The Dakar Rally is currently taking place in Saudi Arabia. The race started on 31st December 2022 and ends on 15th January 2023. Competitors will face some of the most challenging terrain on the planet, including sand dunes, mountains, and rugged off-road terrain. However, most competitors face a big challenge just getting to enter the event as it is not a cheap exercise. We delve into how much does a Dakar Rally entry cost?

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The cost to enter the Dakar Rally can vary depending on a number of factors. First and foremost is the type of vehicle being raced. These are followed up by the level of support required, and the specific needs of the team. Here is an overview of the entry cost per category. The official Dakar Rally website is quick to point out that theirs is the only ‘all inclusive’ rally event that “includes transportation, fuel, along with safety and navigation equipment.”

  1. Motorcycles and Quads

    A typical entry in this class cost between €15 100 and €16 000. The fee can vary a little depending on whether you are a rookie or have more than ten campaigns under your belt.

    Click here to see all our Dakar Rally articles.

  2. Cars/T3/T4

    The car category includes the side-by-side vehicles, bakkies and buggies. Entry into the 2023 event cost between €25 500 and €27 000. Again, the cost varies on a few factors, such as level of experience. Female rookies get a €7 000 discount on the fee.

  3. Trucks

    As the size of vehicles increase, so too does the entry fee. The truck entries cost between €38 000 and €40 000. Bear in mind that most trucks have three crew members. Trucks with just two crew receive a discount of €8 000.

  4. Dakar Classic

    Since 2021 the Dakar Rally has been opened to include older vehicles that competed in rally raid events pre-2000. Read more here. Cars competing in this category pay €16 500 while truck entries are charged an additional €5 000.

Click here to check out our dedicated classic car section.

Additional Charges

The list above is only your Dakar Rally entry cost. There are, of course, additional charges that teams incur. For example, the entry fee only includes transportation of your race machine. Each additional support vehicle costs up to €17 500 and further fees apply to trailers.

Click here to read about Dakar Rally legend Giniel de Villiers’ most memorable motoring moment.

Then there is the small matter of taking staff along. The organising body, the ASO, deems it necessary to have at least two support staff per vehicle. The price for taking staff to the race ranges from €9 500 and €12 500, depending on when you register.