Registration: P vs G Plates
After your vehicle clears customs, it gets registered with the Licence Revenue Office and assigned a plate that signals how it's classified:
- P-plate — private vehicle, registered for personal, non-commercial use.
- G-plate — goods/commercial vehicle, used for hauling cargo or running a business fleet.
Which one you need depends on how the vehicle will actually be used, not just its body style — a double-cab pickup bought for personal use is typically registered private, while the same model bought for a delivery business is registered commercial.
Why this matters for your import
Get your intended use right before registration, since reclassifying later adds friction. If you're importing through a dealer rather than as a private buyer, note that dealer imports are also taxed differently — excise is assessed on 1.5× the (CIF + duty) base rather than the private-buyer rate. Toggle "Importer type" in the duty calculator to see the difference.
FAQ
- What is the difference between a P-plate and a G-plate in Guyana?
- A P-plate marks a private vehicle; a G-plate marks a goods/commercial vehicle. The classification is based on how the vehicle is used and registered, not its size alone.
- Does my plate type affect the duty I pay?
- Plate type follows from importer/usage classification rather than directly setting the duty rate, but dealer-imported vehicles are taxed differently from private imports — dealers have excise assessed on 1.5× the (CIF + duty) base. Use the calculator's importer-type toggle to compare.
- Where do I register an imported vehicle?
- Registration is handled through the Licence Revenue Office (LRO) after the vehicle clears GRA customs.
Working guide — not legal advice. Confirm registration requirements with the Licence Revenue Office before importing.