Register a Japanese truck in New York.

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 is the quoted ocean port. A Newark or Elizabeth call is closer to New York City and we will use it when the line offers it. Upstate New York is a longer truck from the same berth.

After it is in New York

NY DMV titles the truck. Most of the state requires a periodic safety and emissions inspection. New York City adds rules for commercial parking and some truck bodies. A 25-year federal import can still fail the state inspection. Confirm the foreign-title list with DMV before you pay the balance.

The office that handles the plate is New York State DMV. 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 New York

NHTSA’s rule is the same in New York 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.

New York’s imported-vehicle page requires customs clearance, an acceptable CBP document, proof of ownership, and a certified English translation of any paper that is not in English. It does not publish an import age of its own. The age remains the federal 25-year manufacture date on HS-7 Box 1. New York insurance is required for a New York plate.

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