Exporting my 92 Alfa Spider S4 to USA?

[Kevin-sz0nv]

I am thinking of exporting my 1992 S4 to Florida, I realise it is over 25 years old so does not have to conform to their emission laws but what about crash and safety laws? Has anyone any experience in exporting a classic to the States, any help would be very grateful.?

[geeman237]

Kevin-sz0nv said:

I am thinking of exporting my 1992 S4 to Florida, I realise it is over 25 years old so does not have to conform to their emission laws but what about crash and safety laws? Has anyone any experience in exporting a classic to the States, any help would be very grateful.?

It should be very straightforward. I imported a 1992 TVR Griffith in 2017 with no trouble into South Carolina. Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? I am not sure if this will affect the process if you are a UK citizen with a holiday home in the US. Worth checking for registering and titling it.

You will need to get a US customs broker to handle the US import paperwork for you. There are two forms for you to complete, an HS-7 (for DoT) and EPA form 3520-1 (https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/218/~/requirements-for-importing-a-personal-vehicle-%2F-vehicle-parts) The car is exempt all Federal crash and safety laws by being over 25 years old. It must be standard, as it left the factory by the way. If its obviously been modified, you may have it impounded and that won't be pretty. Find a UK shipper, I used Kingstown Shipping. I had the car delivered to their location in Southampton and they took it from there, working with my customs broker. I had the car shipped in a 20 ft container. Make sure you have the DVLA V5 form, and copies. You will need to send off the bit back the DVLA notifying them the car has been permanently exported.
Costs from my experience from Southampton to Charleston SC
UK Origin Charges 370 GBP
Marine insurance, depends on cars value
Actual shipping cost 1,220 GBP
The above was the UK side of the costs and below is where the US costs come in.
There will be a US port charge I think, mine was $325
I had to pay $475 transport costs to get the container from the port to an unloading warehouse and I had no choice in this. They don't allow you to just turn up at the port and drive away if its a container. May vary by port though.
I also had no choice in Customs charging me for wanting to do a random X-ray of the container, but I don't remember how much it was, maybe $200?
US Customs fees are 2.5% the value
US broker costs $200
This should allow you to get the car out of the port/warehouse.
Now you have to get it titled/registered and that will be down to your local DMV. The DMV wanted all the ORIGINAL documents too, so get copies. The broker gave me all the final Customs stamped documents.
I had to pay property tax and registration/title fees, $345
Then insurance and that was it, on the road. No emissions testing or MoT in South Carolina.

You could also do RoRo. This would probably save the X Ray fee and port to unloading cost. RoRo wil be cheaper, maybe 600-800 GBP. You cannot put anything in the car in RoRo and it must have less than a quarter tank of fuel I think. I did this when I imported my Triumph Herald in 2004. Had to drive it to the docks and was just told to park it and leave it with the keys in it......It arrived dirty and with a flat battery, otherwise unscathed.

[Kevin-sz0nv]

Many thanks for that! My daughter and son live in Orlando would I be best putting it in one of their names once it's in the states?

[geeman237]

Kevin-sz0nv said:

Many thanks for that! My daughter and son live in Orlando would I be best putting it in one of their names once it's in the states?

I really won't know about that. Might be worth talking to them about it. I think you also have to sign a Power of Attorney with the Customs Broker to act on your behalf. I hear Florida will issue a title on a wheelbarrow if you apply. If possible, make sure you know the date of manufacture of the car, rather than first registration. I didn't get asked about this but someone I know is struggling with a Land Rover because the local DMV won't accept first registration as date of manufacture. Ridiculous red tape I know, but just do everything you can to have a water tight paper trail. You shouldn't have any trouble insuring a right hand drive car under a specialist classic car policy, although I encountered some companies that wouldn't insure right hand drive when I emigrated here in 2004 and brought my Triumph Herald.

[Kevin-sz0nv]

Many thanks!