Shipping Dominican Cigars to Haiti: A Practical Guide for Exporters (2026)

The Dominican Republic is the world’s premium-cigar powerhouse. In the first half of 2026 alone, Dominican tobacco, cigar and cigarette exports passed US$802 million, according to INTABACO, and almost all of it was made in the country’s free trade zones. Most of that volume goes to the United States, but there’s a market right next door that many Dominican producers overlook: Haiti. Hotels, restaurants, duty-free shops, distributors and private buyers in Cap-Haïtien, Port-au-Prince and Pétion-Ville all buy premium cigars, and shipping across the island is shorter than shipping almost anywhere else.

Short doesn’t mean simple, though. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Paperwork on the Dominican side

Before your cigars leave the DR, plan on:

• Commercial invoice and packing list, itemized by brand, vitola, quantity and value
• Export declaration filed with the Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA), processed through the VUCE single window
• Certificate of origin, important because Haiti asks for it on entry
• Free-zone documentation if the cigars are produced in a zona franca (most are)
• Bill of lading or air waybill, depending on the route

2. What Haiti charges on cigars

Haiti’s customs agency is the Administration Générale des Douanes (AGD). Based on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Haiti Country Commercial Guide, imported cigars generally face:

• Customs duty: about 15%
• Tobacco excise: 50% of CIF value on imported tobacco products
• TVA (VAT): 10% of CIF
• Verification fee: 5% of CIF
• CFGDCT levy: 2% on most imports

That adds up, so the buyer should know their landed cost up front. Your importer in Haiti will also need a tax clearance, and the entry is filed electronically through SYDONIA with the invoice, packing list, freight cost certificate, certificate of origin and transport document.

Rates and rules change; we confirm the current figures for every shipment.

3. Choosing the route: border, sea or air

Land border (Dajabón - Ouanaminthe and other crossings). Overland is the fastest on paper, but in 2026 it’s been the least predictable. On September 14, 2026, Haiti began blocking a list of Dominican products at the Dajabón-Ouanaminthe bridge and told shippers those goods must come in by sea or air. Cigars were not on that list, but border rules have been changing quickly, and since October 2, 2026, third-country goods can no longer transit overland into Haiti through a neighboring country. If you’re shipping overland, you need a forwarder who checks the rules the week you ship.

Sea freight. The steadier option for larger orders. Cap-Haïtien on the north coast is close to Dominican ports, and Port-au-Prince-area terminals (including private Port Lafito) handle containers, though conditions there change and the entry port should be confirmed at booking.

Air freight. Best for high-value, smaller orders and samples. Cap-Haïtien’s airport sits outside the current FAA restricted zone around Port-au-Prince.

4. Protect the product

Premium cigars are sensitive cargo. We recommend:

• Humidity control: sealed cello or boxed product, humidity packs inside cartons
• Heat protection: avoid long waits in the sun at crossings or on the dock
• Sturdy, discreet packaging: double-wall cartons, no brand advertising on the outside
• Insurance: always, for high-value tobacco

5. Screen your buyer

Because of U.S. and international sanctions on certain Haitian groups, consignees and local agents should be checked before you ship. We do this as part of our process.

How Puente Freight helps

Puente Freight is a Dominican import/export forwarder shipping into the DR from around the world and out of the DR worldwide, including across the island to Haiti. We:

• Prepare and review your Dominican export documents
• Choose the route (land, sea or air) based on current rules, not last month’s
• Coordinate with customs brokers in Haiti so the importer is ready on arrival
• Pack, insure and track your cigars door to door