Guidance from SEFCO on importing your passenger car
into the United States - see excerpts of US Gov guidelines
[Tambien En Espanol]
Did you know...?
...that about 80% of the inquiries we receive for importing
vehicles into the USA (cars, motorcycles, any on-the-road titled vehicle) are
for vehicles that CAN NOT come into the USA? Why?
Because they DO NOT conform to US DOT/EPA/FHWA regulations.
It's important for you to do your homework first before shipping your vehicle
to the USA. We will provide you with a confirmed shipping/handling rate after
you have read the below information and can confirm to us that "yes"
your particular vehicle will be allowed into the USA.
Otherwise, giving you a inbound to the US-shipping rate will be a fruitless effort.
In some cases, unless you are planning on driving the auto around for up to
1 year and the shipping it back you will not be allowed into the US due
to current EPA/DOT standards.
There are shippers who do bring in their vehicles into the US that aren't made to US
specs, and will elect to have the autos reconverted over by a registered importer (RI).
This is an expensive process that costs up to $ 15,000.00 and can take up to a year in time.
If you, the owner of the auto, still want to bring your auto into the US,
even though the auto isn't US titled / doesn’t meet the US standards,
you can bring it in and have it in the US for exactly up to one year,
but you can’t register it. You will have to physically meet with US Customs
officials and present an itinerary of your stay in the US. You will be required to
show copies of your plane tickets, addresses of hotels, resorts, etc.
where you will be staying, and all names and addresses of people you will be staying with.
Please contact US Customs directly for more information.
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" Know before you go. "
"Can I bring in my car
to the United States?
IN GENERAL,
Cars can come into the USA if:
1) The car has a previously issued US title, or
2) The car is over 25 years old, or
3) The car's owner is a foreign national and the car is entering on a temporary basis only and
must be re-exported when the period of one year expires, with no exception.
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This particular advise comes from Sefco's associate,
Mr. Jason Chachich,
an expert in the field
of international vehicle shipping/transport.
If you are unsure, we recommend that you call
the phone number at EPA/DOT as shown below.
If you want a rate for international shipping/handling,
please fill in our online
POV PERSONALLY OWNED VEHICLE SHIPPING
"REQUEST FOR QUOTATION FORM".
The following information (below/copies upon request)
is the full text version of US Customs' regulations
regarding bringing in a car to the United States.
Be sure to heed their advice and warnings.
Go to the US Customs webpage,
and go to the "informal entries" section.
Read the section concerning
"importing your car".
U.S. Residents Importing and Exporting Vehicles > Clearing CBP
cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing/automobiles.xml
Importing a Motor Vehicle:
cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_trade/importing_car.xm/
Please feel free to access the online guides on Sefco's web site
for further details, links to information, documents and advice.
See: www.sefco-export.com/informalcustoms.htm
www.sefco-export.com/shipping/easy_guide.htm
Sefco Export Management Company, Inc.
last update v.2/2009 non-gov info (c)J.Quinn/sefco-export.com
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