How To Import A Car From The UK To The USA

For some car enthusiasts, the vehicles available on the domestic market simply don’t make the grade. A certain variety of motorhead tends to favor vintage vehicles built in the United Kingdom. There are several styles of very desirable car built in the UK. Off road enthusiasts with a penchant for a vintage vehicle not made by Jeep tend to try and get their mitts on an old Land Rover Defender. Constant tinkerers like slide their oily bodies under the chassis’ of a MG Midget. For the ultimate luxury, some very wealthy auto addicts seek to get their hands on an ultra rare Rolls Royce Phantom.

Getting your hands on any of these British cars is not easy. Unless you find a dealer or an owner that has already stumped up import costs and is willing to sell, you’ll have to import your dream car yourself. Luckily, this is possible if you are willing to pay a little money and dedicate some effort to your dream. Here are the steps you need to take in order to import a car into the United States from the UK.

Eligibility

Always consider the eligibility of the car you want to import before going through with any arrangements. The United States has very rigorous vehicle safety regulations. There are some exemptions for cars that were made more than a few decades ago, but generally speaking you will need to be able to prove that your car can be modified to comply with US standards.

Notify UK Authorities

You need to notify the UK Department of Motor Vehicles of your import so that they can update their records and make sure that you are not trying to take a stolen car out of the country.

Cleaning

Dirt lodged in the chassis of a vehicle can bring dangerous or invasive animals and bacteria into the United States. For this reason, the US Department of Agriculture has mandated that all vehicles must be comprehensively cleaned of dirt before being imported. If customs officials find dirt on a car, they may deny it entry. This will cost you a great deal of money. Make sure to get your car professionally cleaned.

Shipping

You are going to have to organize some means of actually getting your new car from the UK to the USA. Car shipping companies typically offer several different options for auto transport. Roll On Roll Off ship transport is generally considered the cheapest option, while container transport keeps your car the safest from the elements.

Entry Duty

You will need to pay entry duty on any car imported into the United States regardless of its condition or what it will be used for. Entry duty is currently frozen at 2.5 percent of the value of the car you are importing. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no way around this. Importing trucks is even more expensive: you will have to pay 25 percent of the value of the truck in entry duty.