US Car Import - We Ship Cars To The USA

Ship your car to the United States with West Coast Shipping, a US based car shipper with over a decade of experience importing cars. We are one of the largest car shipping companies in the US, with locations in California and New Jersey. We handle ground transportation, vehicle documentation, import clearance, and shipping via consolidated and dedicated containers, as well as air-freight. Door to door service for all vehicles imported into the US from Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.

There is no arguing that importing vehicles to the US is a complex task. From the strict import laws, customs and documentation requirements, consumers and businesses alike require guidance and support on car imports. Which is why our team of international vehicle importers strives to keep the process of importing a car to the US simple and effortless.

We currently offer consolidated container shipping on US car imports from the Netherlands. If you have vehicles to import from Europe to the US, we can arrange for transport from anywhere in Europe, to our export facility in the Netherlands.

For the last decade, we have imported all types vehicles including classic cars, development vehicles, concept cars, Formula 1, Formula E cars, and rally cars. We arrange door to door shipping using containers and air freight for single cars, fleets, and road rallies.

We work with US Customs, NHTSA, DOT, EPA, and the DMV to ensure cars and motorcycles are allowed to be imported into the US.

Tackling EPA and DOT requirements

For cars less than 25 years old, the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) requires that your vehicle meets US emission standards. Take a look at this article to find out if your vehicle meets US standards.

If your vehicle is less than 25 years old, it will have to conform to the Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. It includes safety standards, bumper standards, and theft prevention requirements. It is unlikely a car obtained overseas can meet all of these requirements, unless the same vehicle was originally sold in the US as well. Those that are will have a certification label near the driver’s side door of the vehicle from the manufacturer, specifically denoting the vehicle as certified to meet US standards.

If your car does not meet the US car import requirements, the vehicle can only be imported by a registered importer. The car must also be modified into compliance, which can be an expensive and lengthy process.

On a positive note, if your classics or any vehicles are over 25 years old and are also unmodified, then they do not have to comply with DOT or EPA requirements.

To summarize, you can only avoid the 2.5% import duty in the US if:

The car was originally built in the US
Or the car was originally sold in the US and is being re-imported back by the original owner

Customs Bonds

The customs bond is purchased and non-refundable. US customs typically asks for a deposit at 10x the value of the vehicle to ensure the car is properly imported. If for some reason the vehicle is not exported, or they discover any type of issues with the value claimed they would pursue keeping that deposit.

Instead of risking an enormous deposit, importers typically buy a bond that covers them. The bond can be purchased for a single car, or for a number of years.

IMPORT DUTIES

The duty rate for vehicles manufactured abroad and imported to the US are as follows:

2.5% for automobiles
2.4% or free for motorcycles, depending on the number of cylinders

DUTY-FREE IMPORTS APPLY IN THESE CASES:

The car was originally built in the US
Or the car was originally sold in the US and is being re-imported back by the original owner

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO IMPORT

To import a car into the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will need the following documents:

original bill of lading
bill of sale
Foreign registration
EPA Form 3520-1
DOT Form HS-7

ALL-RISK SHIPPING INSURANCE

The cost is calculated from the vehicle's value. Contact us to get an insurance quote.

Import Under the Show & Display Law

The car has to meet the following criteria:

Production run didn’t surpass 500 examples
Never been offered for sale in the US
Must be out of production
Must not be a kit car or a replica

Even after getting it into the US, you have other laws to follow:

You are not allowed to sell the vehicle without the permission of the NHTSA
You are also not allowed to drive more than 2,500 miles per year.

A list of previously approved & dissaproved cars can be found here.

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HOW TO IMPORT CARS TO THE UNITED STATES FROM OVERSEAS

NEWS

Import Cars to the United States

CAR IMPORT SERVICES

How to: Meet Compliance and Import to the US

Tackling EPA and DOT requirements

For cars less than 25 years old, the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) requires that your vehicle meets US emission standards. Take a look at this article to find out if your vehicle meets US standards.

If your car does not meet the US car import requirements, the vehicle can only be imported by a registered importer. The car must also be modified into compliance, which can be an expensive and lengthy process.

On a positive note, if your classics or any vehicles are over 25 years old and are also unmodified, then they do not have to comply with DOT or EPA requirements.

Customs Bonds

IMPORT DUTIES

The duty rate for vehicles manufactured abroad and imported to the US are as follows:

2.5% for automobiles

2.4% or free for motorcycles, depending on the number of cylinders

DUTY-FREE IMPORTS APPLY IN THESE CASES:

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO IMPORT

To import a car into the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will need the following documents:

original bill of lading

bill of sale

Foreign registration

EPA Form 3520-1

DOT Form HS-7

The cost is calculated from the vehicle's value. Contact us to get an insurance quote.

Import Under the 25 Year Law

Federal Restrictions

State Restrictions Vary by State

Import Under the Show & Display Law

The car has to meet the following criteria:

Even after getting it into the US, you have other laws to follow:

IMPORT YOUR CAR TO THE USA

Motorcycle Imports to the USA

About Us

We pride ourselves in safe and reliable international car shipping for consumers, dealers, collectors, and wholesalers around the world. We speak English, German, French, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, & Spanish.

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