Finance Minister Dave Tancoo has sought to settle concerns regarding the Customs Division’s recent classification of certain mild-hybrid vehicles and the resulting tax implications.
According to reports, General Order No. 24 of 2026, dated July 22nd, 2026, outlines that vehicles fitted with SHVS technology do not qualify for hybrid vehicle concessions.
Minister Tancoo says he and other officials met the T&T Automotive Dealers Association on July 27th and 30th, and following a careful review of the applicable provisions, he is satisfied that the Classification Ruling is correct and consistent with the classification rules applied by the World Customs Organization.
He added that the important point for dealers and members of the public is that Legal Notice No. 247 of 2024 remains in force.
According to the Minister, any new or used private hybrid vehicle that satisfies the criteria set out in that Legal Notice will continue to benefit from the existing customs duty relief
Additionally, he said the Classification Ruling does not remove or alter the relief available to qualifying vehicles.
“At no time did the Customs and Excise Division, or any other arm of the Ministry of Finance, advise
that Legal Notice No. 247 of 2024 had been superseded or was no longer applicable,” said the Minister.
He also accused some media and social media commentators of rushing to publish conclusions without first establishing the facts.
