FR-MKT · LEBANON · 21 Oct 2026
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Importing a damaged US car to Lebanon: what Traffic Law Art. 348 says
Sources checked 21 October 2026. Article quotes are our English translation of the Arabic text published on lebaneselegislation.com (an unofficial compilation). This isn't legal advice; confirm locally.
Most cars at US salvage auctions are damaged, and Lebanon's Traffic Law decides which damage stops a car at the border. This guide sets out what Art. 348 bans, what it asks for on US titles, what happens if a banned car arrives, and how the rule is applied in practice. Costs are in Lebanon car import tax and Landed cost in Beirut; shipping in Shipping a car from the USA to Lebanon.
What Art. 348 bans
Source note: the Art. 348 text on this page comes from lebaneselegislation.com, an unofficial compilation of Lebanese laws. Its current status isn't confirmed against the Official Gazette. Confirm with a customs broker or Lebanese Customs before you buy.
Traffic Law No. 243 of 2012, Art. 348 ¶1, bans importing motor vehicles that are unfit for the road and a danger to public safety, such as (Art. 348, checked 21 Oct 2026):
- cars hit on their main structure (chassis or body shell);
- cars that have been welded or joined;
- cars damaged by fire or flood;
- cars with corrosion that affects their strength or balance;
- half-cars, front or rear, so they can't be welded back together in Lebanon.
The list starts with "such as", so it gives examples, not a closed list. Light cosmetic damage isn't named.
What it asks for on US titles
Until inspection centres exist at the ports, the importer of a used car must show Customs the car's registration document and a certificate from an inspection centre in the export country, dated no more than two months before shipping, confirming it's roadworthy (Art. 348 ¶3, checked 21 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally). For cars from the United States, the importer shows the registration document that states whether the car is roadworthy for public safety, when it carries the words "Salvage" or "Reconstructed" (same paragraph). The article doesn't say what Customs does with each title word. What each US brand means: US salvage title types.
A salvage title is still accepted by US Customs and Border Protection for export (CBP, checked 21 Oct 2026). Leaving the US and entering Lebanon are separate questions.
If a banned car arrives: re-export at your cost
If a technical check shows the car doesn't match the manufacturer's specifications, or Customs finds the required information is wrong, the importer must re-export the car immediately at their own cost (Art. 348 ¶4, checked 21 Oct 2026). Budget for a second freight bill before you take that risk.
How it's applied in practice (sources disagree)
- The law plans mechanical inspection centres at sea and land entry points, set up by a joint decision of the Finance, Interior and Public Works ministers (Art. 348 ¶2, checked 21 Oct 2026).
- A 2018 article said no Lebanese port had such a centre six years after the law (L'Orient-Le Jour, checked 21 Oct 2026).
- Customs sources quoted by Leb Economy say checking used cars is the inspection centres' job, not Customs'; the same report says the acting Director General told staff to check cars technically anyway, without special equipment (Leb Economy, checked 21 Oct 2026).
- The importers' association AIA said in June 2025 that many imported cars had major accidents or flooding before import, and asked Customs and the Ministry of Economy to enforce Art. 348 (Akhbar Al Yawm, checked 21 Oct 2026). A July 2025 report quotes trade sources saying some damaged cars got in unchecked (Grand Lebanon, checked 21 Oct 2026).
What this means for a bid: weak enforcement is not permission. The text bans these cars and puts the re-export cost on the importer, and enforcement can tighten without notice.
Two more entry checks
- Steering: the wheel must be on the left; importing vehicles that don't comply is banned. Moving the wheel from right to left needs prior approval and a mechanical inspection (Traffic Law Art. 92, checked 21 Oct 2026).
- Age: the US government's trade.gov page lists passenger vehicles older than eight years as a prohibited import (trade.gov, checked 21 Oct 2026 · estimate — confirm locally). We couldn't find the Lebanese legal text, so treat it as a warning.
Before you bid
- Read the title brand and the damage photos against the Art. 348 list.
- Skip lots with frame or structural damage, flood, fire, or cut-and-joined bodies.
- Ask your clearing agent how Customs treats the title words today, in writing.
- Then work out the cost: Lebanon car import tax, Registering an imported car in Lebanon, Landed cost in Beirut.
Put it into the free calculator
The live max bid calculator is a free USD worksheet with no account: max bid = resale − repair − buyer fee − transport − title and registration − target profit. It has no customs fields and doesn't know Lebanon. A car close to the Art. 348 line isn't a calculator question: the safer move is not to bid.
Want this inside the browser? The FlipRadar Chrome extension version with Market Profiles adds USD-first amounts with LBP alongside, landed cost at your port, a walk-away line, stop-flags for structural, flood and fire damage, and a warning for the 8-year age limit. It's in private beta and not in the Chrome Web Store. The private beta is free. To try it, email hello@theflipradar.com and ask for the private-beta extension.
