Can I import a left-hand-drive car from the USA to Singapore?

Not as a normal passenger car. The LTA registers right-hand-drive cars only. The narrow exceptions are classics under the LTA's classic-vehicle scheme and the rare right-hand-drive car that is in the US; confirm eligibility with the LTA before you shop.

What is Singapore's age limit for used car imports?

The LTA's guidelines say a used car must be no more than three years old at registration, with a S$10,000 surcharge on used imports and a Certificate of Entitlement required. Classics follow a separate scheme.

Is a US inspection worth it for a classic going to Singapore?

Yes, if the car is eligible. A classic bought from photos and shipped across the Pacific is an expensive thing to get wrong. The inspector verifies numbers against the paperwork, maps rust with a magnet and paint-thickness readings and photographs everything, before you pay.

For collectors in Singapore and Hong Kong: read this before you buy

Buying a US Car for Singapore? Check the Rules First. Then have the car inspected before you pay.

Thinking of buying a car in the United States for Singapore? Read this first: Singapore's Land Transport Authority registers right-hand-drive cars only, limits used-car imports to vehicles no more than three years old, adds a surcharge on used imports and requires a Certificate of Entitlement. US-market cars are left-hand drive, so most of them cannot be registered in Singapore at all.

Where a US car is eligible, typically a classic under the LTA's classic-vehicle rules or the rare right-hand-drive car that happens to be in the US, Vehicle Inspectors sends an independent inspector to it so you know its real condition before you pay, from $249 ($449 and up for classics, quote-based).

This page tells you what the inspection does, and links you to the LTA text so you can check eligibility yourself before spending anything.

Tell us about the car Book online now See a sample report

Since 2012Inspectors in all 50 statesInspector independent of the sellerPriced in US dollars

Can I import a car from the USA to Singapore?

For a normal US-market car, almost never. The LTA's importation guidelines state that only right-hand-drive cars may be registered, that a used car must be no more than three years old at registration, that a surcharge of S$10,000 applies to used imports, and that a Certificate of Entitlement must be secured. A left-hand-drive American car fails the first test regardless of age or condition.

The realistic routes are narrow: a right-hand-drive car that happens to be in the US (rare), or a classic registered under the LTA's classic-vehicle scheme, which has its own age and usage conditions. Hong Kong is similar: it is a right-hand-drive market and the Transport Department refuses left-hand-drive registration except by special permission, with a classic route for older cars. Confirm the current conditions with the LTA or the HK Transport Department before you shop; this page does not restate rules that change.

What the inspection covers when the car is eligible

The full Vehicle Inspectors inspection: body, paint and underbody, frame and prior repair, engine, transmission and driveline, steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, tires, glass, lights, interior, OBD-II scan on cars that support it, and a road test where legal and safe. For a classic, the inspector verifies the VIN and visible numbers against the paperwork, surveys rust with a magnet and paint-thickness readings, and documents the car in forty or more photos; see the classic car inspection page for the full method.

The report is online within 24–48 hours of the visit and readable from Singapore.

Payment, title and the US export filing

Inspect before any deposit. Ask for the title in the seller's name, a lien release if the car was financed, and a bill of sale with the VIN. Pay through a bank wire you initiate to an account you have independently verified; Vehicle Inspectors never holds the purchase money. Your exporter files US export information at least 72 hours before sailing and presents the title to US Customs at the port.

Singapore and Hong Kong rules every buyer should know (and verify)

The Singapore rows are from the LTA's own importation guidelines. The Hong Kong row is secondary. Confirm with the LTA or the Transport Department and a registered importer before you buy.

Import and export rules with source and verification status, last reviewed 2026-10-30
Topic	Rule as we read it	Status	Source
Right-hand drive only (Singapore)	Only right-hand-drive cars can be registered in Singapore. A US-market left-hand-drive car cannot be registered as a normal passenger car.	Official text	LTA OneMotoring: Car importation guidelines (PDF)
Age, surcharge and COE (Singapore)	A used car must be no more than three years old at registration; a S$10,000 surcharge applies to used imports; a Certificate of Entitlement is required.	Official text	LTA OneMotoring: Car importation guidelines (PDF)
Classic vehicles (Singapore)	The LTA runs a separate scheme for classic vehicles with its own age and usage conditions. Check the current scheme rules before buying a US classic for Singapore.	Secondary source · verify	LTA OneMotoring: Vehicle schemes
Hong Kong	Hong Kong is a right-hand-drive market; the Transport Department does not register left-hand-drive vehicles except by special permission, with a route for older classic cars. Confirm current conditions with the Transport Department.	Secondary source · verify	Hong Kong Transport Department
Export filing (AES / EEI)	Every used self-propelled vehicle leaving the US needs Electronic Export Information filed in the Automated Export System at least 72 hours before export, regardless of value or destination. The usual $2,500 low-value exemption does not apply to used vehicles.	Official text	U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Exporting Used Vehicles (15 CFR 30.2)
Title at the port	The original title (or a certified copy) plus two copies, and the vehicle itself, must be presented to CBP at the port of export at least 72 hours before a vessel departure. A car with a lien needs a letter from the lienholder.	Official text	19 CFR 192.2: Requirements for exportation of used self-propelled vehicles
Who files	The filing party must have a US EIN or DUNS number. A buyer outside the US normally works through a US-based exporter, freight forwarder or licensed customs broker who files on their behalf. CBP lists penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for a missing or false filing.	Official text	U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Exporting Used Vehicles flyer

Last reviewed 2026-10-30. Rules change; always confirm with the authority named in the row and with your customs or clearing agent before you buy. Vehicle Inspectors inspects condition and does not certify import eligibility, specification or registrability.

