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16 Jul 2010
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Temp import to USA - EPA approval letter
Hi all,
I picked up this issue in another thread and made some enquiries with the EPA. Essentially, you need a letter of approval from the EPA to allow you to temporarily import a vehicle in to the US. The process involves the filling out of a form (3520-1) at border customs when you enter the US, and to fully complete the form you must produce the EPA approval letter. Apparently this will take about 3 weeks to arrange.
I believe this is a fairly recent change in procedures of temp. importation.
I made some enquiries with the EPA. The reply is below.
Hope this is of use.
"You should apply for the exemption prior to reaching Customs. Attached is the list of information you will need to submit for applying for a Nonresident exemption"
And this was the contents of the attached:
Information needed to obtain Nonresident Temporary Importation
Approval Letter from EPA
Nonconforming motor vehicles may be temporarily imported into the U.S. by a
nonresident for personal use by the importer for a period not to exceed one year.
Only individual nonresidents may import a vehicle through a nonresident exemption.
The conditions of this temporary exemption are:
• Vehicle may not be sold or otherwise transferred to another party in the U.S.;
• Vehicle must be used solely for personal use by the importer and members of the
importer’s immediate family while in the U.S.;
• Exemption is voided if the vehicle is either used for commercial purposes, or used
principally by any person other than the importer (or spouse of the importer); and
• Vehicle must be exported after one year, or upon the nonresident departing the U.S.,
whichever comes first.
To obtain a Nonresident Temporary Importation Approval Letter from EPA;
please provide the following information in a letter that is signed by the
requestor/importer:
1. Your full name, current foreign address, phone number, Fax number, and email address
(if applicable)
2. Your U.S. address, phone number, Fax number, and email address (if applicable)
3. Vehicle year, make, model and Vehicle Identification Number
4. Proof of vehicle ownership (copy of current title or registration from country of origin of
the vehicle, Importer and owner needs to be the same).
5. Proof of nonresident status (copy of passport, visa, work permit, or other official
document).
6. A statement of the reason for the importation.
7. The duration of the importation.
8. A signed compliance Memorandum (this will be supplied by EPA once we have all of your
information). The exemption will not be issued until we receive a signed copy of the
memorandum issued by EPA.
Please mail, fax, or email this information to:
EPA Imports Line
Compliance & Innovative Strategies Division
Light Duty Vehicle Programs
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
David C. Hurlin
Imports Group
Managed by URS Federal Services
Phone: (734) 214-4100
Fax: (734) 214-4676
Email: Imports@epa.gov
I'll be applying for one of those then!
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16 Jul 2010
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20 Jul 2010
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Good info, thanks!
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20 Jul 2010
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I wonder how this applies to Mexican or Canadian registered vehicles. Thousands of people cross the border daily in all types of vehicles. I have crossed from Mexico into the States on several occasions in both cars and on bikes and have never been asked for any documents! Does anybody know? Any Canadians been asked for anything?
www.garryhostel.com
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20 Jul 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garrydymond
I wonder how this applies to Mexican or Canadian registered vehicles. Thousands of people cross the border daily in all types of vehicles. I have crossed from Mexico into the States on several occasions in both cars and on bikes and have never been asked for any documents! Does anybody know? Any Canadians been asked for anything?
www.garryhostel.com |
I was told that this is a fairly new requirement, so I dont know. I guess that the rule applies no matter what country your vehicle is registered in as long as it isnt the US! In the real world though, there must be hundreds of vehicles passing through the borders each day, and I doubt they all have the EPA paperwork.
I suspect that you could get away with it depending on how phinnicky the customs officer is and whether they're in a good mood or not.
My feelings on it are that it's a pretty easy thing to arrange and there is no processing fee, so why not get it sorted in advance and avoid any potential issues?
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20 Jul 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garmei
I was told that this is a fairly new requirement,
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This appears to have been the requirement since January this year - at least.
Late last year, a friend rode from Korea to London then flew the bike to Florida, hoping to become probably the first Korean to ride RTW.
At the time, James Cargo did not know of this requirement, nor did their Agent - in far away California (nearly as far from Florida as their depot in London!)
It took him about 4 weeks to get the bike released by which time he had run out of time and just rode it from one airfreight shed to another to fly it on to Soeul before returning himself.
His great ride came to a sad end, beaten by the paperwork of the "Land of the Free"
But hundreds of thousands vehicles must have crossed the land borders into USA since then. Thousands daily.
Anyone here?
Was an EPA letter required?
If not - why is it needed by non-road customs?
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16 May 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garrydymond
I wonder how this applies to ...Canadian registered vehicles.
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If the vehicle in question was originally sold in Canada (in other words, if it complies with Canadian emission standards), then it is exempt from this US EPA requirement.
On the EPA form (the 3520-1 form), there are boxes to check at the bottom of the form if it is a Canadian vehicle that complies with Canadian safety and emission standards.
Michael
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4 Jun 2017
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EPA approval obligations- departing USA overland
We are about to fly our bikes from Bogota to Miami. From there, we will ride around the US/Alaska and Canada, until it gets too cold, before going south to Mexico and Central America.
We applied for our EPA clearance letter 2 weeks ago - not yet received. One of the EPA conditions on entry to the US is that "the Vehicle must be exported after one year, or upon the nonresident departing the U.S., whichever comes first." Sanction for non-compliance is a fine of up to $45k and/or confiscation. We may need to fly briefly to Europe for family reasons are keen to remove this sanction possibility for obvious reasons.
Does anyone know whether by riding across the Canadian border, we are treated as "departing the US" for EPA purposes? The reason I ask is that, if you enter the US under an ESTA giving you 90 days, US Immigration doesn't stop the 90 day clock if you cross into Canada/Mexico. Prevents visa runs I guess.
Sorry - convoluted question.
Thanks for reading.
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12 Jan 2012
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Very useful thread - this would have majorly tripped us up.
I just emailed the EPA guy mentioned in the first post and got a very quick and helpful response.
Does anyone know if there is a separate DoT letter which is required and, if so, how you go about getting it?
Cheers
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13 Jan 2012
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Location: SoOrange NJ USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itsonthemeter
Very useful thread - this would have majorly tripped us up.
I just emailed the EPA guy mentioned in the first post and got a very quick and helpful response.
Does anyone know if there is a separate DoT letter which is required and, if so, how you go about getting it?
Cheers
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NO. A separate US DoT/ NHTSA letter is NOT required.
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13 Jan 2012
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A very useful thread. Thanks for all the input. Just one question.
Is all the communication done by email or is here some point where a signed document has to be posted?
__________________
If you think you are too small to make a difference you have never spent the night with a mosquito.
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19 May 2015
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Thanks for this post.
Does this letter from the EPA have a use-by date or a validity period?
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9 May 2016
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Since the last posts in this thread are rather old, anyone know if the information (mail adress etc.) in the first post are still valid? Anyone requested the EPA letter recently? Thanks!
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15 May 2016
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To whom it may concern - all details are still valid!
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4 Jun 2017
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No, they don't count that. They like you to leave the continent.
Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
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