Knowing the regulations and processes for importing automobiles is essential if you want to improve your chances of obtaining a high-end vehicle in India through a smooth and transparent process.

With several businesses establishing official bases in India, the country is quickly becoming a popular location for rare and high-end automobiles. However, as Tesla has demonstrated, bringing a brand to India through the correct channels is difficult, which poses a challenge for exotic car purchasers. This is when the import route is useful! Importing automobiles takes a lot of effort and money, but it's the only way to get a vehicle that you wouldn't be able to get otherwise.

The Department of Commerce and Industry, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, and the Export-Import Policy Department are all engaged in the process of importing a car. As a result, while importing a car, the RTO's laws and standards must be followed. Let's talk about some general criteria before we get into the details.

• Automobiles may only be brought into India from the nation in which they were manufactured.
• In India, the speedometer must indicate kilometres per hour (km/h) in accordance with the metric system.
• According to traffic regulations, the imported vehicle must only be driven in the right hand.

Apart from the fundamental ones mentioned previously, there are two kinds of imported automobiles, each with its own set of rules and restrictions. The rules for each of the variations are as follows:

Brand New Imported Vehicle

In order to be deemed a new import, an imported vehicle must meet all of the RTO's qualifying criteria:

• The vehicle, as well as its components, should not have been built or assembled in India.
• Before being brought to India, the vehicle must have never been used or leased in another nation.
• It cannot be registered in any other nation before being imported into India.
• A certificate of conformity, combined with proof of compliance, must be submitted 6 months prior to the vehicle's entry, and it must comply with rule number 126 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR).

Used Imported Vehicles

The following conditions must be completed in order to qualify as a Used Imported Vehicle:

• Vehicles must be no more than three years old.
• The motor vehicle must adhere to the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988.
• Dealers and importers must present a certificate from a vehicle testing organisation stating that the imported vehicle has been tested and meets the original homologation certificate as part of the importation process.

For their automobiles, an importer must pay a massive amount of money in import duties. Import duties are determined by the car's category, the cubic capacity of the engine, the kind of vehicle, as well as the vehicle's cost, freight, and insurance value. The RTO will register your car if all of the following rules are fulfilled. You will be issued a temporary registration number at first, and after seven days, you will be able to apply for a permanent number.