Shipping foreign car to the US

[jmt111]

Do US states allow shipping a foreign car to the US? For example, if I bought a car in the Middle East, and it has Middle Eastern specifications, the odometer and speedometer, etc., are in km, not miles, the exhaust, etc. are according to Middle East specifications, will US states allow the car to be registered and used within their territory?

[kevinande]

Originally Posted by jmt111

Do US states allow shipping a foreign car to the US? For example, if I bought a car in the Middle East, and it has Middle Eastern specifications, the odometer and speedometer, etc., are in km, not miles, the exhaust, etc. are according to Middle East specifications, will US states allow the car to be registered and used within their territory?

The short answer is no. Now on to the somewhat longer answer, vastly condensed.

You can ship the car, but you will never be able to drive or register it if you don't pay (specific name escapes me at the moment) to have the car brought up to us specs. You can not do it yourself. There are procedures, paperwork and I believe to government agencies involved before you can register and operate a vehicle shipped from another country. This can be expensive and depending on the vehicle may not be worth the effort. A google search will turn up all kinds of information on the subject.

[jmt111]

The DoT's "Vehicle Importation and Certification Requirements" at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import gives a great deal of information on vehicle importation guidelines, nonconforming vehicles and payment of registered importer fees.

Also, US Customs and Border Protection's "Importing a non-U.S. version / non conforming vehicle or car into the U.S." at https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...r-into-the-u.s. gives a good overview of the Federal agencies that regulate the importation of non U.S. version or nonconforming vehicles (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)).

[drdisque]

Another thing that matters - if the car was sold in the US (or if a similar car was sold in the US), it's much easier. If the car was never sold in the US, it's almost impossible to get it titled to drive it on the street.

[patsr3g2b]

hi , it could be a lot of issues when you buy a vehicle . I know when I was in the service you had to basically make the vehicle to the standards of the US like safety glass pollution control etc. It could get rather expensive. if the vehicle is unique to the country, not sold in the US my be able to bring it over, but never be able to drive it. plus the red tape you may have to go thru. The government is not going to make it easy. I say good luck on that venture.