No person shall import a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment into the United States unless, at the time it is offered for importation, its importer files a declaration and documentation, in a paper or electronic format accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which declares one of the following:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(a)(1) The vehicle was not manufactured primarily for use on the public roads and thus is not a motor vehicle subject to the Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards; or

(2) The equipment item is not a system, part, or component of a motor vehicle and thus is not an item of motor vehicle equipment subject to the Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards.

(b) The vehicle or equipment item conforms with all applicable safety standards (or the vehicle does not conform solely because readily attachable equipment items which will be attached to it before it is offered for sale to the first purchases for purposes other than resale are not attached), and bumper and theft prevention standards, and bears a certification label or tag to that effect permanently affixed by the original manufacturer to the vehicle, or by the manufacturer to the equipment item or its delivery container, in accordance with, as applicable, parts 541, 555, 567, 568, and 581, or 571 (for certain equipment items) of this chapter, or the vehicle is a replica motor vehicle eligible for an exemption under part 586 and is being imported by a low-volume manufacturer, as defined at 49 CFR 586.4.

(c) The vehicle or equipment item does not comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards, but is intended solely for export, and the vehicle or equipment item, and the outside of the container of the equipment item, if any, bears a label or tag to that effect.

(d) The vehicle does not conform with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards, but the importer is eligible to import it because:

(1) (S)he is a nonresident of the United States and the vehicle is registered in a country other than the United States,

(2) (S)he is temporarily importing the vehicle for personal use for a period not to exceed one year, and will not sell it during that time,

(3) (S)he will export it not later than the end of one year after entry, and

(4) The declaration contains the importer’s passport number and country of issue.

(e) The vehicle or equipment item requires further manufacturing operations to perform its intended function, other than the addition of readily attachable equipment items such as mirrors, wipers, or tire and rim assemblies, or minor finishing operations such as painting, and any part of such vehicle that is required to be marked by part 541 of this chapter is marked in accordance with that part.

(f) The vehicle does not conform with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety and bumper standards (but does conform with all applicable Federal theft prevention standards), but the importer is eligible to import it because:

(1) The importer has furnished a bond in an amount equal to 150% of the dutiable value of the vehicle, containing the terms and conditions specified in section 591.8; and

(2)(i) The importer has registered with NHTSA pursuant to part 592 of this chapter, and such registration has not been revoked or suspended, and the Administrator has determined pursuant to part 593 of this chapter that the model and model year of the vehicle to be imported is eligible for importation into the United States; or

(ii) The importer has executed a contract or other agreement with an importer who has registered with NHTSA pursuant to part 592 of this chapter and whose registration has not been suspended or revoked; and the Administrator has determined pursuant to part 593 of this chapter that the model and model year of the vehicle to be imported is eligible for importation into the United States; and

(3) The vehicle is not a salvage motor vehicle or a reconstructed motor vehicle.

(g) (For importations for personal use only) The vehicle was certified by its original manufacturer as complying with all applicable Canadian motor vehicle safety standards and its original manufacturer has informed NHTSA that it complies with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards, or that it complies with all such standards except for the labeling requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Nos. 101 and 110 or 120, and/or the specifications of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 relating to daytime running lamps. The vehicle is not a salvage motor vehicle, a repaired salvage motor vehicle, or a reconstructed motor vehicle.

(h) The vehicle does not conform with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards, but the importer is eligible to import it because (s)he:

(1)(i) Is a member of the personnel of a foreign government on assignment in the United States, or a member of the Secretariat of a public international organization so designated under the International Organization Immunities Act, and within the class of persons for whom free entry of motor vehicles has been authorized by the Department of State;

(ii) Is importing the motor vehicle on a temporary basis for the personal use of the importer, and will register it through the Office of Foreign Missions of the Department of State;

(iii) Will not sell the vehicle to any person in the United States, other than a person eligible to import a vehicle under this paragraph; and

(iv) Will obtain from the Office of Foreign Missions of the Department of State, before departing the United States at the conclusion of a tour of duty, an ownership title to the vehicle good for export only; or

(2)(i) Is a member of the armed forces of a foreign country on assignment in the United States;

(ii) Is importing the vehicle on a temporary basis, and for the personal use of the importer;

(iii) Will not sell the vehicle to any person in the United States, other than to a person eligible to import a vehicle under this subsection; and

(iv) Will export the vehicle upon departing the United States at the conclusion of a tour of duty.

(i)(1) The vehicle is 25 or more years old.

(2) The equipment item was manufactured on a date when no applicable safety or theft prevention standard was in effect.

(j)(1) The vehicle or equipment item does not conform with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety and bumper standards, but is being imported solely for the purpose of:

(i) Research;

(ii) Investigations;

(iii) Show or display;

(iv) Demonstrations or training; or

(v) Competitive racing events;

(2)(i) The importer has received written permission from NHTSA; or

(ii) The importer is an original manufacturer of motor vehicles (or a wholly owned subsidiary thereof) that are certified to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards; and

(3) The importer will provide the Administrator with documentary proof of export or destruction not later than 30 days following the end of the period for which the vehicle has been admitted into the United States.

(k) The equipment item is subject to the theft prevention standard, and is marked in accordance with the requirements of part 541 of this chapter.

(l) The vehicle does not conform to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety and Bumper Standards (but does conform to applicable Federal Theft Prevention Standards) but the importer is eligible to import it because:

(1) The importer has registered with NHTSA pursuant to part 592 of this chapter, and such registration has not been revoked or suspended;

(2) The importer has informed NHTSA in writing that (s)he intends to submit, or has already submitted, a petition requesting that NHTSA determine whether the vehicle is eligible for importation; and

(3) The importer has:

(i) Submitted to the Administrator a letter requesting permission to import the vehicle for the purpose of preparing an import eligibility petition; and

(ii) Received written permission from the Administrator to import the vehicle.

[54 FR 40078, Sept. 29, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 3747, Feb. 5, 1990; 55 FR 11378, Mar. 28, 1990; 55 FR 17439, Apr. 25, 1990; 57 FR 2047, Jan. 17, 1992; 57 FR 44703, Sept. 29, 1992; 59 FR 31560, June 20, 1994; 64 FR 37882, July 14, 1999; 69 FR 52092, Aug. 24, 2004; 76 FR 53078, Aug. 25, 2011; 80 FR 53013, Sept. 2, 2015; 87 FR 13236, Mar. 9, 2022]