EPA Nonresident Exemption for Foreign Vehicles in the USA

What the nonresident exemption is

Vehicles built for markets outside the USA usually do not meet US emission standards. The EPA lets a nonresident bring one in for personal use for up to one year, under code O on EPA form 3520-1. Only individual nonresidents can use it, and EPA approval must be in writing before the vehicle is imported.

Ship without the letter and the vehicle can be held at the port. EPA form 3520-1 warns that improperly importing a vehicle can lead to a fine of up to $44,539 per vehicle.

Vehicles registered in Canada or Mexico follow different EPA rules; see the EPA page on importing Canadian vehicles below.

How to write your request letter

Write a letter, sign it and email it to the EPA Imports group at Imports@epa.gov. The EPA instructions ask for:

• Your full name, current foreign address, phone number, fax number (if any) and email address
• Your US address, phone number and email address
• Vehicle year, make, model and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• The reason for your visit: work, school or vacation
• The date of the importation
• Where the vehicle and you are at the time of the request
• How long the vehicle will be in the USA
• This exact sentence: I consent to EPA collecting and storing my name, mailing address, email address, phone number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

The EPA states it cannot process a request without the consent sentence. We also suggest attaching a copy of your passport and the vehicle registration as proof of ownership. Apply well before you ship: the letter must be in your hands before the vehicle arrives.

Example request letter →

EPA: Instructions for Requesting a Nonresident Exemption (pdf) →

The conditions of the exemption

• You must be a nonresident of the USA
• The vehicle must be owned by you, or on order, before you leave for the USA, and imported in connection with your arrival
• It is for your personal use; using it mainly for business voids the exemption
• It must be used mainly by you or your spouse
• It cannot be sold or transferred to anyone in the USA
• It must be exported after one year, or when you leave the USA, whichever comes first

Driving into Canada or Mexico does not count as exporting the vehicle, unless it came from Canada or Mexico. Plan for the vehicle to leave North America, by ship, within the year, and do not leave it stored in the USA after you fly home.

What happens at US customs

When the vehicle arrives, a US customs broker files the entry with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Customs is cleared by our US broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own broker. CBP officers cannot make the entry for you.

EPA form 3520-1

Declares the emissions basis of the import. Tick code O and attach your EPA approval letter. Keep a copy of the letter while you are in the USA.

DOT form HS-7

Declares the safety standards basis. Nonresidents use the box for temporary import for personal use for up to one year (box 5 on the current form, 49 CFR 591.5(d)), which needs your passport number and country of issue.

Shipping documents

The original bill of lading, proof of ownership such as the foreign registration, and the bill of sale if you have one.

Importer Security Filing (ISF)

CBP requires an ISF for cargo arriving by sea. Your US broker normally files it before the vehicle is loaded; ask us if you are unsure who is filing it.

Clean underside

The US Department of Agriculture requires the undercarriage to be free of foreign soil. Have it steam-cleaned before you ship.

Who uses this exemption

Touring and overlanding

Travellers shipping a car, motorhome or 4x4 camper to drive across the USA for up to a year.

Work, study and long visits

Nonresidents on a temporary assignment or course who want their own vehicle while they are there.

Classic and collector cars

Owners taking a classic to US events. Older vehicles may qualify for an age exclusion instead (see below).

Business use

The nonresident exemption cannot be used for business. Show, display and testing imports have their own EPA and DOT rules, so ask us before you book.

When you may not need this exemption

• EPA: vehicles at least 21 years old in original, unmodified condition can be declared under code E on form 3520-1, with no EPA letter
• DOT: vehicles at least 25 years old can be declared under box 1 on form HS-7
• Vehicles that already meet US standards carry a US emission label and need no exemption
• Moving to the USA permanently: the vehicle must meet US standards or go through an independent commercial importer (ICI), which is usually costly

Age rules are counted from the year of manufacture. We check which code applies before you book.

Shipping your vehicle home from the USA

When your year is up, we ship the vehicle home by RORO or container. US export customs needs the vehicle and its documents at the port at least 72 hours before export. For a foreign-registered vehicle, CBP needs the original proof of ownership, with an English translation if it is not in English. If you bought the vehicle in the USA, export customs needs the original title, free of any lien (or with a signed letter from the lender authorising export).

USA to the UK: prices and sailings →

USA and Canada to Europe →

Official sources

These are the rules we follow. Check them before you apply, as forms are updated from time to time.

EPA: Publications and forms for importing vehicles →

EPA form 3520-1 (pdf) →

EPA: Procedures for Importing Vehicles and Engines (pdf) →

EPA: Importing Canadian vehicles →

NHTSA form HS-7 (pdf) →

49 CFR 591.5: DOT import declarations →

CBP: Importing a motor vehicle →

CBP: Exporting a motor vehicle →