How To Address A Letter From Us To Mexico

[music] how to import a personal vehicle into the u.s. hi, i'm chief cbp officer kevin corsaro. the process of importing a car is not as difficult as you may think. while you do not need to worry about this if you are just

How To Address A Letter From Us To Mexico, driving your car into the u.s. as a tourist or for business, if you plan on keeping the vehicle here even for just one year there are certain things you need to do. if you don't, you'll definitely run into problems when you try to register your car and get a state license plate.

first things first, when entering the u.s. with your vehicle you'll need to let the cbp officer know that you want to import your car. he or she will then instruct you on what to do next. to save yourself some time there are two forms you can fill out in advance: the environmental protection agency form 3520-1 and the department of transportation form hs-7. each form can be downloaded from the epa and dot websites respectively or visit cbp.gov and click on questions complaints. type in import vehicle in the search tool, hit search, click on the first answer,

and the two forms will be on the left hand side of the page. next you'll need proof of ownership. you can use your car title or a certified copy of the original. after that you'll need to confirm that the vehicle complies with u.s. standards. first, check the door jamb of the driver's side of the vehicle. you're looking for a dot sticker. there's also an epa sticker located on the engine that you'll need to find. if either of those stickers are missing you must get a letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle complies with u.s. epa and dot standards.

if the vehicle does not conform to u.s. standards it cannot be imported into the u.s. for more than one year unless it's first converted by a licensed mechanic. remember, you don't have to worry about this if you have both stickers or if your car is 25 years old or older. also be aware that you cannot sell or leave your vehicle in the u.s. without legally importing it through the port of entry where you first arrived. visitors to the united states for business, pleasure, or study can bring a nonconforming vehicle for up to one year. however, the vehicle must coincide with your arrival in the u.s.

one more thing, if the vehicle has not been in your household for at least one year you will be required to pay duty. the duty rate for cars is 2.5%, trucks 25%, and for motorcycles up to 2.4%, which is assessed based on the purchase price or kelly blue book value. keep in mind duty is not assessed on u.s., canadian, or mexican manufactured vehicles. bring your bill of sale along if you have one. once your paperwork has been reviewed, the cbp officer will provide you with the cbp form 7501 entry summary. this is what you'll take with you when you register your vehicle in your state.

if you have any questions, please check our website for additional information or call the cbp info center. the number can be found at the bottom of the cbp.gov webpage. thank you.