Trade and legal rules
Registered Importer
A Registered Importer is a business NHTSA registers to import certain nonconforming vehicles and bring them into conformity.
Data as of October 2, 2026
This page is factual and informational only. It is not legal advice.
A vehicle less than 25 years old that was not built and certified to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards cannot be imported for road use just because someone wants it. 49 U.S.C. § 30141 creates a narrow path. NHTSA must decide the vehicle is eligible. Eligibility can rest on substantial similarity to a certified U.S. model that can be readily altered, or, if no such model exists, on evidence that the vehicle can be altered to meet the standards. The import is done by a registered importer, or by a person who has a contract with one, and the vehicle is modified to conform. [1] [3]
49 CFR Part 592 sets the registration rules for those businesses. NHTSA keeps a public list of registered importers. Appendix A to 49 CFR Part 593 lists vehicles NHTSA has found eligible. A car is not eligible because it appears in this catalog. This page does not describe the modification work, the petition, or the bond. [2] [3] [4]
Some catalog barrier lines say a Registered Importer conversion is not economically viable. That sentence is the catalog's note. It is not a NHTSA cost finding. [3]
Sources
- [1] 49 U.S.C. § 30141 — Importing motor vehicles capable of compliance — Congress.gov
- [2] 49 CFR Part 592 — Registered Importers — eCFR / NHTSA
- [3] Registered Importers — NHTSA
- [4] 49 CFR Part 593, Appendix A — vehicles eligible for importation — eCFR / NHTSA
Cars affected
Published catalog cars whose public notes, description, specs, name, or stated country match this term. A match is not a legal conclusion about that car.
- Alpine A2902025
France - Citroën C32026
Slovakia - Dacia Duster2026
Romania - Dacia SanderoRomania
- Fiat Grande Panda2026
Serbia - Fiat Strada
BR - Ford Everest2025
Thailand - Honda N-Box2026
Japan - Hyundai Casper Electric2026
South Korea - Isuzu D-Max2025Thailand
- Kia Ray EV2026South Korea
- Mahindra Thar Roxx2026
India - Maruti Suzuki DzireIndia
- Maruti Suzuki ErtigaIndia
- Maruti Suzuki FronxIndia
- Maruti Suzuki SwiftIndia
- Mitsubishi Delica D:52025Japan
- Mitsubishi Triton2025Thailand
- Nissan Sakura2026Japan
- Peugeot 20082026
Spain - Renault 4 E-Tech2025France
- Renault 5 E-Tech2026France
- Renault ClioFrance
- Skoda Octavia vRS2026
Czechia - Suzuki Jimny Nomade2025Japan
- Tata Nexon EV2026India
- Tata PunchIndia
- Toyota Alphard2025Japan
- Toyota GR Yaris2025Japan
- Toyota HiLux2026Japan
- Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series2026Japan
- Volkswagen Amarok2026
Germany - Volkswagen ID. Polo2026Spain
- Volkswagen Polo
ZA - Volkswagen T-RocGermany