Lower the U.S. Vehicle Import Age from 25 Years to 10 Years
The Issue
Americans should not have to wait 25 years to legally import a vehicle simply because it was originally sold in another country.
This is bigger than JDM cars or one specific model. Japan, Europe, Australia, Mexico, the UK, South Korea, and other markets get cars, trucks, SUVs, wagons, hot hatches, small affordable vehicles, and 4x4s that are never offered for sale in the United States.
Under current federal rules, a vehicle that was not originally built to comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards generally cannot be permanently imported while it is under 25 years old unless it goes through NHTSA’s eligibility and Registered Importer process. Once it reaches 25 years old, the age-based exemption applies regardless of FMVSS compliance.
I am asking Congress to reduce that age from 25 years to 10 years.
Ten years is not brand new. A 10-year-old vehicle has already been on the road for a decade and is still new enough that parts, service information, and good-condition examples are usually easier to find.
I am not asking to eliminate Customs requirements, titles, registration, insurance, or reasonable safety requirements. I am asking why Americans should have to wait a quarter of a century before having access to vehicles that people in other countries have already been driving for years.
EPA rules also need to be addressed because EPA currently has a separate age-related pathway for many nonconforming vehicles at 21 years old, generally requiring the original engine configuration. A practical 10-year reform should align the federal safety and emissions rules so they actually work together.
What I am asking Congress to do:
Reduce the federal age-based vehicle import exemption from 25 years to 10 years and update related federal regulations so there is a practical legal pathway for importing 10-year-old foreign-market vehicles.
This should apply regardless of whether the vehicle came from Japan, Europe, Australia, Mexico, the UK, or anywhere else.
Twenty-five years is a long time to wait for a car.
Let’s make it ten.
40
The Issue
Americans should not have to wait 25 years to legally import a vehicle simply because it was originally sold in another country.
This is bigger than JDM cars or one specific model. Japan, Europe, Australia, Mexico, the UK, South Korea, and other markets get cars, trucks, SUVs, wagons, hot hatches, small affordable vehicles, and 4x4s that are never offered for sale in the United States.
Under current federal rules, a vehicle that was not originally built to comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards generally cannot be permanently imported while it is under 25 years old unless it goes through NHTSA’s eligibility and Registered Importer process. Once it reaches 25 years old, the age-based exemption applies regardless of FMVSS compliance.
I am asking Congress to reduce that age from 25 years to 10 years.
Ten years is not brand new. A 10-year-old vehicle has already been on the road for a decade and is still new enough that parts, service information, and good-condition examples are usually easier to find.
I am not asking to eliminate Customs requirements, titles, registration, insurance, or reasonable safety requirements. I am asking why Americans should have to wait a quarter of a century before having access to vehicles that people in other countries have already been driving for years.
EPA rules also need to be addressed because EPA currently has a separate age-related pathway for many nonconforming vehicles at 21 years old, generally requiring the original engine configuration. A practical 10-year reform should align the federal safety and emissions rules so they actually work together.
What I am asking Congress to do:
Reduce the federal age-based vehicle import exemption from 25 years to 10 years and update related federal regulations so there is a practical legal pathway for importing 10-year-old foreign-market vehicles.
This should apply regardless of whether the vehicle came from Japan, Europe, Australia, Mexico, the UK, or anywhere else.
Twenty-five years is a long time to wait for a car.
Let’s make it ten.
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Petition created on September 26, 2026