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International auto transport: Vehicle homologation

International auto transport: Vehicle homologation

Many people think that importing or exporting a vehicle is fairly simple. Everything you need should eventually come down to reliable car shipping services. In reality, this is not always the case.

International auto transport can be a complex topic to navigate. Depending on the countries, it can include various additional actions. On top of that, perhaps the most important thing is the vehicle itself. Classic cars have it a bit easier, but almost all other vehicles have to meet certain criteria. What is more, such criteria are specific to any given country.

A car that is allowed in one country, may not be road legal in another. To make it road legal (or to see if it already is), the vehicle has to pass through a homologation process.

In this post, we are going to explore exactly what that is, and what it means for international car shipping.

What is vehicle homologation?

In layman’s terms, every single country has some requirements for vehicles. It means that in order for any car to be sold on the market, it has to meet those requirements. In other words, it has passed through vehicle homologation.

You rarely hear about such requirements though. That is because cars you buy in-country (which are most cars anyway) have already gone through homologation. The manufacturers are responsible for that if they want to sell their cars.

Because of all that, people have a bad idea about importing and exporting vehicles. Many folks look at cars on a given foreign market and decide to buy them. Only it is not just a simple transaction. Often you can import a vehicle, but not drive it, as it is not road legal. Let’s see what the most common scenarios are.

Vehicle homologation examples

One of the most common situations is importing a vehicle from the US to the EU (occasionally, vice versa too). As a general rule of thumb, US-to-EU homologation is a bit laxer. While European safety standards are usually stricter, they allow some exceptions. US imports, on the other hand, have to be wholly compliant.

Ironically, many cars that people would actually want to import from the EU to the US, may not be roadworthy at all. Cars that would be are usually cheaper in the States, so there is no reason to import. This is why it is important to research specific model homologation needs beforehand. In any case, the easier homologation process makes US-to-EU imports more common.

Here is a summary of how the US and the EU approach vehicle standards so that you know what to expect:

  • Safety standards. As we have mentioned, Europe has stricter laws. In the US, manufacturers self-certify safety. In the EU, manufacturers need governmental approval.
  • Emission standards. In general, EU emission standards for newer vehicles are close to the US ones, but the latter require a lot more testing. Because of that, most EU cars would likely pass a US test but would need to go through an extensive procedure. Additionally, EU tests are different in concept, so a US car would have to be tested there too.
  • Fuel efficiency standards. Europe does not have set requirements for those. However, by definition, such requirements are closely tied to the emission standards. In the majority of cases, EU vehicles would pass US standards.
  • Additional requirements. There are many other small requirements that usually need a check. That includes lighting, electromagnetic compatibility, etc. In most cases, though, such tests are more of a formality.

Another scenario is importing a car from Japan to the US. This is actually more likely to cause problems than an EU import. Japanese cars usually come with a right-hand drive and they also have to meet all the requirements above. The problem is that often, the discrepancy is bigger than between the US and EU cars.

That being said, it is key to do your research. Any car you import would have to go through homologation. However, if it does not meet the standards, it will have to be brought to compliance or exported. If you cannot handle any of that, then it would have to be destroyed. This applies to the EU, Japanese, and any other vehicle.

The good news is that Japan exports are becoming more and more common. That makes it easier to find an already US-compliant model. Plus, any car that is more than 25 years old can be imported freely from anywhere, as it is considered classic. Explore our story about the Lada Zhiguli that travels halfway across the globe!

How to take care of homologation

For starters, it depends on the country into which you will be importing the vehicle. If you are shipping a car to the EU, there are many companies that can help you with homologation. They offer licensed experts, who can legally inspect your car and certify it. Moreover, they can also help you with all the necessary documentation.

The great news about importing to the EU is that the car usually does not have to meet all the standards perfectly. You can request a certificate of exception that will include all the unmet requirements. From then on you have to act on a country-by-country basis.

Japan-to-US imports and homologation are done in a similar fashion. The only problem here is that the imported vehicle absolutely has to meet US standards. For more details on those, you can check our article on how to import a car to the United States.

