All vehicles entering the United States from another country for resale must be imported through a registered importer. A registered importer is a business authorized by the Federal Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to handle the legalities of importing vehicles into the United States. On behalf of the vehicle owner, the registered importer ensures the vehicle has proper ownership documents, meets all EPA and DOT standards, inspects the VIN, converts the odometer reading to miles, and ensures custom duties are paid, if applicable.

Effective December 1, 2001, Michigan Department of State branch offices require additional documents to be presented with RD-108 and TR-11 title applications for vehicles imported from other countries, including Canada. These documents are:

• U.S. Customs Entry Summary Form (Customs Form 7501)
  
  This form (see attached sample) is required by U.S. Customs for all vehicles entering the United States whether imported by a private citizen (informally) or a registered importer (formally). The form verifies the vehicle entered the United States properly, identifies the port of entry, and declares whether duty is due.  Customs Form 7501 must be stamped by the U.S. Customs office at the port of entry, which verifies their processing of the form.  Forms submitted to the State without official stamps will be denied.

• Vehicle Number and On-Road Equipment Inspection Form (TR-54)
  
  Customs Form 7501 lists the port through which the vehicle entered the United States. Michigan port codes begin with the number 38 (e.g., 3801 is Detroit and 3802 is Port Huron). If a port code does not begin with 38, Part 1 (Vehicle Number Inspection) of the TR-54 must be completed by a Michigan law enforcement officer to verify the vehicle is physically in Michigan. The Department will only title vehicles that are brought into Michigan for use or sale.

Note: A TR-54 is not required for vehicles that enter the U.S. through another state's port if an application for registration (new plate or transferred plate) accompanies the Michigan title application. This exemption does not apply to in-transit registrations.

These titling requirements are due to the large number of Canadian vehicles being titled in Michigan that are not imported into Michigan and are not intended for use in Michigan. Department of State branch offices will not process title transactions for imported vehicles if the Customs Form 7501 is missing or does not have the official U.S. Customs stamp.  Transactions will also be refused for vehicles imported through a non-Michigan port if they are not accompanied by a TR-54 with Part 1 completed or an application for registration. All other title application requirements for foreign vehicles remain unchanged, including the need for a properly assigned proof of ownership document.

Application

These requirements apply to dealers, businesses, and persons importing vehicles into Michigan for re-titling. If a Michigan citizen or licensed dealer purchases a new or used vehicle in Canada and brings it back to Michigan, a stamped Customs Form 7501 is required before a Michigan title can be issued. Canadian residents who move to Michigan and bring their vehicles with them for re-titling in Michigan must also submit a stamped Customs Form 7501.

If a Michigan dealer or citizen imports a vehicle through a non-Michigan port, a stamped Customs Form 7501 and a TR-54 with Part 1 completed are both required unless the vehicle is registered in Michigan at the time of title application.

Dealer Manual

Please note these changes supplement Section 4-9.2 of the Dealer Manual. Section 4-9.2 lists the documents required when applying for Michigan resale titles and converting an odometer reading from kilometers to miles. The changes will be included in upcoming revisions to the Dealer Manual.

Questions

Any questions regarding titling requirements for vehicles from foreign countries may telephone 1-888-SOS-MICH
(1-888-767-6424).