Car Importation Question

"Sir Halffast" (Sir_Halffast)
05/04/2020 at 08:39 • Filed to: None

Quick question for Oppo - Currently living overseas and looking to buy a new car which we would (hopefully) bring back with us to the US in a few years. Is there anywhere that the USG (either CBP or DOT or EPA) publishes a list of cars (i.e. specific models/VIN ranges) that are personally importable to the US without needing to be brought into compliance?

Here’s my current Porsche wallpaper as advance thanks:

DISCUSSION (14)

Nom De Plume > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 08:51

Have you already checked against the published list on non-compliant vehicles for your preferred choices?

Sir Halffast > Nom De Plume
05/04/2020 at 08:56

No but I would like to. Do you know where to find that?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 09:09

Get something 25 years old or older? :P

Sir Halffast > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/04/2020 at 09:14

Were it up to me, I would love some of the options - OG Niva perhaps? However, ‘tis not up to me (it’s up to my wife).

E90M3 > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 09:17

I think as long as you get a model that is almost identical, at least with emissions and crash protection , to a car already sold in the US market you should be alright. Think you might need a letter from the manufacturer stating so.

UserNotFound > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 09:57

The answer very much depends on the specific car, but start here:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle

https://www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines

Basically, if a vehicle is older than 25 years (from the build date) it is exempt from DOT and EPA requirements. If it is older than 21 years but not 25 years old yet, then it has to be brought to DOT compliance by a or it has to be brought in under Show or Display or Racing Purposes.

If it is newer than 21 years is needs to meet both DOT and EPA requirements, unless it is Show or Display or Racing Purposes. Show or Display cars under 21 years old still need to conform or be brought up to EPA requirements. Not sure about Racing Purposes but those can never be street legal, so ...

Any of the above vehicles that are younger than 25 years need to be brought in and handled by a Registered Importer for the DOT stuff, and the <21 year EPA side needs to be handled by an Independent Commercial Importer. A few places hold both licenses.

Now, you said a “new car.” If you mean a 2020 model year, then it will likely have to be converted to US spec on both the DOT and EPA side. For some vehicles, that is doable but not necessarily cheap. For other vehicles, it is virtually impossible and/or prohibitively expensive. It’s easier if there is a US version of the car and the motor is offered in the US. In that case it could be a case of swapping gauge clusters, some crash structures, maybe adding some emissions equipment, maybe different headlights, reflashing the ECU, possibly new seats and seatbelts depending on how the airbags are setup, etc.

All that being said, I’ve only ever dealt with importing and compliance of vehicles that are very much not US spec and no US spec has ever existed. I have heard people say (for example, one of the other responses here) that for some vehicles you just need a manufacturer’s letter stating that the exact vehicle in question meets US requirements. I don’t know if that then means you can personally import the vehicle and everything is hunky dory.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle/importation-and-certification-faqs-8

TLDR; You can’t personally import a car that is less than 25 years old, you need an RI and/or ICI to help handle the paperwork and conformance, unless you have a letter from the manufacturer maybe? Also I don’t think there is any one “master list”. If you find all of this confusing, thank Mercedes Benz and their lobbyists.

Sorry for the very long reply - I am extremely bored.

ranwhenparked > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 10:02

This is about everything NHTSA has available:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle

If your vehicle isn't on the already approved list, or the already prohibited list, you can apply for approval. Usually, you need at least an official letter from the manufacturer certifying that the vehicle meets US standards.

Nom De Plume > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 10:06

This is generally the place to start unless you have arrangements in place with someone who’ll take care of everything on both ends.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle

Sir Halffast > ranwhenparked
05/04/2020 at 10:06

THAT’S what I’m looking for. Thank you!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 10:44

Depending on where you’re living and your circumstances there, you may be able to buy a US Spec car, use it now, and bring it home with you when you move back to the US.

Case and point: My sister and brother-in-law live and work in Germany. I don’t know all the details, but he’s a DoD contractor and this status gives him certain exemptions and such. Due to this, t hey were able to buy a brand new 2018 BMW 340xi US Spec car. They were able to register it and operate it in Germany, but when the move home they can bring it with them and register it here, no muss or fuss, because it’s already a US compliant car.

Sir Halffast > E90M3
05/04/2020 at 11:06

That was basically the plan. I’d love to get a wagon that we can’t get in the US (3-series, A4 avant, Mazda 6, etc.) but it’s just not feasible to bring it back with us.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 11:33

I dunno, just tel her how luxurious a Niva is and how great they are in poor weather? :P

Sir Halffast > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/04/2020 at 11:37

She’s originally from this part of the world. She knows. Also strongly does not agree.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Sir Halffast
05/04/2020 at 13:55

Damn...well, you tried....keep us apprised on whatever you figure out!

I seem to think, at least here in Canada, a car can be imported DISREGARDING the 15-year import rule if it’s a similar model and model year to one sold here....for example, say, the Toyota Rav4.

Say, if I was going to import a 2010 Rav4 from the US, if memory serves, I would be allowed to even if it wasn’t 15 years old because the same model was sold here and US and Canadian cars have the same standards.

We’re not allowed to import anything from another country, though, unless it’s 15 years old or older...