Pricing for Singapore buyers

The same flat US pricing as any buyer, in US dollars: Bronze $249, Silver $349, Gold $449; exotics quoted from $449, classics from $449; a $199 scam check before any deposit.

Vehicle Inspectors pricing in US dollars
Product	Price (USD)	Best for
Bronze	$249	Vehicles under $15K
Silver	$349	Vehicles $15K–$50K
Gold	$449	$50K+, luxury, long-distance sight-unseen
EV	$349	Battery-electric vehicles
Exotic	from $449	Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and similar
Classic	from $449	Collector cars, quoted per car
Scam check	$199	Before any deposit

Priced in US dollars. Your card is saved at booking, a hold is placed when an inspector schedules the job, and the charge is taken when the inspection is completed. If you cancel after an inspector has scheduled your inspection, a $149 cancellation fee is charged to your card on file. No fee if you cancel before an inspector schedules, if your inspector cancels, or if we can't find you an inspector. The scam check is charged once the inspector has started traveling to the car, whatever is found there. Full refund if no inspector accepts within 72 hours. VI Live ($79) adds a live video call with the inspector during the visit.

How it works from Singapore

Send the listing and where the car sits
Paste the dealer listing, auction lot link or seller details, plus the US city or yard. Tell us your country and the deadline you are working against (an auction close, a seller holding the car, a sailing).
An independent inspector goes to the car
A vetted inspector in our network travels to the vehicle in the US. They do not work for the seller, the auction or a broker, and their pay does not depend on whether the car sells.
Photo report in 24–48 hours, in English, online
Every finding documented with photos, OBD-II data where the car can be powered, a plain-English go / caution / stop summary, and the VIN and odometer observations an export buyer needs. Readable on your phone in any time zone.
You decide before you wire money or book a ship
Negotiate, walk away, or move forward. The report is dated and belongs to you, so it also documents condition before the car is handed to a transporter or loaded at the port.

Frequently asked questions

Can I import a left-hand-drive car from the USA to Singapore?: Not as a normal passenger car. The LTA registers right-hand-drive cars only. The narrow exceptions are classics under the LTA's classic-vehicle scheme and the rare right-hand-drive car that is in the US; confirm eligibility with the LTA before you shop.
What is Singapore's age limit for used car imports?: The LTA's guidelines say a used car must be no more than three years old at registration, with a S$10,000 surcharge on used imports and a Certificate of Entitlement required. Classics follow a separate scheme.
Is a US inspection worth it for a classic going to Singapore?: Yes, if the car is eligible. A classic bought from photos and shipped across the Pacific is an expensive thing to get wrong. The inspector verifies numbers against the paperwork, maps rust with a magnet and paint-thickness readings and photographs everything, before you pay.
Can I buy a US car for Hong Kong?: Hong Kong is also a right-hand-drive market and the Transport Department refuses left-hand-drive registration except by special permission, with a classic route for older cars. Check the current conditions with the Transport Department first; if the car is eligible, the inspection works the same way.
How much does it cost?: Bronze $249, Silver $349, Gold $449; classics are quote-based from $449 and exotics from $449; a $199 scam check confirms the car exists and matches its VIN. Priced in US dollars. Your card is saved at booking, a hold is placed when an inspector schedules the job, and the charge is taken when the inspection is completed. If you cancel after an inspector has scheduled your inspection, a $149 cancellation fee is charged to your card on file. No fee if you cancel before an inspector schedules, if your inspector cancels, or if we can't find you an inspector. The scam check is charged once the inspector has started traveling to the car, whatever is found there.

Tell us about the car.

Where it is, who is selling it and your deadline. A dispatcher confirms coverage and access, quotes anything that is quote-based, and replies by email within one business day. Nothing is charged at this step.

Your name

Email (we reply here)

Phone with country code

We reply by email; the phone number is for the inspector or dispatch if a call is needed.

Your country

Your city

Vehicle (year, make, model)

Listing or auction lot link (optional)

Where the car is in the US

Who is selling it

Where you are in the purchase

Deadline, if any

Anything else

We use these details only to answer this inquiry. Nothing is charged for this inquiry.

Different country or vehicle? See all export-buyer pages →

Buying a US Car for Singapore? Check the Rules First. Then have the car inspected before you pay.

Can I import a car from the USA to Singapore?

What the inspection covers when the car is eligible

Payment, title and the US export filing

Singapore and Hong Kong rules every buyer should know (and verify)

Pricing for Singapore buyers

How it works from Singapore

Send the listing and where the car sits

An independent inspector goes to the car

Photo report in 24–48 hours, in English, online

You decide before you wire money or book a ship

Frequently asked questions

Tell us about the car.

Buying from out of state? We can get it to you.