Motor Vehicle Legal Questions and Answers While motor vehicle laws vary from state to state, there are some commonalities across the nation regarding titling and registration requirements, fees and taxes, and driver's licenses On LawServer, you'll find federal and state laws on motor vehicles as in addition to related legal questions and answers The nationals of countries that have adopted the International Road Traffic Agreement may drive their vehicles in the United States for touring purposes without US license plates and drivers' permits DOT must approve the trip in writing Vehicles imported by non-residents Non-residents who wish to import their own vehicles must ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to avoid any additional charges This includes the bill of lading and the certificate of origin, and any other legal documents that pertain to the vehicle In addition the documents pertaining to the vehicle must be in English If the vehicle is owned by more than one individual, each signature must 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 paperwork To allow an imported car to be legally titled in the United States, it must conform to the Department of Transportation DOT and Environmental Protection Agency EPA regulations Particularly, DOT standards require that motor vehicles less than 25 years of age conform to safety and bumper standards and that the manufacturer of each vehicle affix the label on each vehicle stating that it satisfies these requirements EPA regulations also stipulate that all vehicles be compliant with air pollution emission standards If a non-resident wishes to import vehicles that do not meet these standards then they must submit EPA form 3520-1 and DOT form HS-7 with CBP at the moment of entry to get prior approval from EPA Imported Racing Vehicles Motor vehicle laws differ from state to state, however, there are some commonalities across the country regarding registering vehicles and being licensed to drive https//vimeocom/706733153 , driver and vehicle security The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation establishes and enforces national standards for cars and other equipment, which includes a number of motor sport related requirements The first step to import a racing car to the United States is to get written approval from DOT This is only required for cars that will be imported permanently or if they are being temporarily used in racing You'll require an CAMS licence and to prove that you have competed in motorsports and have a genuine desire to own a car You will also have to satisfy other compliance requirements such as fitting child safety restraints and 17-digit VIN plate The EPA won't grant you permission to import a racing vehicle into the US unless it is race-ready when it is entered and does not have features that make it unsafe or inadvisable for use on roads and highways You must check box 7 on the HS-7 customs form and then submit an EPA letter prior to when the vehicle is cleared Imported Touring Vehicles Motorists visiting the United States as tourists from Central and South American countries which have signed the Inter-American Convention of 1943 may use their vehicles in the United States for one year or the period of validity of their passports or less as long as they do not need license plates or driver's permits However, they are required to show EPA forms AP 3520-1 and DOT HS-7 at the time of entry Imported vehicles used for touring are also subjected to 40 Customs duty and 10 percent VAT, as well as an ad valorem rate that can range from 15 up to 100 based on piston displacement These duties and taxes also apply to spare parts that are included in the imported vehicle The presence of the owner is essential Vehicles imported for commercial purpose The law defines "motor vehicle" as any device capable of transporting property or people and that is driven by power other than muscular force and is not limited to a electric personal assistive mobility devices that are operated or driven by an individual with a disability; b farm type tractor that is used for the running of a farm business or implements of husbandry or snow plowing; c vehicles which run only upon rails or tracks and d all-terrain vehicles The laws of each state may differ from the definition and any vehicle that falls within the definition of the statute is subject to the state's licensing, registration, and financial responsibility laws The motor vehicle division of the state regulates new and second-hand dealers, manufacturers, moving firms and other motor vehicle related companies It also manages the state Lemon Law which offers relief to customers who prove that they purchased a vehicle that was defective A government motor vehicle is any vehicle that is acquired by the executive through purchase, excess, forfeiture or commercial lease, or GSA fleet leasing, and is utilized to carry out the transport purpose of an agency or business This includes both domestic fleets as well as foreign ones Additionally the definition of the word is to encompass any vehicle used by the department of public safety in responding to emergencies or providing other emergency services The definition excludes private vehicles owned by police officers or firefighters, ambulances, and vehicles that are owned by the commissioners court of a county having a population greater than 1 million