🔔 Rules may change soon: US auto-tariff policy moved several times in 2025 (Section 232 25%, then US-EU framework 15% for EU-built) — the duty line on a classic can change between quote and arrival; re-verify at booking AND at shipping
✨ EU classics →US (25-year rule): every month a new cohort of EU-market cars turns 25 and becomes US-legal; US collector prices sit above EU asking on the premium tier — a sell-side corridor for EU stock
Who may import — the lanes
everyone — the 25-year rule ⚠ Verify before you ship
classics lane — car must be OLDER than 25 years
Taxes: long-standing base: 2.5% duty (cars; pickups 25% 'chicken tax') + state sales/use tax at registration. 2025 tariff actions (Section 232; US-EU framework) changed auto tariffs repeatedly — how they apply to 25+yr collector cars has shifted; confirm the current rate with a US customs broker BEFORE shipping
vehicles 25+ years old (rolling, by month of manufacture) are exempt from FMVSS/DOT compliance and import as-is; EPA exemption applies at 21+ years. This is the lane behind the entire JDM/Euro-classics import scene
collectors of specific NHTSA-listed rare models ✓ Verified rules
'Show or Display' exemption — only models on the NHTSA approved list, ≤2,500 miles/year; a handful of EU exotics qualify
model-list lane, not a general corridor — check the NHTSA Show-or-Display list for your exact model
everyone (modern EU-spec cars) ⛔ Closed lane
What you may import right now
Shipping from Europe
Bremerhaven/Zeebrugge → US East Coast · ~10-15 days at sea · get a quote
RoRo per-unit or shared container — quote-only; add US customs broker, bond and port fees on top ⚠ Verify before you ship
Ports: Newark NJ, Baltimore, Brunswick GA, Jacksonville FL, Los Angeles
On the ground
Where the cars come from
Japan dominates 25-year imports (JDM wave); Europe supplies the premium-classics tier (Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover Defender)
Who imports & how
enthusiasts + specialist import brokers; state registration (esp. California smog for 1976+) is the after-arrival hurdle
Popular models
air-cooled Porsche 911, Defender 90/110, Mercedes W124/G-Class, BMW E30/E34, Euro-only hot hatches
Local price reality
US collector prices for Euro classics typically sit well above EU asking — that spread IS the corridor
How people pay
escrow/wire via broker is the norm
⚠ Verify before you ship
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