FlipRadar is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any auction company, Lebanese Customs or the Traffic, Trucks and Vehicles Management Authority. FlipRadar isn't a broker or clearing agent, and this isn't legal advice.
Related guides: US salvage title types · Shipping a car from the USA to Lebanon · Lebanon car import tax · Registering an imported car in Lebanon · Landed cost in Beirut · Lebanon import rules · all guides.
FAQ
Can you import a damaged car into Lebanon?
Not if the damage makes it unroadworthy. Traffic Law No. 243 of 2012, Art. 348, bans importing motor vehicles that are unfit for the road and a danger to public safety, such as cars hit on their main structure, or that have been welded, joined, burnt, flooded or corroded in a way that affects their strength or balance. It also bans half-cars, front or rear (lebaneselegislation.com, an unofficial compilation, checked 21 Oct 2026). Light cosmetic damage isn't named in the article. Confirm locally.
What does Lebanese law say about US salvage titles?
Art. 348 ¶3 says that until inspection centres are set up at the ports, the importer of a used car from the United States must show Customs the vehicle's registration document, which states whether it is roadworthy for public safety, when it carries the words "Salvage" or "Reconstructed" (lebaneselegislation.com, an unofficial compilation, checked 21 Oct 2026; our translation). The article doesn't spell out what Customs does with each title word. Read the title before you bid, and ask your clearing agent how it's treated today.
What happens if a banned car arrives in Beirut?
Under Art. 348 ¶4, if a technical check shows the car doesn't match the manufacturer's specifications, or Customs finds the required information is wrong, the importer must re-export the car immediately at their own cost (checked 21 Oct 2026). That means paying freight a second time, so check the car before you ship it.
Are cars checked for damage at the port in Lebanon?
The law says inspection centres are to be set up at sea and land entry points, with the details set by a joint decision of the Finance, Interior and Public Works ministers (Art. 348 ¶2). Press reports say they don't exist yet: a 2018 L'Orient-Le Jour article said no port had them, a Leb Economy report quotes customs sources saying technical checks aren't Customs' job, and the importers' association AIA said in June 2025 that many damaged cars still get in (all checked 21 Oct 2026). Enforcement can change without notice.
Is importing damaged cars to Lebanon allowed?
Only within Art. 348: cars with structural impact, welding or joining, fire, flood or strength-affecting corrosion damage, and half-cars, are banned (checked 21 Oct 2026). A car with damage outside that list isn't named in the article, but Customs can still order re-export if it finds the car doesn't match the manufacturer's specifications. Confirm locally.
Can a right-hand-drive car be imported to Lebanon?
Traffic Law Art. 92 says the steering wheel must be on the left, and ¶4 bans importing vehicles that don't comply. ¶3 allows moving the wheel from right to left with prior approval and a mechanical inspection (lebaneselegislation.com, an unofficial compilation, checked 21 Oct 2026). Ask before you bid on a right-hand-drive car.
Is there an age limit for cars imported to Lebanon?
The US government's trade.gov Lebanon page lists passenger vehicles older than eight years as a prohibited import (checked 21 Oct 2026). We couldn't find the Lebanese legal text. Treat it as a warning and check with your clearing agent.
Where does a re-export risk go in the FlipRadar calculator?
Nowhere directly. The free max bid calculator is a USD worksheet with no customs fields. If a car is close to the Art. 348 line, the safer move is not to bid; if you do, raise your target profit to cover the chance of shipping it out again.
Sources
- Traffic Law No. 243/2012, Art. 348 (unofficial compilation): https://lebaneselegislation.com/law/246455/article/348/ (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Official Gazette (texts behind login; not used): https://jo.pcm.gov.lb/ (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Traffic Law Art. 92 (unofficial compilation): https://lebaneselegislation.com/law/246455/article/92/ (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Traffic Law, full text and amendments (unofficial compilation): https://lebaneselegislation.com/law/246455/ (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Budget Law No. 324/2024: https://lebaneselegislation.com/law/330076/ (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- trade.gov, Lebanon prohibited imports: https://www.trade.gov/knowledge-product/lebanon-prohibited-restricted-imports (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- CBP, Exporting a Motor Vehicle: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/export-docs/motor-vehicle (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Press: https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1131179/pour-en-finir-avec-les-vehicules-non-valables-a-la-circulation-.html · https://lebeconomy.com/452169/ · https://www.grandlb.com/society/126901/ · https://en.akhbaralyawm.com/news/189217/AIA:-Calls-to-enforce-law-against-unroadworthy-vehicle-imports (checked 21 Oct 2026)