Unlike the 25-Year Rule, which is a rather cut-and-dry set of laws, the Show and Display law is confusing, difficult to use, and grossly misunderstood. Oftentimes you will see Show and Display thrown around on Facebook and Instagram as the go-to solution for importing any vehicle. Want an R34 GT-R, an RS6 Avant, or maybe a Silvia S15? Show and Display can help! And by help I mean it will help quickly crush your dreams of owning one of these cars before they turn 25. But before that happens, let’s explore a bit of history.
Born in Silicon Valley
The Show and Display law was famously pioneered by Bruce Canepa and Bill Gates (yes, that Bill Gates) in the early 1990’s. In an expensive effort to legally own and operate their Porsche 959 street cars, the two succeeded in helping pass the Show and Display law. Under this law, non-conforming vehicles can be legally imported and operated on US roadways, for a maximum of 2,500 miles per year. This bit of regulation, however, is where the uderstanding stops.
The EPA Still Cares
Whereas the 25-Year Rule applies to EPA and NHTSA exemptions, the Show and Display law only applies to the latter. So assuming your vehicle gets approved, which is an unlikely scenario, the vehicle will still need to comply with EPA regulations. The testing itself costs thousands of dollars, and that’s not even counting emissions equipment and engine tuning. The only other option? Wait 23 years, which is only two years shy of being fully legal!
When the law was introduced, and the Porsche 959 finally being imported, the EPA compliance was not an issue, especially for a vehicle worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a billionaire owner. For casual import buyers, however, the costs of EPA compliance could be more than the car is worth!
Pending Government Approval
Perhaps the worst part of the Show and Display law (yes, it does get worse) is the NHTSA approval segment. Not just any vehicle can be approved for Show and Display, with famous cars like the Evo 6 Tommi Makinen Edition, the TVR Sagaris, and almost every single Nissan Skyline being rejected.
Only low-production vehicles, like the Jaguar XJ220, Aston Martin One-77, and the Maserati MC 12 have any chance of making it through. Rare exceptions do occur, like the R34 GT-R in Midnight Purple, or the recently approved Subaru 22B.
You Can Wait
With the 23-year EPA rules, the highly-subjective NHTSA approval board, and the 2,500 miles of limited range, it’s usually just best to wait until 25! For more information on the Show and Display Law, or to view the list of currently-approved vehicles, visit the NHTSA importing page.
