. When combined with under-declared transaction prices and manipulated valuations, duty is calculated on figures that are significantly lower than actual market value. These reduced values are then reflected across various online platforms and price-tracking websites, creating a distorted reference market that reinforces undervaluation and normalises non-compliant pricing behaviour.

One of the most pressing issues confronting the State is the growing misuse of VAT-free trade-ins which certain car sales are supposed to be practicing within the used vehicle business. These transactions, often structured as vehicle-for-vehicle or vehicle-for-asset exchanges in selling an unregistered vehicle and bypass standard VAT mechanisms and obscure the true transacted value of imports. Such practices often allow vehicles to enter the market with lower invoice values, directly impacting the calculation of import duties and other applicable taxes.

The absence of structured, enforceable processes to accurately define and verify transacted value has created an environment where valuation practices vary widely and lack accountability. Evaluations are frequently conducted at lower price points that do not reflect genuine purchase consideration, enabling systemic revenue leakage for the Government. While mechanisms exist in principle to address these discrepancies, their inconsistent application has rendered them ineffective.

Vehicle imports through CMTA members which operate within clearly defined and auditable frameworks, demonstrate that transparent valuation and predictable tax collection are both achievable and sustainable. These channels provide the State with accurate invoicing, traceable foreign currency outflows, and reliable duty and VAT collection, while limiting the scope for malpractices.

The CMTA believes that consumer safety cannot exist in isolation. The association believes that authorities have a responsibility to ensure that all businesses within the automotive industry operate ethically and within the law. When certain segments of the market are permitted to circumvent regulation, consumer safety is compromised and businesses committed to lawful operations and sustained customer support are placed at an unfair disadvantage.

Therefore, the association urges the relevant authorities to rigorously enforce existing laws and regulations to mitigate malpractices and ensure a level playing field for all participants in the industry and ensure proper collection of tax revenue for the nation. Fair enforcement will not restrict consumer choice; it will enhance it by promoting transparency, safety, and accountability across the market.

The association also believes that closing existing gaps within the used vehicle import process is essential to restoring balance within the market. More structured valuation protocols, stricter oversight of VAT-free trade-ins, monitoring of total funding mechanisms to import vehicles, and the elimination of arbitrary depreciation allowances will enable the State to recover lost revenue and ensure that all applicable taxes are collected to the maximum potential.

Ensuring that all market participants operate under the same legal and regulatory standards will not only strengthen state revenue, but also restore confidence in governance, protect compliant businesses, and uphold the integrity of Sri Lanka’s vehicle import ecosystem. The CMTA stands ready to support the authorities in implementing practical, enforceable solutions that safeguard both fiscal stability and the rule of law.