Tips for buying a car from the USA
No duty and electric cars
- A car from the USA without customs duty: how to tell by the VINFrom 1 July 2026 US-built cars pay 0% EU duty. How to recognise a US-built car by the VIN (1, 4, 5) and how much you save.
- An electric or hybrid car from the USA: what you need to knowTesla, Kia EV6, Mustang Mach-E and hybrids from US auctions: battery, shipping, charging in Europe, duty and registration in Lithuania.
- Tesla from the USA: Model 3 and Model Y price, duty and chargingIs a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y from a US auction worth it: 0% duty, shipping, the charging connector in Europe, the battery and the title.
- A hybrid from the USA: RAV4 Hybrid, Camry Hybrid and the batteryToyota RAV4 Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Lexus and other hybrids from the USA: which pay no duty, the battery, shipping and the plug-in connector.
- A pickup from the USA: RAM 1500, F-150, Tundra. What it costs to bring oneFull-size US pickups from Copart and IAAI: which pay no duty, what shipping costs, registration in Lithuania and what to check before bidding.
Price and taxes
- How much it costs to bring a car from the USAWhat the price of a car from the USA is made of: auction price and fees, shipping to Klaipėda, port services, duty, VAT and our service fee.
- Customs duty and VAT on a car from the USAHow much duty and VAT you pay on a car from the USA: 0% for US-built cars, 10% for others, VAT 21%. A worked example and when it is paid.
- Copart or IAAI: the differences and what auction fees costThe two largest US car auctions: how Copart and IAAI differ, how bidding works and what the auction fees come to.
- Is it worth bringing a car from the USA? A comparison with buying in LithuaniaWhen a car from a US auction pays off and when it does not: a worked example with all costs, the risks and tips.
- The registration (pollution) tax when registering a car from the USAWhen the registration (pollution) tax is paid on registering a car from the USA, how the CO2 figure is set and whether an electric car or a pickup pays it.
- Registration (pollution) tax 2026: what a car from the USA will costWhat the registration (pollution) tax costs in 2026 for a car from the USA: amounts for petrol and diesel cars by CO2 from Regitra's calculator, and who does not pay it.
- A motorcycle from the USA: duty, shipping and registrationWhat it costs to bring a motorcycle from a US auction: duty by TARIC (0 % if made in the USA), ocean shipping, VAT, the technical inspection and registration in Lithuania.
Auction terms
- Salvage, Clean, Rebuilt: what US car titles meanUS car title types made simple: Salvage, Clean, Rebuilt, Junk, Parts only, Certificate of destruction. Which can be registered in Lithuania.
- Damage types at US auctions: Front End, Hail, Flood and othersUS auction damage types explained: what Front End, Rear End, Hail, Flood, Mechanical and Biohazard mean and which to avoid.
- Copart damage codes: the full list explainedEvery Copart damage code explained: AO, BC, BN, FD, FR, HL, MC, RO, RR, SD, ST, VI, WA and the others. What they mean and which to watch out for.
- Auction statuses: Run and Drive, Starts, Stationary – what they meanWhat the auction car statuses Run and Drive, Starts, Engine Start Program and Stationary mean, and why they are not a guarantee.
- Odometer brands at US auctions: Actual, Not Actual, ExemptUS auction odometer brands explained: actual mileage, not actual, exempt, exceeds mechanical limits. How to check the mileage.
- Buy Now or bid at auction: when each pays offWhat a Buy Now price is at US auctions, when it is worth buying at once and when it is better to wait for the auction.
- Carfax or AutoCheck: which vehicle history report to chooseHow Carfax and AutoCheck reports differ, what they show and what they do not. A Carfax report by VIN for 5 € by email.
Registration in Lithuania
- Registering a car from the USA in Lithuania: certification, inspection, RegitraFrom customs clearance in Klaipėda to plates at Regitra: repair, adaptation to EU requirements, technical inspection, insurance and the registration (pollution) tax.
- Technical inspection for a car from the USA: what is checked and how to prepareWhat the technical inspection checks on a car from the USA: lights, the rear fog light, wheel alignment, the identification plate, emission requirements. How to prepare.
- Adapting to EU requirements: what a car from the USA needs changedWhat must be changed so a car from the USA can be registered in Lithuania: turn signals, the rear fog light, the speedometer, wheel alignment and more.
Popular models
- BMW X5 from the USA without dutyThe BMW X5 is built in South Carolina, so an X5 from the USA pays 0% duty. What to check: versions, the xDrive45e and 50e hybrids, the title.
- Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee from the USAThe Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee are built in the USA, so the duty is 0%. Versions, 4xe hybrids, rust and what to check before bidding.
- Ford Mustang from the USAThe Ford Mustang is built in Michigan, so the duty is 0%. GT V8 or EcoBoost, convertibles, the Mach-E difference and what to check.
For companies and choosing a broker
- A car from the USA for a company: VAT and documentsHow a company buys a car from a US auction: the contract and invoices in the company's name, VAT and what to agree with the accountant.
- How to choose a broker: 7 questions before you signWhat to ask a broker before buying a car from a US auction: the full price, the contract, the deposit, deadlines, insurance, documents and reviews.