SITCSection 7
U.S. imports of motor vehicles for passenger transport (non-public) (SITC 78120) totaled $14.6B in April 2026, traded with 48 countries.
Importers of Motor Vehicles for Passenger Transport (Non-Public) paid $2.1B in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 17% on $12.1B in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: April 2026 dataPrivate-use passenger motor vehicles not elsewhere specified — a residual category that captures automobiles and light passenger carriers outside the standard sedan, SUV, and van classifications — are among the most trade-remedy-sensitive imports in the US tariff schedule. Passenger vehicles are subject to Section 232 national-security tariff considerations, and country of origin, assembly location, and parts content all bear on duty treatment. Importers and OEM procurement teams must track both the tariff classification and any active trade-remedy proceedings that could affect landed cost.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
For passenger vehicles, country of origin is determined by where substantial transformation occurs — typically final assembly — rather than where components are sourced. This matters because Section 232 tariff applicability and any free-trade-agreement preferences depend on origin. Vehicles assembled in USMCA-qualifying facilities in Canada or Mexico may receive different treatment than those assembled elsewhere, subject to regional-value-content rules.
Imported passenger vehicles must comply with NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and EPA emissions standards. Vehicles not originally built to US specifications require modifications and formal conformance certification before they can be registered for road use. The DOT HS-7 declaration form is required at entry to confirm compliance status.
| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEXICO | $3.0B | $302.9M | -$2.7B |
| JAPAN | $3.1B | $30.6M | -$3.1B |
| CANADA | $2.1B | $948.3M | -$1.1B |
| KOREA, SOUTH | $2.8B | $212.5M | -$2.6B |
| GERMANY | $1.6B | $735.5M | -$824.8M |
Monthly import values over time
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