Portugal is one of the best places in Europe to buy a classic or youngtimer for the US: a mild, dry climate that is kind to bodywork, a large stock of European cars that were never sold in America, and three deep-water ports with regular sailings to the East Coast. This guide explains, step by step, how a car leaves Portugal and arrives at a US port with everything needed for a US title. We do this every week from our base in Ouca, near Aveiro, one hour from the port of Leixões.
Step 1: Check that the car is legal to import
A car that does not meet US safety and emissions standards can be imported once it is at least 25 years old, counted month for month from its date of manufacture (49 CFR 591.5(i), declared on form HS-7). The EPA exemption is separate and applies to vehicles at least 21 years old in original configuration (form 3520-1). Check the build month on the manufacturer’s plate before you pay anything. See the 25-year rule explained and the list of European cars that turn 25 in 2026.
Step 2: Buy the car and collect the Portuguese documents
- Certificado de Matrícula (the registration certificate, formerly the DUA) in the seller’s name.
- Bill of sale or invoice: a declaração de venda from a private seller, or a fatura from a dealer. This sets the value declared to US Customs.
- Seller and buyer identification, and the inspection certificate if the car has one.
Check that the seller is the registered owner and that the car has no loans or liens registered against it at the Conservatória do Registo Automóvel.
Step 3: Export the car from Portugal
- Customs export declaration. A car leaving the European Union needs an export declaration filed with Portuguese customs (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira), usually by the customs agent at the departure port, with a commercial or pro-forma invoice.
- Cancel the Portuguese registration. Once the car has left the country, the registered owner asks IMT to cancel the registration for export: form Modelo 9, ID, the registration certificate and proof that the vehicle left Portugal. The IMT fee is €10. Until it is cancelled, the car stays on the Portuguese register.
- Keep the paper trail. The export declaration, the bill of lading and the cancelled registration are what the US side relies on to prove where the car came from.
Step 4: Ship it to a US port
Cars leave from Leixões (Porto), Lisbon or Sines, either roll-on/roll-off (driven onto the ship) or in a container. A container costs more but protects a valuable or non-running car better. Freight forwarders currently publish transit times of roughly 20 to 25 days to the Northeast (New York/New Jersey, Baltimore), around 35 days to the Southeast and Gulf, and 45 days or more to the West Coast. Add a few days for loading and for customs clearance on arrival.
Step 5: Clear US Customs
A licensed customs broker files the entry on your behalf. The documents are:
- Bill of lading, bill of sale or invoice, and the foreign registration (or its cancellation).
- DOT form HS-7, box 1 (vehicle at least 25 years old).
- EPA form 3520-1, code E (vehicle at least 21 years old, original configuration).
- CBP form 7501 (entry summary), filed by the broker.
Duty on a car built in the European Union is 10 % of the purchase price since July 24, 2026 (the 2.5 % base rate topped up by the Section 301 tariff). A car built in the United Kingdom pays 12.5 %, even when it is bought in Portugal, and pick-ups and vans classified as trucks pay 25 %. The 25 % Section 232 tariff on automobiles does not apply to cars built 25 years or more before the year of entry. On top of the duty: the Merchandise Processing Fee (0.3464 %, between $34.58 and $670.86) and the Harbor Maintenance Fee (0.125 %).
What it costs: a worked example
A car bought for €20,000 in Portugal, built in the EU, shipped roll-on/roll-off to Baltimore (exchange rate of October 12, 2026):
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Car (€20,000) | $22,360 |
| Transport to the port, export paperwork | $900 |
| Ocean freight, roll-on/roll-off | $2,200 – $2,500 |
| Marine insurance (about 1.5 %) | $340 |
| US duty (10 %) | $2,236 |
| MPF + HMF | $105 |
| Customs broker, bond, port and terminal fees | about $1,500 |
| Landed in Baltimore | about $29,600 – $29,900 |
Not included: transport from the port to your home, state sales tax, title and registration fees. Freight rates move; ask for a quote on the day.
Step 6: Title and register it in your state
With the stamped CBP 7501, the HS-7, the 3520-1 and the foreign documents, you apply for a title in your state. Most states are straightforward; California, Georgia and Maine are high-risk. Check yours in our state-by-state registration guide.
Or let us do all of it
We find the car in Portugal or anywhere in Europe, inspect it, handle the Portuguese export and registration cancellation, ship it, clear US Customs and hand you a car landed at a US port with a US title, at one all-in price. Tell us what you are looking for, browse the models we import, or read how buying from us works.