Would you like to import or export a vehicle?

Undoubtedly, many foreign vehicles look tempting no matter where you live. Some Europeans crave the American muscle beasts, while here in the States we drool over a good Nissan Skyline. Often it is not even about price – we just want access to foreign models here!

Are you actually considering importing a car to the US or another country? As a car shipping company, we’ll do our best to assist you in that!

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Looking for a logistics company, to ship my car, from California to Illinois,my first search, then Corsia showed up, skeptical. Call and a very friendly secretary: Elena. She guided me through, I scheduled and as she explained, all when smooth as scheduled Very happy I did the right choice. I'll recommend this great Company to anyone that is thinking to relocate a vehicle. Thanks Corsia logistics for your honesty and professionalism!
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Corsia was highly recommended by a friend in the automobile industry. We needed to transport a cargo van from Seattle to Florida. We contacted Corsia who quickly arranged transport within just a few days. Communication was outstanding! Just a few email confirmations and we were all set. Mike was great and arrived right on time and delivered to Florida on schedule. Tip-avoid the hornets nest of auto brokers on line and just contact Corsia for a truly great experience!
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Corsia has been amazing. Their prices are really competitive but more importantly their customer service has been 5-Star. Elena followed up with me every step of the way, making sure there was no miscommunication between me & the driver. We are using them to ship a 2nd vehicle & would not hesitate to use them again!
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I have recently used Corsia for long time family car with sentimental value that was moved I have recently used Corsia for shipment of my vehicle from Oregon to Arizona by recommendation from other family member who also used Corsia in the past. I am very pleased on the service and the communication throughout shipment. Ken was my direct contact and kept me informed along the move The car was picked up and delivered as communicated. I did use a enclosed mover and the driver was also clean cut professional and treated car as his own. I would definitely recommend Corsia again with the experience I have had. Thank you. T
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Top notch Transport - Porsche 997 Top notch! As easy and efficient as one could possibly imagine. Great customer service.. thank you Luke. Great prices. Check. Timely communications. Check. Clean transport trailer. Check. Supremely careful driver. Check. Timely arrival. Check. Don't mess around elsewhere, just call Corsica and feel confident your transports needs are going to be exceeded. My Porsche 911 rode like a Queen in her enclosed chariot. I've never needed a transport company before, and I surely will use them every time. Do yourself a favor, seriously. Call now.
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Corsia rep (Elena) was very proactive. Helped ship a car from CA to GA. She checked in with me via email quote and several phone calls to find me the best possible quote for the fastest available service. After several communications, Corsia was able to schedule a vehicle pickup the next day. The driver communicated well, and the vehicle arrived in final destination faster than we expected in perfect condition. I highly recommend using Corsia's reliable, efficient service.
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Thanks, Corsia! Pickup was so clean, efficient, and wonderful -- my only recommendation is to make sure you schedule it during the day so you can fully review the car in the daylight. Drop off was equally wonderful, and the whole trip went down without a hitch (pun intended!). Seriously, Corsia delivered my Jeep from CT to California with no issues or bumps in the road!
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Corsia Memphis to LA, mid-size SUV. I looked at 4 different companies amd Corsia was the most responsive of them. While being responsive, they were not unduly aggressive: when I indicated that I need to wait a month before making a decision they stopped contacting me and only came back with a reminder when I really needed it. Once I decided to engage Corsia they found me a transport within two days and the car was delivered (from Memphis to LA) in another two days. I had a truly positive experience.
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Working with Corsia Logistics was a great experience. Working with Corsia Logistics was wonderful. They were able to find a driver right away to transport our car. They were in constant communication as to when the car was getting picked up and dropped off. The driver also communicated with me as to when he would arrive. I would highly recommend Corsia Logistics.
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Corsia was an excellent company to work with while I transferred my car across the US. A friend of mine suggested I use them as they had been very organized and trustworthy with her own car. I researched a few different place but decided to go with Corsia and I'm so glad I did! Any questions I had throughout the process they answered quickly and clearly. I would definitely use them again in the future and recommend them for others to use.
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