Those who want to export recreational vehicles overseas from the United States must provide documentation to prove ownership of the vehicle. A certificate of title will suffice. The original title, as well as two copies of the title, must be presented to United States Customs. Those who plan to move recreational vehicles overseas must present proof of ownership at least three days (72 hours) prior to loading. Inspectors with the United States Customs verify ownership before the RVs can be shipped overseas.

If a recreational vehicle is new and has never been issued a title, a manufacturer’s statement of origin may be submitted in lieu of a title. RV dealers possess these documents for each vehicle in their inventory. The original manufacturer’s statement of origin and two copies of this document must be made available to the Customs inspector prior to moving RV overseas. Port directors establish the locations where exporters are required to present the documentation required for vehicle inspections. The exporter of new recreational vehicles that have not been issued a statement of origin or a certificate of title must prove that the jurisdiction of vehicle origin does not require such documentation and this proof must be presented to Customs as prescribed at the time and place designated by the Port Director.

New regulations were put in place in 1989. United States law, 19 U.S.C. §1646c requires that everyone who plans on moving recreational vehicles overseas, even if for personal use, provide the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the Customs Service at least 3 days (72 hours) in advance of export. Customs agents may conduct a random inspection of RV based on predetermined criteria for frequently stolen vehicles. The VIN number is reported to the FBI data base maintained by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for verification that the vehicle(s) has not been reported stolen. New provisions of federal law have eliminated the former personal use exemption from export inspections and reporting requirements. Those laws may be found at 19 U.S.C. §1646b and 19 USC §1646c.

A recreational vehicle will be considered “new” if the manufacturer or dealer has legal title to the vehicle at the time of export. A vehicle will be designated “new” for those manufacturers who ship unsold inventory from the United States to an overseas RV dealer. Most regulations regarding “new” or “used” overseas vehicle moving may be found in Part 192 of Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 C.F.R. Part 192).