Guyana Enforces Motor Vehicles Import Standards

Guyana has introduced mandatory inspection and testing requirements for used motor vehicles, covering specific HS codes and establishing a formal code of practice for vehicle evaluation.

GUYANA – MOTOR VEHICLES

Guyana Enforces Motor Vehicles Import Standards

Importers must follow a new code of practice for safety and emissions testing.

What changed

Inspection and testing required for all used, reconditioned, and second-hand vehicles.

Code of Practice issued for evaluating vehicle condition, emissions, and mechanical integrity.

Specific HS codes covered, including 870322, 870390, and 870870.

Safety standards mandated for all transactions involving used motor vehicles.

Who it affects

Importers of used vehicles must ensure compliance with inspection and documentation procedures.

Vehicle sellers must adhere to the defined technical and safety standards.

Guyana — motor vehicle import standards and inspections

Compliance Analysis: Guyana’s Mandatory Inspection and Testing Requirements for Used Motor Vehicles

Direct Answer

Guyana has introduced two mandatory regulatory instruments to govern the importation, inspection, testing, and sale of used motor vehicles:

Requirements for Sale of Used Motor Vehicles (a compulsory standard under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards Act 11 of 1984), which mandates consumer information disclosures and quality benchmarks for suppliers¹.
Code of Practice for Inspection and Testing of Used Motor Vehicles, which establishes pre-shipment inspection, roadworthiness certification, and traceability protocols for imported vehicles².

Both instruments apply to used motor vehicles offered for sale by suppliers, dealers, or importers and are enforced by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). While adoption and enforcement dates remain unspecified, the public comment period closes on 5 December 2025^{1, 2}.

Regulation Analysis

1. Scope and Applicability

Regulation	Key Requirement	Applicable Entities	Citation
Requirements for Sale of Used Motor Vehicles	Applies to any used motor vehicle offered for sale by a supplier (including dealers/agents) and requires a Consumer Information Notice detailing vehicle particulars¹.	Suppliers, dealers, importers, and agents selling used motor vehicles in Guyana.	¹
Code of Practice for Inspection and Testing of Used Motor Vehicles	Mandates pre-shipment inspection in the country of origin, roadworthiness testing, and traceability via inspection certificates at ports of entry².	Importers, dealers, and suppliers of used motor vehicles; port authorities.	²

HS/ICS Coverage:

Both regulations apply to commercial vehicles in general (ICS code 43.080.01)^{1, 2}.

2. Key Obligations

A. Requirements for Sale of Used Motor Vehicles

Consumer Information Notice:

Suppliers must display a notice capturing all particulars of the vehicle (e.g., make, model, year, mileage, condition) at the point of sale¹.

Quality Requirements:

Vehicles must meet unspecified quality benchmarks (details to be defined in the final standard)¹.

Legal Basis:

Enforced under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards Act 11 of 1984 (Sections 20 and 22) and the Consumer Affairs Act 13 of 2011¹.

B. Code of Practice for Inspection and Testing

Pre-Shipment Inspection:

Used vehicles must undergo inspection in the country of origin prior to export to Guyana².

Roadworthiness Certification:

Vehicles must comply with safety-related performance characteristics (e.g., brakes, lights, emissions) and pass physical inspection/testing upon arrival².

Traceability:

Importers must provide inspection certificates at ports of entry to verify compliance².

Consumer Protection:

Dealers and importers must disclose critical vehicle information to buyers².

3. Enforcement and Timeline

Aspect	Details	Citation
Enforcement Authority	Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).	^{1, 2}
Status	Draft stage (mandatory upon adoption).	^{1, 2}
Public Comment Deadline	5 December 2025 (60 days from notification).	^{1, 2}
Adoption Date	To be determined (no proposed date specified).	^{1, 2}
Entry into Force	To be determined (no proposed date specified).	^{1, 2}
Publication	Standards will be published in the Official Gazette of Guyana as mandatory Guyana Standards and made available for purchase^{1, 2}.	^{1, 2}

4. Compliance Process

Pre-Import:
- Importers must ensure vehicles undergo pre-shipment inspection in the country of origin².
- Inspection certificates must accompany shipments².
Port of Entry:
- GNBS verifies inspection certificates and conducts roadworthiness testing (if required)².
Sale:
- Suppliers must display a Consumer Information Notice for each vehicle¹.
- Dealers must adhere to quality benchmarks (to be detailed in the final standard)¹.

Summary Answer

Guyana’s new regulatory framework for used motor vehicles comprises two mandatory instruments:

The Requirements for Sale of Used Motor Vehicles, which mandates consumer disclosures and quality standards for suppliers¹, and
The Code of Practice for Inspection and Testing of Used Motor Vehicles, which establishes pre-shipment inspections, roadworthiness certification, and traceability at ports of entry².

Both regulations apply to commercial vehicles (ICS 43.080.01) and are enforced by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards Act 11 of 1984 and Consumer Affairs Act 13 of 2011^{1, 2}. While the public comment period ends on 5 December 2025, adoption and enforcement dates remain unspecified^{1, 2}. Importers, dealers, and suppliers must comply with inspection, certification, and disclosure requirements to avoid penalties under the applicable laws.

Sources

↩ Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade – Notification – Guyana – Used motor vehicles https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/TBTN25/GUY64.pdf&Open=True
↩ Code of Practice for Inspection and testing of Used motor vehicles https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=Q:/G/TBTN25/GUY65.pdf&Open=True

Guyana Enforces Motor Vehicles Import Standards