Motor Vehicle Legal Questions and Answers

While the laws governing Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney vehicles vary from state to state, there are some similarities nationally regarding titling and registration requirements, fees and taxes, and driver's licenses. Here on LawServer you can find federal and state laws regarding motor vehicle accident law firm vehicles and related legal questions & Answers.

Nationals from countries that have ratified the International Road Traffic Agreement can drive their cars into the United States without U.S. driver's licenses and license plates. Written approval from DOT is required in advance.

Vehicles Imported by Nonresidents

Non-residents who are planning to import their personal cars must have them fully documented to ensure that they don't have to pay additional taxes. This documentation includes the bill of lading, certificate of origin, as well as any other legal documents that pertain to the vehicle. All documents pertaining the vehicle must also be in English. If the vehicle is owned by more than one individual each signature has to be notarized with a black-and-white photocopy of their current driver's license or ID card. If they do not have these documents, a Power of Attorney may be used to sign all documents.

In order for an imported vehicle to be legally titled in the United States, it must conform to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The DOT standards require particularly that motor vehicles that are not older than 25 years old, conform to the safety and bumper requirements, and that each automobile be branded by the manufacturer to meet these standards.

EPA regulations also stipulate that all vehicles must meet air pollution emission standards. If a non-resident wants to import vehicles that do not meet these requirements they must file EPA form 3520-1 and DOT form H-7 with CBP at the moment of entry to obtain prior approval from EPA.

Vehicles Imported for Racing

The laws governing motor vehicles differ from one state to another, however there are commonalities across the nation in the process of registering vehicles and obtaining the required driving license. Safety of the driver, highway and vehicle safety are also controlled by federal laws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, within the Department of Transportation, establishes and enforces standards for cars and other equipment. This includes motor sport-related standards.

The first step in importing racing cars into the United States is to get written approval from DOT. This is necessary for vehicles which will be imported for the duration of their ownership or temporarily raced.

In order to qualify for this, you'll require an CAMS license and prove your motorsport experience and a real need for Motor vehicle accident attorney the vehicle. You must also satisfy a variety of other requirements to be compliant, such as fitment of child restraint points and 17-digit VIN plates.

The EPA won't grant you permission to import a racing vehicle into the US unless it was race-ready at the time of its entry and does not have features that make it unsafe or inadvisable for use on roads and highways. You must select box 7 on the HS-7 customs form and provide an EPA letter prior to the time your vehicle is cleared.

Imported Touring Vehicles

Tourists from Central and South American nations that have signed the Inter-American Convention of 1943 are permitted to drive their vehicles in the United States without obtaining license plates or permits for a period of one year or the validity of their documents. They must show EPA forms AP3520-1 or DOT H-7 upon entry.

Automobiles imported for tourism purposes are also subject to 40% Customs duty, 10% VAT and ad valorem tax from 15 percent to 100% based on the displacement of pistons using their book value as a base. These duties and taxes also apply to spare parts that are supplied with the imported automobile. The presence of the owner is essential.

Vehicles imported for commercial purposes

The law defines "motor vehicle" as every vehicle that can transport property or persons and is powered by something other than muscular power and is not limited to (a) electric personal assistive mobility devices operated or driven by a person suffering from a disability; (b) farm type tractor utilized in the operation of a farming enterprise tools of husbandry, or snow plowing; (c) vehicles which are solely driven by rails or tracks; and (d) all-terrain vehicles. Each state's statute may differ slightly from the definition and any vehicle that is not exempt that meets the statutory definition is subject to the state's licensing and registration as well as financial responsibility laws.

The motor vehicle division of the state regulates used and new dealers, manufacturers, moving companies and other related businesses to motor vehicles. It also enforces the state Lemon Law which offers relief to customers who can prove that they purchased a defective car or truck.

The definition of a government motor vehicle includes any vehicle that has been acquired by the executive branch through purchase, excess, forfeiture, commercial lease or GSA fleet lease, and used in the performance of the transportation function. This includes both foreign and domestic fleets. In addition, the term is defined to include any vehicle used by the department of public safety for responding to emergencies or providing other emergency services. The definition excludes private vehicles of firefighters or police officers ambulances, vehicles, and other vehicles that are owned by the commissioners court of a county having more than 1 million.