To import a car from overseas, you have to satisfy three federal agencies before the vehicle can legally hit a U.S. road: the Department of Transportation for safety, the Environmental Protection Agency for emissions, and Customs and Border Protection for duties and entry. The cheapest and simplest path by far is a vehicle at least 25 years old, which is exempt from DOT safety standards and, since April 2025, from the 25% Section 232 tariff that now hits most other imported cars. Everything else, from a 10-year-old European sedan to a 22-year-old Japanese sports car, involves extra fees, extra paperwork, and often a Registered Importer.
Is Your Car Even Eligible?
Eligibility is the first question, because a car that can’t be made compliant can’t be imported at all. Two age-based exemptions do most of the work for private buyers.
The 25-Year DOT Exemption
A vehicle manufactured 25 or more years before the date of entry is exempt from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. On the HS-7 declaration filed at the port, you check Box 1, and no modifications or further DOT review are required.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle This is why most privately imported cars are vintage or classic models. A 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R became eligible in 2024.
The 21-Year EPA Exemption
The EPA runs its own clock. A vehicle whose engine is at least 21 years old and remains in its original configuration qualifies for an emissions exemption under Code E on EPA Form 3520-1.2eCFR. 19 CFR 12.73 – Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines “Original configuration” is the catch. Add a turbo kit or swap the catalytic converter and the exemption may not apply.
The Awkward 21-to-25 Year Gap
A 22-year-old car clears EPA but not DOT. Unless the manufacturer originally certified it for the U.S. market, the importer has to hire a DOT Registered Importer to bring it into compliance with every applicable safety standard. Same for anything younger.
Going Through a Registered Importer
Non-exempt vehicles that weren’t built to U.S. specifications must enter through a Registered Importer. You post a DOT bond equal to 150% of the vehicle’s dutiable value, contract with the RI, and attach copies of both to the HS-7 form. The RI then has 120 days to bring the car into full compliance.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 591 – Importation of Vehicles and Equipment Subject to Federal Safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention Standards
NHTSA also has to have already determined that the specific model and model year is eligible for importation. If it hasn’t, a petition process is required to prove the vehicle can be modified to comply. CBP describes this route as “very complex and costly” for vehicles with no U.S.-market equivalent, and recommends talking to a Registered Importer before you buy or ship anything.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle
What You’ll Pay at the Port
Duties are calculated on the purchase price shown on your bill of sale. The old numbers still exist, but a much larger tariff now sits on top of them for anything under 25 years old.
Base Duty Rates
- Passenger cars: 2.5%
- Light trucks and vans: 25%
- Motorcycles: 2.4% or free
These are the standard Most Favored Nation rates.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle
The 25% Section 232 Tariff
Since April 3, 2025, an additional 25% Section 232 tariff applies to imported automobiles, used vehicles included.4Federal Register. Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States Trade deals have since reduced the combined rate for vehicles from certain countries:
- European Union (from August 1, 2025): 15% total
- Japan (from September 16, 2025): 15% total
- South Korea (from November 1, 2025): 15% total
- All other countries: the full 25% Section 232 rate
These rates move. Verify the current number for your car’s country of origin before you commit.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. New Tariff Requirements for 2025
The 25-Year Section 232 Exemption
Vehicles manufactured in a year at least 25 years before the year of entry are exempt from Section 232 duties.6U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Section 232 Additional FAQs – Automobiles and Auto Parts A 2001-or-earlier car entering in 2026 owes only the 2.5% base duty. On a $30,000 vehicle, that’s $750 instead of $4,500 or more.
Federal Fees That Stack On Top
CBP charges a Merchandise Processing Fee of 0.3464% of the declared value, with a fiscal year 2026 minimum of $33.58 and maximum of $651.50.7Federal Register. Customs User Fees To Be Adjusted for Inflation in Fiscal Year 2026 Ocean cargo also gets hit with a Harbor Maintenance Fee of 0.125% of value.8eCFR. 19 CFR 24.24 – Harbor Maintenance Fee
Gas Guzzler Tax
The IRS collects a Gas Guzzler Tax at import on passenger cars rated below 22.5 mpg. It starts at $1,000 for cars between 21.5 and 22.5 mpg and climbs to $7,700 for anything below 12.5 mpg.9Internal Revenue Service. Form 6197 – Gas Guzzler Tax Many European sports cars and large-displacement Japanese performance cars land in the higher brackets. It doesn’t apply to trucks or SUVs classified as light trucks.
