Maryland: titling an imported car
Maryland's MVA says overseas vehicles must meet FMVSS, EPA and Maryland standards and be titled within 60 days of U.S. entry; HS-7 box 1 or 2A is accepted.
Sources checked 2026-10-17. Not legal advice; rules change.
At a glance
- Import ease (where verified): Process documented; 25-year treatment not stated in the sources read. The MVA page lists HS-7 Box 1 as acceptable but also says overseas vehicles must meet FMVSS, EPA and Maryland standards.
- Kei / mini-truck: No kei or mini-truck rule found in the sources read. No kei or mini-truck rule found in the official pages read.
What the official sources say
- Maryland MVA: before an overseas ('gray market') vehicle can be titled it must meet safety, pollution control and other specifications; a non-conforming vehicle must be modified before applying, cannot be titled or registered until brought into compliance, and the vehicle must be titled within 60 days of entry into the U.S.
Source: Maryland MVA: Title & Registration for Vehicles Coming from Overseas - Same page: overseas vehicles must meet FMVSS, EPA requirements, and Maryland safety and emissions requirements if applicable. For the U.S. DOT HS-7, 'either box 1 or 2A must be checked, verifying the vehicle meets U.S. specifications'; extra documentation is required if box 2B or 3 is checked. (On the NHTSA HS-7 form, Box 1 is the 25-or-more-years-old declaration.)
Source: Maryland MVA page; NHTSA Form HS-7 - Documents: Application for Certificate of Title (VR-005); proof of ownership (certificate of origin and/or foreign or military registration, with an embassy-sealed English translation if foreign registration documents are used); HS-7; CBP import documentation including the digital Cargo Release '1C'; compliance documents showing FMVSS and EPA compliance; a Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate from the Maryland State Police (valid 90 days; not required if the vehicle is new, meets all U.S. specifications and has never been registered); valid ID; and payment of fees and taxes. Title in person is recommended; insurance is needed for registration.
Source: Maryland MVA page
Not verified (do not rely on ImportClock for these)
- The page does not say how an HS-7 Box 1 (25-year) vehicle shows the 'compliance documents' it lists, or whether the safety and emissions standards are waived for it.
- Maryland emissions (VEIP) treatment of imports and kei vehicles were not addressed on the page.
- The older MVA page 'Titling - Gray Market or Overseas Vehicle' was not read.