Imported Foreign Vehicles

Imported foreign vehicles are also known as grey market vehicles. Find out about the policies, information, and instructions of imported foreign vehicles.

Overview

There are two ways in which a vehicle may be considered an imported foreign vehicle:

• The vehicle was manufactured for use in another country
• The vehicle was previously registered in another country

Indicators that a vehicle is an imported foreign vehicle would be any of the following:

• Foreign registration
• Foreign certificate of origin
• Foreign title
• U.S. customs entry documents

If the registration or bill(s) of sale are in a foreign language, the document(s) must be translated.

New Vehicles from Canada

To title a new vehicle from Canada, you must present all of the following:

• Registration and Title Application
• A Certificate of Origin, containing an acceptable statement of low emissions compliance (NOTE: a "New Vehicle Information Statement" is not acceptable)
• Bill(s) of Sale providing a complete chain of transfers and ownerships
• One of the following U.S. Customs Entry Forms: 
  • CF 3299 - Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles
  • CF 7501 - Entry Summary

Used Vehicles from Canada

To title a used vehicle from Canada, you must present all of the following:

• Registration and Title Application
• Original Canadian Province Registration Certificate or previous Certificate of Title if from Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia is the only Canadian province that issues Titles)
• Bill(s) of Sale providing a complete chain of transfers and ownerships
• One of the following U.S. Customs Entry Forms:
  • CF 3299 - Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles
  • CF 7501 - Entry Summary

Vehicles from Countries other than Canada

To title an imported foreign vehicle from all foreign countries except Canada, you must present all of the following:

• Registration and Title Application stamped by your insurance agent
• For new vehicles, Foreign Certificate of Origin
• For used vehicles, Proof of ownership document (for example, a registration or an export certificate)
• Bill(s) of Sale providing a complete chain of transfers and ownerships (if applicable)
• Following U.S. Customs Entry Forms
  • CF 7501 - Entry Summary
  • DOT Form HS-7: Compliance or exemption from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
  • EPA Form 3520-1: Compliance or exemption from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

U.S. Department of Transportation or Environmental Protection Agency standards, the vehicle cannot be registered or titled, and the customer must contact the US Customs office.