The United States exempts vehicles 25 years and older from FMVSS compliance — the federal safety standards that otherwise make importing a right-hand-drive Japanese car impractical. The clock runs from the month of manufacture, not the model year, which is why serious buyers track build plates rather than titles.
The EPA emissions exemption arrives earlier, at 21 years, so by the time a car clears the 25-year safety threshold the emissions question has usually answered itself.
Planning around the date
Prices of icon cars climb steeply in the two years before they become US-eligible, as worldwide demand starts pricing in the American market. The pattern has repeated with the R32, R33 and R34 Skylines in turn. If your target is still a year or two out, the cheapest strategy is often to buy at Japanese market prices now and store the car with us until its birthday.
We hold vehicles in Okayama, insured and exercised, and ship in the window you choose. The estimator on every vehicle page shows the exact year a given car becomes US-eligible.