Import tax on a vehicle is not one number. It is a chain of charges, and each one is worked out on top of the one before. The calculator on this site follows the same order as Sri Lanka Customs and uses rates version 2, published Oct 18, 2026.
Step by step
The estimated total tax is the sum of all these charges, and the total landed cost is the CIF value plus the total tax.
A worked example
A new Petrol car with a 1,000 cc engine and a CIF value of LKR 3,000,000:
Every figure above is produced by the calculator itself from the published rates, so this table changes when a gazette changes the rates. To try your own vehicle, use the calculator.
Why vehicles differ
Each tax class has its own rates and its own excise bands: a hybrid, an electric car, a van and a truck are all priced differently. The page for each class shows its rates, its band table and a worked example for every band. Start from import tax by vehicle type.
An estimate, not an assessment
The final duty is assessed by Sri Lanka Customs when the vehicle is cleared, and it can differ from this calculation. Why Customs may give a different figure lists the usual reasons.