Law & Order

Reminder: Requirements for Foreign Manufacturers and Importers With NHTSA

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Have your imports been held up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection? Ensure that your company has fulfilled the requirements by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for foreign manufacturers and importers to help this process run smoothly.

All foreign manufacturers and importers of motor vehicles or equipment must designate a permanent resident of the U.S. as its Agent for Service of Process with NHTSA. This person serves as the company representative if there is an administrative or judicial issue to be addressed such as a product recall. This longstanding requirement applies to all imported automotive parts and shipments are subject to inspection for proper “Agent for Service of Process” documentation. If the information is not on record, Customs will hold the shipments at the Port of Entry pending submission.

An Agent for Service of Process can be designated on the NHTSA website. For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.