Importing a vehicle under 3 years old in 2026: a practical guide
Published on 12 June 2026 6 min read
Since imports of vehicles under 3 years old reopened, two cases arise: the new vehicle and the used vehicle under 3 years old. In both cases, diesel is banned and the displacement must respect the authorised ceiling (1,600 cc for used vehicles); used vehicles add the age condition. This is what determines importability, rebates and the documents to gather.
The most misunderstood rule remains the age rule: the three years are assessed on the customs declaration date, not the purchase date. With a month-long sea crossing plus factory lead times, a car bought at 2 years and 10 months is a lost bet — exactly the kind of mistake our simulator blocks upfront.
Our advice: start with the simulation, check importability, and only then commit to the purchase. The full 2026 framework is in our regulation guide.
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