Importing a car from the USA
Since July 2026 the duty on cars of American origin is zero, provided you can prove the origin and the car is transported directly from the United States.
Two outcomes, ten percentage points apart
Everything rests on whether origin can be substantiated. Budget for the more expensive outcome until you know the cheaper one is available.
- Origin can be substantiated
- Zero duty. Claimed with preference code 300 and document code U190 in the declaration.
- Origin cannot be substantiated
- Ten per cent duty on the customs value. That is the starting point, not the exception.
- The car is at least thirty years old
- No duty at all and twelve per cent VAT, if it is in original condition and the model is no longer in production.
- VAT
- Twenty-five per cent, calculated on the customs value plus the duty plus freight to your location in Sweden.
What you pay
On a car with a customs value of 400 000 kronor the difference is 50 000 kronor. It rests entirely on what evidence the American seller can supply, and that is a question to ask before you pay, not after the car is sitting in port.
An invoice that says made in USA is not proof of origin. The Commission has said so explicitly.
What has to be in place
Four documents carry the whole case. The title is the one that most often causes trouble, because it looks different in every state.
- Title
- The American registration certificate. Sent as an original to the origin check, as registered post. The Transport Agency publishes approved examples by state, and two examples that are not accepted.
- Bill of sale
- The purchase document. Must show seller, buyer, date and chassis number.
- Proof of customs clearance
- Must contain a Swedish customs ID and a vehicle-specific detail. It is the document that ties the customs case to the Transport Agency case.
- Evidence of origin
- What substantiates that the car is American. An invoice saying made in USA is not enough.
Documents
The Transport Agency publishes images of approved title variants state by state, and two examples that are not accepted. Look there before you send anything. It is cheaper than having the application returned.
The route after the port
The order is the same as for all imports from outside the EU, and is set out step by step on the page about importing a car. Customs clearance first, then the origin check at the Transport Agency for 1 240 kronor, then the registration inspection, then registration.
The most common mistake is booking the inspection too early. A slot can only be booked once the origin check is approved, and the case number from the decision has to be used when booking.
Shipping across the Atlantic
Two methods dominate. Roll-on roll-off means the car is driven aboard and stands on the vessel deck. It is cheaper and sails more often, but the car stands unprotected and loose equipment has to come out. A container protects against weather and damage and can be shared with another car, but costs more and requires loading and unloading at both ends.
Budget for storage charges if the car ends up waiting in port while a paperwork issue is resolved. That is the cost that most often catches people out, and the only one that can be avoided entirely by having the documents ready before the vessel arrives.
Read on
Importing goods other than cars from the USA? Read about importing from the USA.
Is the car coming from Japan? Read about importing a car from Japan.
Common questions
Is the duty really zero on American cars?
It can be. Since 1 July 2026 the duty rate is zero for goods originating in the United States, and passenger cars are covered. But the zero rate is conditional, and the condition is stricter than most people expect.
You have to substantiate that the car has American origin under the EU general rules of origin, and that it was transported directly from the United States. The Commission has been explicit: a certificate from the seller, the words made in US on the invoice or a certificate of origin are not sufficient on their own. If the American seller cannot supply more than that, ten per cent applies.
Is buying the car in the United States enough?
No. Origin is about where the car was manufactured or last substantially processed, not where it stood when you bought it. A BMW built in South Carolina has American origin. A Toyota bought in California but built in Japan does not, and then ten per cent applies. If you want the zero rate, check the country of manufacture before you bid.
How long does the zero duty last?
The regulation applies until 31 December 2029. The Commission may also suspend it temporarily. Check the position close to the purchase if the deal spans a year end, and budget for ten per cent until the origin is actually substantiated.
Do I need EPA or DOT certificates?
No. Those documents show that the car may be used in the United States and are requested by neither Swedish Customs nor the Transport Agency. What you need is the title, the bill of sale, proof of customs clearance and the evidence of origin.
The car has no EU type approval. Is that a problem?
No, but it makes the registration inspection heavier. An American car is neither EC type approved nor previously registered in an EU country, so neither of the two simplifications applies. The inspection covers brakes, emissions and crash safety among other things, and you may need to substantiate additional requirements.
The inspector can grant the own use exemption, which gives a more lenient assessment. Cars of model year 1968 or older need no exemptions at all.
What applies to a brand new American car?
Then individual approval applies instead of a registration inspection. The individual approval requirement covers only brand new vehicles, and it cannot be applied to used vehicles. The Transport Agency charges no fee for that application.
What applies to a classic car from the United States?
If the car is at least thirty years old, of a model or type no longer in production, and in original condition, it is classified as a collector vehicle. That means no duty and twelve per cent VAT. Swedish Customs is clear that a new Corvette or Mustang does not count as the same model as the thirty year older car with the same name, and that a heavily modified or customised car is not in original condition. It is the condition on entry that decides.
Do the Trump tariffs affect this?
No, they run the other way. Section 232 on vehicles and Section 301 are American duties on goods entering the United States. They do not affect what you pay when bringing an American car into Sweden. The EU countermeasures against the United States have also been suspended since July 2026, and there are no additional duties on passenger cars of American origin.
