A car from the USA without customs duty: how to tell by the VIN
From 1 July 2026, cars made in the USA (of US origin) pay 0% EU import duty (Regulation (EU) 2026/1455); before, it was 10%. When you buy a car at a US auction, this is a real saving, but what matters is where the car was made, not where it is sold.
How to recognise a US-built car
Look at the first character of the VIN. If it is 1, 4 or 5 (and some codes starting with 7), the car was made in the USA. Other first characters, for example 2 (Canada), 3 (Mexico), J (Japan), K (Korea) or W (Germany), mean the car was made outside the USA, so the usual 10% duty applies.
In our search and on the vehicle page, US-built cars are marked "Built in the USA · 0% duty". You can also check a VIN in the VIN decoder.
The factory matters, not the brand
Many cars popular in Europe are built for the US market in US factories, for example:
- BMW X5, X6 and X7 (South Carolina);
- Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS (Alabama);
- Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, Ford Mustang and F-150, RAM 1500;
- some Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan models.
The same model can be built in several countries, so always check the VIN of the specific car. Customs confirm the origin from the documents.
How much you save
Duty is charged on the auction price plus the auction fees and shipping to the EU. VAT (21%) is charged on the same amount plus the duty, so 0% duty lowers the VAT too.
- Example: price with auction fees and shipping 10,000 €.
- Built outside the USA: duty 1,000 €, VAT 2,310 €, total 3,310 €.
- Built in the USA: duty 0 €, VAT 2,100 €, total 2,100 €.
- You save 1,210 €.
The exact amounts for a specific car are on its page under "Price in Lithuania" or in the calculator.
Where to find these cars
On the home page, the row "Made in the USA: 0% duty" shows selected auctions, and in the search every card with a US-built car is marked. If you have already found a car, send us the link: we will check its origin, documents and the full price to Lithuania.