Customs Bond
You need a customs bond guaranteeing payment of all duties, taxes, and fees before the car clears. For a single-entry bond, the amount is generally the entered value plus all applicable duties and fees. When other agency requirements are in play, which is almost always true for cars, CBP may require a bond of three times the entered value.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts A customs broker can arrange it, usually for a few hundred dollars.
State Sales or Use Tax
When you register the vehicle, most states charge sales or use tax on the purchase price. Rates range from zero to over 8%, with local surcharges on top in some jurisdictions. Budget for it before you import.
Paperwork You Need in Hand
Missing documents strand cars at the port, and port storage fees start within days of arrival.
From the seller and the exporting country you need a foreign title or registration free of liens, a bill of sale showing purchase price, date, buyer and seller names, VIN, engine number, and the payment currency, and usually an export permit or deregistration certificate from the country’s transport ministry. Any document not in English needs a certified translation before the car ships.
For CBP clearance you file three federal forms:
- DOT Form HS-7, which declares safety compliance. Box 1 is the 25-year exemption; Box 2A covers manufacturer-certified vehicles; Box 3 covers entries through a Registered Importer, and requires the DOT bond and RI contract attached.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle
- EPA Form 3520-1, which declares emissions status. Code E is the 21-year exemption. Vehicles with a manufacturer’s emissions label in English in the engine bay are generally deemed compliant.2eCFR. 19 CFR 12.73 – Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines
- CBP Form 7501, the Entry Summary, which sets the declared value, country of origin, and duty classification used to calculate everything you owe.
You’ll also need the original bill of lading from the shipping carrier.
Shipping and What Happens at the Port
Roll-on/roll-off service is the cheaper ocean option, generally $1,500 to $3,000 on standard routes. Container shipping costs more but keeps the car enclosed, which makes sense for rare or high-value vehicles.
Before the vehicle leaves the foreign port, you or your broker must submit an Importer Security Filing to CBP at least 24 hours before the cargo is loaded onto the vessel. That’s before loading, not before departure. Late or inaccurate filings can draw penalties of $5,000 per violation.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Import Security Filing (ISF) – When to Submit to CBP
On arrival, CBP assesses duties and fees against your entry summary. After payment, inspectors verify the VIN and check the undercarriage for foreign soil, a USDA requirement to keep invasive pests out.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle Steam-clean the underside before it ships. If an inspector finds soil, you’ll pay for mandatory cleaning at the port and the car may sit in quarantine until it’s done.
Do not let the car sit unclaimed. If you don’t file an entry and pay all duties and charges within six months of importation, CBP treats the vehicle as abandoned and can sell it.12eCFR. 19 CFR Part 127 – General Order, Unclaimed, and Abandoned Merchandise
Titling and Registering the Car in Your State
Clearing federal customs doesn’t put the car on the road. You still need a state title and plates.
For 25-year-exempt vehicles, the stamped CBP entry documents, foreign title, and bill of sale are usually what the state motor vehicle agency needs. Most states also require a VIN verification by a law enforcement officer or authorized inspector, with fees roughly $6 to $50.
Vehicles imported through a Registered Importer have an extra step. The RI must file a certificate of compliance with NHTSA after the modifications are done, and the vehicle can’t be registered for road use until at least 30 days after that filing, unless NHTSA issues an early acceptance letter.13eCFR. Appendix A to Part 591 – Bond for the Entry of a Single Vehicle Only after NHTSA releases the bond can the car be titled and plated.
State title processing for imported vehicles generally takes one to four weeks. Some states apply extra scrutiny to foreign imports and ask for documentation or inspections beyond what a domestic purchase would need. Call the local office before the car arrives so you know what they want.
Should You Hire a Customs Broker?
No rule requires one, but for a first-time importer, the cost is usually worth it. Licensed brokers submit CBP filings, arrange the customs bond, calculate and remit duties and fees, and confirm the entry meets every involved agency’s admissibility requirements.14U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs Broker Frequently Asked Questions Fees for a single vehicle usually run a few hundred dollars, which is small next to the cost of a rejected entry or a car sitting at the port.
A good broker also catches problems before the car ships: a VIN that decodes to a model year that doesn’t qualify for the exemption you were counting on, or a tariff classification different from what you assumed. That’s the kind of thing you want to know before you’ve wired the money and booked a container.