Import a US-Built Car to Europe: Who Gets 0% Duty

On July 1, 2026. The Council adopted the rules on June 25, 2026 as Regulation (EU) 2026/1455, and they run through December 31, 2029. The 0% is not automatic: the customs office handling the import decides whether to grant it, and EU customs offices differ on the proof they require. If customs is not satisfied, the 10% duty on passenger cars still applies.

No. The 0% is law, but the customs office handling your import decides whether your evidence proves US origin, and EU customs offices have different views on what is required. A file accepted in one country can be questioned in another. We prepare the export documents and transport records that support your claim, and we recommend you budget for the 10% duty in case customs does not grant the 0%.

Passenger vehicles that originate in the United States, classified under HS 8703, when the customs office handling the import accepts the origin. Origin is decided per vehicle by where it was assembled, not by the brand on the badge. A Chevrolet Corvette built in Bowling Green, Kentucky is US-built. A Dodge Charger built in Brampton, Ontario is not, even though both are American nameplates. The car must also ship directly from the US, or stay under customs supervision in transit. New cars usually come with factory paperwork that supports origin; a classic built 30 years ago usually does not.

Read the first character of the VIN. A 1, 4 or 5 means the car was built in the United States. A 2 means Canada, a 3 means Mexico, and letters such as J, W or S mean Japan, Germany or the UK. Many nameplates are built in more than one country, so the VIN is the confirmation to check. The US-Built Car Finder above lets you check by make, model or year.

No. The 0% removes the customs duty only, when customs grants it. VAT, national registration taxes and homologation still apply in the destination country, and ocean freight, container fees and port charges are separate from duty. On a $40,000 car the duty saving is up to $4,000. The rest of your landed cost depends on the country you ship to.

A classic built 30 years ago rarely has the paperwork to prove US origin, so the 0% for US-built cars may not be granted. Cars 30+ years old in original condition can still clear as collectors' items under heading 9705 where that applies, with reduced import VAT in several countries, for example 7% in Germany and 6% in Belgium. Race cars and modified cars can be classified differently, so confirm the classification with your destination customs broker before you plan the import.

We ship door to door by ocean container or air from our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey, covering all of the US for imports and exports, to Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Barcelona and other European ports, with pickup anywhere in the continental US.