To export a motor vehicle from the United States , the exporter must provide documents that demonstrate proof of ownership. In almost all cases, this will be the certificate of title. The original ownership documents, or a certified copy, and two copies must be presented to U.S. Customs.

If you are exporting through a land border port, you must submit the ownership documents to that port at least three days before exportation. On the date of exportation, you must present the vehicle to U.S. Customs to verify that the car being exported is the one described in the ownership documents. The car will be subject to Customs inspection at the time of exportation.

If the exportation is by ship or plane, both the vehicle and ownership documents must be presented to Customs at least 72 hours before lading, at which time Customs will conduct its inspection. The vehicle will be authorized for export only after Customs has inspected it and certified that the ownership documents are in proper order. Your original title will then be stamped or perforated to show that your vehicle was exported from the United States .

OWNERSHIP DOCUMENTS Only the original certificate of title, or a certified copy of the original, is considered valid proof of ownership. Other registration documents, by themselves, are not considered proof of ownership.

If the car has a lien, encumbrance, or is leased, the exporter will have to attach to the certificate of title a letter from the lien holder or lease holder authorizing it to leave the country. If the vehicle is a new car that has never been titled, it can be exported by submitting a document known as a manufacturer’s statement of origin in lieu of the title.

The manufacturer’s statement of origin may be obtained from the auto dealer. The original and two copies must be presented to Customs.

Some very old used vehicles and some foreign vehicles purchased abroad may not have a certificate of title, or junk scrap certificate in force and for which a manufacture’s statement of origin was not issued. In these cases, a bill of sale, sales invoice, right of possession, or other documents sufficient to prove lawful ownership may be used. In addition, the owner must certify in writing to Customs that the procurement of the vehicle was a bona fide transaction and that the vehicles presented for export is not stolen. Again, the original and two copies must be presented.

Check with your local Customs office about acceptable ownership documentation for cases in which a title cannot be produced. Most used vehicles, however and this includes used cars bought and sold in the United States—must be accompanied by the original title, or a certified copy, as proof of ownership.