As per the United States census of foreign trade, the country’s auto industry is one of the largest in the world, which also makes it one of the leading importers of auto parts. Traders from several countries from Europe, South East Asia, and South Asia, regularly sell auto parts in the US in large numbers.

For example, the ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH, a German auto parts manufacturer, regularly exports to the States. If you are also looking forward to selling your goods in the US, you should consider a few things before going ahead with your action plan. Let us look at those aspects:

Regulations Involved

All auto spare parts buyers in the United States need to abide by certain laid-out regulations. Therefore, auto spare parts imported to the country are required to follow the set of regulations put forth by the following agencies:

·         The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

·         Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

·         Federal State Commission (FTC)

·         Department of Transportation (DoT), National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA)

Each of the above agencies has its jurisdiction over a specific motor part exported to the US. While it is mainly the responsibility of the exporters to get acquainted with the regulations laid out by each of the following agencies, the auto spare parts importers should also be familiar with the rules.

Customs Requirements

All exporters of auto parts to the US have to fill out the entry summary, which is the CBP form 7501 while entering the port.

The form requires the exporters to indicate the country of origin on the products, and it has to be legible and permanent in characteristic. The auto parts manufacturers are obliged to follow the requirements under ‘Agent for Service of Process’ to import their products as per the NIST regulations.

The auto spare parts importers must ensure that their seller abides by the safety standards laid under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Act, 1966.

Auto Parts Included In Regulations

Following are the auto parts that are included in the regulations when importing to the US:

·         Tires

·         Brake Hoses

·         Seat Belt Assemblies

·         Glazing

·         Child Restraints

·         Rear Impact Guards

·         Triangular Reflective Warning Device

·         Rims

·         Brake Oil

·         Lighting Equipment

·         Motorcycle Helmets

·         CNG Cylinders

Platform Lift Systems For Mobility Challenged

The regulated auto spare parts are not limited to the above list, and the regulatory bodies may add or remove any commodity at their discretion. As for the safety standards, these products need to meet the requirements by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards from the effect when the item was manufactured.

All the items are generally inscribed by a dot symbol which depicts that they meet the laid standards by FMVSS. There are also some NHTSA theft prevention standards that auto part importers need to follow.

If you need to know more about these standards,  you can visit the manufacturer portal of NHTSA. It provides all additional information regarding these standards, both to auto spare parts buyers and sellers.

Recommended Best Practices

While there are strict regulations regarding the product specifications, the NHTSA also recommends certain practices to reduce the non-compliance risks for their importers.

These include inspection of manufacturing facilities, establishing a service program, and inspecting the goods before entering the United States. The best way to meet these standards is by being already prepared for the inspections.

Are You Ready For The Export?

Always remember, the ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH didn’t become one of the largest exporters of auto parts in a day; it took them years of hustle in establishing their brand in the foreign markets.

Once you tick all the checkboxes, you need to gather confidence about your products, and you need to maintain a positive attitude to complete the sales.