Importing a vehicle to the United States requires certified English translations of the foreign title, bill of sale, and customs paperwork. State DMVs, Customs and Border Protection, EPA, and NHTSA will not register or release a vehicle without compliant translations.
Every foreign-language document in a US vehicle import file maps to a specific federal or state agency. The Foreign Vehicle Title and the Bill of Sale are the two core documents required by US Customs & Border Protection at the port of entry, attached to Customs Form 7501 (the entry summary), and CBP will not release the vehicle without certified English translations. The Vehicle Registration (Foreign) and Export Certificate from the country of origin go in the same CBP package and are also forwarded to the destination state DMV, which will not issue a US certificate of title or license plates until it has the translated foreign title, registration, and bill of sale matched to the VIN on Form 7501. Auto Auctions and used-car dealers similarly require the translated title and bill of sale before they will accept a foreign vehicle on consignment.
The federal compliance layer adds three more agencies. EPA Form 3520-1 is filed with the Environmental Protection Agency to declare the vehicle either meets US emissions standards or qualifies for a 21-year or one-time-import exemption, and any factory emissions sheet supporting it must be translated. The DOT Conformity Letter is filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on DOT Form HS-7 to declare FMVSS safety compliance or claim the 25-year exemption; if the vehicle was built for a non-US market, a Registered Importer issues this letter referencing the Manufacturer Statement of Origin (MSO), which we translate field-by-field. The US Coast Guard accepts the same translated bill of sale and title for vessels imported by trailer. For European imports, see our European vehicle registration translation guide; for Japanese 25-year imports, see JDM Japanese vehicle import translation.
The state-level documents close the loop. State Inspection Stations require translated foreign Inspection Reports (TUV in Germany, MOT in the UK, controle technique in France) before issuing a US safety inspection sticker. Vehicle Insurance Companies underwriting the new US policy ask for the translated foreign Insurance Documents to verify continuous coverage and claims history, which keeps premiums lower. We translate every line of the foreign title including transfer history, lien information, odometer disclosures, and vehicle specifications, and we add the translator certificate of accuracy that CBP, EPA, NHTSA, every state DMV, and US insurers require. Get a free quote with photos of your import paperwork and we will turn around the full CBP, EPA, NHTSA, and DMV package in 24 hours.
Upload your foreign title and we will deliver a certified English translation accepted by US Customs, every state DMV, and federal compliance agencies.