Ministry of Revenue & Customs

MEDIA RELEASE

DEFFERED EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PROHIBITION OF THE IMPORTATION OF     VEHICLES AGED 10 YEARS OR MORE

The Ministry of Revenue and Customs would like to inform the general public that the vehicle import prohibition that was reinstated on 22 November 2024 at the direction of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga and later deferred for one year by Government directive on 21 February 2025, is being further deferred.

On 13 February 2026, His Majesties’ Cabinet made the decision to further defer the implementation of the vehicle import prohibition to 30th June 2026.

The extension of the enforcement date is to allow the relevant Government Ministries responsible for environmental protection, waste disposal, road transportation, and Customs, to collaboratively engage in improving the legal frameworks, procedures, and public awareness programs, to enable a more effective means of enforcement for the proposed prohibition.

The Ministry seeks the cooperation of members of the public, including the greater Tongan diaspora, shipping agents and freight forwarders, in preparing for the new effective date of the prohibition of vehicle importations. Your cooperation will assist in minimizing the high costs and fines associated with the importing of a prohibited vehicle.

For any inquiries, please contact us on telephone no. 7400653, or via email at cst@revenue.gov.to

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ONGOONGO TUKUATU

TOLOI ‘A E TAIMI KI HONO TAPUTAPUI HONO HU MAI ‘A E ME’ALELE MOTU’A PE LAHIANGE ‘I HE TA’U ‘E 10

‘Oku fie fakahā atu heni ‘e he Potungāue Tānaki Pa’anga Hū Mai mo e Tute ke mea’i ‘e he kakai ‘o e fonua, fekau’aki mo e tu’utu’uni ‘a e Fale Alea ‘o Tonga ‘i he ‘aho 22 ‘o Novema 2024 ki hono toe fakamo’ui ‘a e fakataputapui ki he hū mai ‘o e ngaahi me’alele mei tu’apule’anga, ‘a ia na’e toloi ‘aki ‘a e ta’u ‘e taha ‘i he mafai pe ‘a e Fale Alea ‘Iihe ‘aho 21 ‘o Fepueli 2025; fakatokanga’iange ‘oku toe toloi ‘a e ‘aho ke kamata ai ‘a e fakataputapui ko ‘eni.

‘I he ‘aho 13 ‘o Fepueli 2026, ne tu’utu’uni ai ‘e he Kapineti ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio ke toe toloi ‘a hono fakahoko ‘o e fakataputapui ko ‘eni ki he hū mai ‘o e ngaahi me’alele, ki he ‘aho 30 ‘o Sune 2026.

Ko hono fakaloloa ko ‘eni ‘o e ‘aho ke kamata ai ‘a e fakataputapui, ne makatu’unga ia ‘i he faka’amu mo e fokotu’utu’u ke ngāue fakataha atu ‘a e ngaahi Potungāue ‘oku kaunga ki he malu’i ‘o e ‘ātakai, faka’auha ‘o e ngaahi koloa maumau/veve, fefononga’aki he hala, pea mo e Kasitomu, ki hono fakalelei’i ‘o e ngaahi mafai fakalao, ngaahi tu’utu’uni pe founga ngāue, mo e ngaahi polokalama ako pe talatalanoa ki he kakai ‘o e fonua; ke lava ‘o toe mahino, maau, mo lelei ange ‘a e tu’unga mateuteu ki hono fakahoko ‘o e fakataputapui.

‘Oku ‘oatu ‘a e kole mei he Potungāue ki he kakai ‘o e fonua, ‘o kau ki ai hotau kāinga Tonga ‘i muli, pea pehē ki he kau fakafofonga ‘o e ngaahi kautaha vaka mo e uta, koe’uhi ko e tu’unga mateuteu ki he ‘aho koia kuo fokotu’u ke kamata ai hono fakahoko pē fakamālohia ‘o e fakataputapui. ‘E tokoni ‘a ‘etau fengāue’aki ke fakasi’isi’i ai ‘a e ngaahi fakamole lahi pea mo e ngaahi mo’ua ‘e tuku atu makatu’unga ‘i hono hū mai ‘o e ngaahi me’alele ‘oku tapui.

Ki ha toe fakaikiiki, kataki fetu’utaki mai ki he fika telefoni koe 7400653, pe ‘īmeili ki he cst@revenue.gov.to

—- NGATA’ANGA —-