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Preparing to Receive An Imported Car
If you made the decision to purchase a car overseas, you will need to hire a shipping service to get it to you in the U.S.
Keep in mind that this will be more difficult than shipping a car from Florida to Ohio. If you follow simple guidelines, you will avoid lost hours waiting on your car or trying to clear it through customs. You should make prior arrangements with your shipper to notify you when your car is due to arrive. Shipments are cleared at the first port of entry unless you make other arrangements. Customs officers cannot help you import your car or act as an agent on your behalf. But you can hire a commercial customs broker to handle the entry for you.
To clear customs, you will need the shipper's original bill of lading, the bill of sale, proper foreign registration and other pertinent documents. You will also need a written approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This can sometimes be affixed to the car, but must be in English. This covers meeting U.S. auto emission standards.
You can also hire an independent commercial importer who will handle some of these complex details for you. However, they are limited to certain vehicles and fees to hire one will be quite high.
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