Register a Japanese truck in Michigan.

Where the truck lands

Japan to Baltimore is the long sail, often about 4 to 6 weeks by the Panama Canal or a hub. The booked ship sets the date.

Baltimore, then inland to Michigan. The Upper Peninsula is a longer truck than Detroit. Tell us which one.

After it is in Michigan

The Secretary of State titles the truck. Southeast Michigan counties have had an emissions program. Most of the rest of the state has not. Use tax is paid at title.

The office that handles the plate is Michigan Secretary of State. Read their current page before you pay the vehicle balance. County rules change, and the page they publish is the one that titles the truck.

How old the truck has to be in Michigan

NHTSA’s rule is the same in Michigan as in every other state. A vehicle at least 25 years old, counted from the date of manufacture, can be imported without regard to the full federal safety standards. That entry is HS-7 Box 1. The badge year on the fender is not the clock.

Michigan’s title FAQ says a vehicle from another country must meet the federal EPA and DOT standards, and it lists HS-7, EPA form 3520-1, and CBP form 7501. The same FAQ says a customs stamp or seal is not needed on form 7501 for a vehicle that is 25 years old. If HS-7 Box 3 is checked, Michigan requires the registered-importer file and the bond-release letter. Michigan does not publish an age other than that 25-year note.

The federal file, then the state

The federal gate is the same in every state. NHTSA’s 25-year rule runs from the date of manufacture on the plate, not the badge year. The entry is HS-7 Box 1. EPA is a separate file. CBP’s vehicle page says a vehicle is exempt from EPA standards when 21 years have passed since the original production year and it is still in original condition. Form 3520-1 is filed at entry. A truck can clear one clock and fail the other. Your broker files the entry at the discharge port. CBP’s importing-a-car page prints auto duty at 2.5% and truck duty at 25%. Those printed rates are not in our price. US$500 by card starts the Japan-side order. Ocean freight is quoted after the sailing is booked. State title, use tax, and any inspection come after CBP releases the truck. A federal release is not a state plate.

NHTSA: importing a vehicle · EPA: importing vehicles and engines · CBP: importing a car · United States overview