One of the most commonly mentioned phrases when it comes to importing cars is the “25-Year Rule”, and for good reason. 25 years is the magic number which allows basically any vehicle built and registered outside the USA to be imported legally. From sports cars to pickup trucks, once a vehicle turns 25 years old neither the NHTSA or EPA have any regulatory power, and it can be legally imported to the US with relative ease.
Date of Manufacture
Unlike in America, cars sold overseas have historically been marketed according to their production year. Whereas you can walk into an American Honda showroom in the summer and buy a 2020 model car, that same vehicle would be a sold as a 2019 in Japan. Unfortunately this means that you won’t get your R34 GT-R a year early, as 1999 really means 1999!
Now the best way to look at a car or truck’s eligibility is to confirm the month and year of manufacture. If a vehicle was built in December of 1995, it will become legal in December of 2020. This also technically means a vehicle could be imported at 24 years and 11 months old, if built at the end of the month. When it comes to importing a vehicle, always check the date of manufacture. Failure to do so could result in serious storage fees at the shipyard, and even vehicle seizure.
What About Newer Vehicles?
When it comes to anything below 25 years of age, unfortunately there are few options besides just waiting. Currently, the best option for newer vehicles is through the Show and Display Law. Unfortunately Show and Display only applies to low-production exotic vehicles, and carries many stipulations. Aside from moving up north to Canada, where the limit is only 15 years, waiting for that magic number 25 is really the best option. As of this posting, vehicles built before November 1st, 1994 are fully-legal to import.
Just Obey the Import Laws
Now I’m sure many of you have seen Nissan S15’s, R34 GT-R’s, and maybe even an Evo 5 or 6 driving around on US plates. These are not Show and Display cars, and they are most certainly not 25 years old yet. Getting caught owning and driving an illegal grey-market car comes with serious consequences, and is certainly more trouble than its worth.
Here at Import Legends we deal exclusively with vehicles that have been legally imported through either the 25-Year or Show and Display regulations.
