Temporary Car Import to the US: EPA 3520-1 and HS-7 | 2026

Updated October 24, 2026, from the current NHTSA HS-7 declaration, EPA Form 3520-1 and the customs rules for nonresidents in 19 CFR 148.

A visitor can drive their own foreign-registered car in the US for up to one year without converting it, without paying duty and without meeting US safety standards. Three conditions carry the whole thing: an EPA letter of approval before the car ships, a car that arrives with you, and a car that leaves within 12 months. Our view: plan the trip home first, because that is the one condition nobody gets to renegotiate.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects US rules as of October 2026. Confirm your case with CBP, EPA and NHTSA, and have a licensed customs broker file the entry.

By the numbers: a one-year visit with your own car

• 1 year: the longest a nonresident can keep a nonconforming car in the US, and it may not be sold during that time (49 CFR 591.5(d)).
• 0% duty: a nonresident's car enters free of duty under subheading 9804.00.35 when it is imported in connection with the owner's arrival (19 CFR 148.45).
• Code O: the EPA Form 3520-1 code for a car "imported by nonresident for personal use by an individual for a period up to a year" (EPA).
• Item 5: the line on the DOT HS-7 declaration for a nonresident's temporary personal import, with your passport number (NHTSA).
• $1,200 and 14-16 days: our container rate and transit from New Jersey to Southampton for the trip home. New Jersey to Rotterdam is $1,100 and 17-20 days, California to Sydney $2,250 and 30-33 days (WCS rates table, October 23, 2026).

Who the tourist procedure is for

Federal rules set four conditions on the HS-7: you are a nonresident of the United States, the car is registered in another country, you are importing it for personal use for no more than one year and will not sell it, and you will export it within one year of entry. The declaration carries your passport number and country of issue.

This is a route for visitors, not a back door for buying a car to keep. If the goal is a car that stays, the 25-year rule and Show or Display are the permanent routes, and we would not pretend otherwise.

Customs: duty free if the car arrives with you

Under 19 CFR 148.45, "Nonresidents are entitled to entry free of duty and internal revenue tax under subheading 9804.00.35" for automobiles and motorcycles, "if such articles are imported in connection with the arrival of the nonresident" and used "only for the transportation of the nonresident, his family and guests."

• A car on the same ship or plane as you, arriving the same date, counts as accompanying you (19 CFR 148.4(d)).
• A car shipped separately needs a declaration on CBP Form 3299 to claim the free entry (19 CFR 148.6).
• A car sold within one year of entry can be forfeited, unless the duty that would have been owed is paid to the port director before the sale (19 CFR 148.46).

Our advice: book the shipment so the car lands close to your own arrival. A car that sits at the port for months ahead of you makes "in connection with the arrival" a harder claim to stand behind.

EPA: the letter comes before the booking

EPA Form 3520-1 lists code O for this case and adds: "EPA letter of approval must be attached to this form." Code O is one of the codes that "require specific written authorization from EPA," and the form asks for the EPA exemption number. EPA's publications page links its Instructions for Requesting a Nonresident Exemption, and the request includes your consent for EPA to collect and store your personal details.

One exception worth knowing: code E covers a vehicle "at least 21 years old" in "original unmodified configuration." An older car with its original engine may enter on code E instead. Confirm which code fits with EPA before you ship.

Our rule is simple: no EPA letter, no booking. The broker cannot file a code O entry without it.

DOT: item 5 on the HS-7

Item 5 on the HS-7 reads: "I am temporarily importing the vehicle for personal use for a period not to exceed 1 year, and will not sell it during that time." No NHTSA approval is needed for this declaration under 49 CFR 591.5(d).

A car coming for an event rather than a holiday may need NHTSA's separate Box 7 temporary importation application. That route needs approval, and NHTSA asks for 30 business days to decide. Approval covers up to one year, extensions can reach 5 years in total, and proof of export or destruction is due within 30 days after the approved period ends. If the car is crossing for a concours or a demonstration, ask NHTSA which route fits before it ships.

Shipping in and shipping home

We ship door to door by ocean and air. A container suits most visits; air makes sense when the car has to be somewhere on a fixed date. Our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey cover all of the US for imports and exports, and our own team loads every car and handles every document on the shipping side. A licensed customs broker files the US entry. More on the steps in how we ship a collector car.

Book the return when you book the arrival. From our rates table: New Jersey to Southampton $1,200, 14-16 days; New Jersey to Rotterdam $1,100, 17-20 days; New Jersey to Bremerhaven $1,100, 30-33 days; California to Sydney $2,250, 30-33 days. Price your own lane in the car import calculator.

Registration and insurance are state matters. Check your state's DMV rules for a foreign-registered car and arrange insurance before the car is driven.

What to put in your EPA request

Follow EPA's current instructions for the format. In our experience a complete request answers these points in one go:

• Your full name, home address abroad, phone and email.
• Your US address and phone during the stay, and the dates of the stay.
• Passport number and country of issue.
• Vehicle year, make, model, VIN and country of registration.
• Planned date of import and the length of stay, up to one year.
• A statement that the car is for personal use, will not be sold in the US, and will be exported within one year.
• Your consent for EPA to collect and store your personal details.
• Copies of the foreign registration and your passport.

FAQ: temporarily importing a car to the US

How long can a visitor keep a foreign car in the US?

Up to one year from entry for a nonresident's personal car. The car must be exported by the end of that year and may not be sold in the US.

Do I pay import duty on a car I bring for a visit?

No, if you are a nonresident and the car is imported in connection with your arrival for your own, your family's and your guests' use (19 CFR 148.45, subheading 9804.00.35). Selling it within a year without first paying the duty risks forfeiture.

Which EPA code do I use on Form 3520-1?

Code O, imported by a nonresident for personal use for up to a year, with the EPA letter of approval attached. A car at least 21 years old in original configuration may qualify under code E.

Which part of the HS-7 applies?

Item 5, the nonresident temporary import for personal use, with your passport number and country of issue (49 CFR 591.5(d)).

Can a car under 25 years old stay in the US after the visit?

Not through this route. It must leave within a year. Permanent entry for a car under 25 needs Show or Display, a Registered Importer for an eligible model, or another approved route.

More US Import Guides

• The 25-year rule in 2026
• Show or Display: how it works
• What duties classic car imports pay today
• HMF, MPF and customs bonds explained
• Power of attorney for car shipping
• Importing a car from Europe: costs and duty

Bringing your car over for a season, or shipping a car you bought at an event abroad? We ship it door to door by ocean or air and book the trip home with it. Price it in the car import calculator.

It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.