The US 25-Year Import Rule Explained: Shipping Classic Cars from the UK

Under US federal law, any vehicle that is 25 years old or older, measured from its date of manufacture (not registration), is exempt from Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions compliance. This is what allows Americans to legally import right-hand drive UK classics — Ford Escorts, Jaguar E-Types, Land Rover Defenders, and Nissan Skylines that never officially sold in the US — without the near-impossible cost of federalising them.

The exemption is based on the manufacture date shown on the vehicle's build plate or logbook, so a car built in October 2000 becomes eligible in October 2025, not on 1 January of that year.

Classic Minis, MGBs, Triumph Spitfires, and early Land Rover Defenders are among the most shipped UK vehicles to the US under this rule. Right-hand drive is not a barrier once a car qualifies under the 25-year exemption — it can be registered as-is in most states, though a handful (including some DMV offices) require additional paperwork for RHD vehicles. Buyers should verify with their state DMV before shipping, as registration rules vary by state even though the federal import exemption is uniform.

Classic and collector cars almost always ship via container rather than RoRo, to protect bodywork and prevent exposure to sea salt during the three-week Atlantic crossing. Southampton is the principal UK departure port, with regular sailings to New York/New Jersey, Baltimore, and Los Angeles (via the Panama Canal) for West Coast buyers. Transit time is typically 12–16 days to the East Coast and 25–30 days to the West Coast.

US customs duty on passenger cars is a modest 2.5%, calculated on the purchase price shown on your invoice, with light trucks (including some Defenders classified as such) attracting 25%. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) will also require an EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 declaring the 25-year exemption, both straightforward to complete with the vehicle's build date documented.

Once cleared through CBP, registration happens at state level through the DMV (or equivalent). Most states exempt vehicles over 25 years old from smog/emissions testing, though a few — notably California for certain post-1975 vehicles — apply their own separate age cut-offs that can differ from the federal rule. It's worth checking your destination state's specific classic-vehicle registration category, as several offer discounted historic vehicle plates.

Container shipping from Southampton to the US East Coast typically costs £1,400–£2,200 depending on whether the container is shared or dedicated. Add UK export paperwork (£100–£200), marine insurance (typically 1–2% of vehicle value), and US customs duty of 2.5% on the invoice value. West Coast shipments cost more, generally £2,000–£2,800, reflecting the longer Panama Canal routing.