Importing Under 25-year Rule

[Ferrino]

Hi!

 

I was wondering if anyone has experience of importing a 7 (or other kit-car for that matter) into the USA under the "25-year exemption", please? Technically, it is a 21-year exemption for the EPA and 25-year exemption for the DOT/NHTSA, whereby vehicles can come into the country free of safety & emissions constraints.

 

I am interested as I have been looking into the possibility of importing a Caterham from the UK to the US. While I am quite familiar with "disassembly/reassembly" tricks to circumvent the law on cars

 

The 25-year rule is a (near-future) possibility for me as the kit was manufactured in the late 80s. However, I have a number of questions and would like to get in touch with anyone who has used this path, please.

 

Many thanks!

[Mondo]

In California, the car has to be 1975 or older.

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2535

[Ferrino]

Hi and thanks. I'm just interested in the federal process of importing the vehicle into the US at the moment.

 

Your link regards a state-specific smog exemption. Kit-cars newer than 1975 can still be smog-exempt in CA though, via SB100.

 

In California, the car has to be 1975 or older.

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2535

[Alaskossie]

i have imported two trucks (1980 Unimog 4X4 and 1975 Volvo 6X6) into the US under the 25-year exemption. It was completely straightforward with US Customs. No questions at all, once the original title documents were examined.

 

However, these were fully-assembled vehicles in their country of origin. I suppose if there were a question with an unassembled kit (like if the engine were perhaps newer than the kit itself), then problems might arise.

 

I guess it would be quite unusual to import a 25-year-old kit that had not yet been assembled into a car already. If it were assembled, then it should be treated just like any other 25-year-old car, I would think.