Motor Vehicle Legal Questions and Answers

While the laws regarding motor vehicles vary according to state, there are certain similarities across the United States regarding titling registration and fees, taxes and drivers' licenses. On LawServer you will find federal and state laws regarding motor vehicles as well as related legal Questions & Answers.

Nationals of countries that have ratified International Road Traffic Agreement can drive their cars to the United States without U.S. driver's licenses and license plates. DOT must authorize the trip in writing.

Vehicles imported by non-residents

Non-residents who want to import their own vehicles must make sure they have the documentation to avoid additional duties. This includes the bill of lading, the certificate of origin, as well as any other legal documents pertaining to the vehicle. All documents that pertain to the vehicle should be in English. If the vehicle is owned by more than one person Each signature must be notarized and accompanied by a black-and-white photocopy of their current driver's license or ID card. If they don't have these, a Power of Attorney can be used to sign the necessary documents.

To allow an imported car to be considered legally titled in the United States, it must comply with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. DOT standards demand particularly that vehicles not older than 25 years of age conform to safety and bumper standards and that every automobile be labelled by the manufacturer to meet these standards.

Furthermore, EPA regulations require that all vehicles meet the air pollution emission standards. If a nonresident wants to import a vehicle that does not meet the requirements, they'll have to submit EPA form HS-7 and DOT form 3520-1 along with CBP to get prior approval from EPA.

Imported Racing Vehicles

The laws governing motor vehicles differ from one state to the next, but there are some commonalities across the country in the process of registering vehicles and obtaining the required driving license. Federal laws also regulate driver and vehicle security. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, within the Department of Transportation, establishes and enforces standards for vehicles and other equipment. This includes motor sports-related requirements.

If you are planning to import an automobile racing vehicle into the United States, the first step is to obtain prior written approval from the DOT. This is for cars that will be imported permanently or temporarily raced.

To be eligible for this program, you'll need to have a CAMS license and proof of your past motorsport participation and a real need for the car. You must also meet other requirements to be compliant such as fitting child restraints and a 17-digit VIN plate.

The EPA does not grant permission to import a race car into the US unless it is racing at the time of entry and has features that make it unsafe or impractical for use on roads and highways. You will need to mark the box 7 on the HS-7 form that you'll submit to customs, and submit an EPA letter of approval before the vehicle passes through customs.

Imported Touring Vehicles

Tourists from Central and South American nations that have ratified Inter-American Convention of 1943 are allowed to drive their cars in the United States without obtaining license plates or permits for a time of one year or the validity of their documents. However, they have to show EPA forms the AP 3520-1 form and the DOT HS-7 at the moment of entry.

Automobiles imported for tourism purposes are also subject to customs duty, 10% VAT and an ad valorem tax ranging from 15 percent to 100% based on the displacement of the piston using their book value as a base. These taxes and duties apply to spare parts sent with the imported auto. The owner of the car must be present in person.

Vehicles imported for commercial purpose

The law defines a "motor vehicle" to be any device capable of transporting persons or property, and which is powered by something other than muscle power. This includes all vehicles, notwithstanding for (a) electric personal mobility devices operated by a person with a disability, (b) farm type tractor used for the farming or operation, as well as implements of mowing or snow plowing, (c) vehicles that operate solely on rails or tracks, and (d), all-terrain vehicles. Each state's statute may differ slightly from the definition and any vehicle that meets the definition of the statute is subject to the state's licensing and registration as well as financial responsibility laws.

The state's stow motor vehicle accident lawsuit vehicle division regulates used and new dealers manufacturing companies, moving firms, and other related businesses to Hammonton Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer vehicles. It also enforces the state Lemon Law which offers relief to customers who prove they bought a defective car or truck.

A government slaton motor vehicle accident law firm vehicle is any vehicle that has been purchased by the executive through purchase, forfeiture, excess or commercial lease or GSA fleet leasing and used to perform the transportation purpose of an agency or activity. This encompasses both domestic fleets and foreign ones. The term also covers any vehicle that is used to respond to emergencies or provide other emergency services through the Public Safety Department. The definition excludes ambulances, private cars of police or firefighters, and the vehicles of the commissioners court in the county of more than one million residents.