In summary, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is prohibited from being imported into the US since it does not adhere to the 1988 Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act. The Skyline was not designed with the necessary safety elements to abide by the applicable traffic safety regulations.
A vehicle is exempt from these rules once it reaches the age of 25, at which point it is allowed to be imported and used on American roads.
With California being likely the most noteworthy exception in terms of particular states where you would have difficulties importing due to tougher emissions control legislation, this means that vehicles like the R32 GTR (the original “Godzilla”) can be imported into the USA.
By 2024, you should be able to start importing the R34 GTR. The oldest versions of the R33 GTR are also starting to become legal for import and compliance (provided there are no additional changes to legislation by then, or further tightening of emissions and environmental rules which is always a risk in the current climate).
Just a word of caution
As far as we are aware, there are no laws prohibiting you from importing one as a “show piece that isn’t allowed to be driven on the road but instead sits in your garage.” We’ve heard stories of people looking to buy and store Nissan Skylines with a view of registering and complying them once they turn 25 years old in the hopes of increasing their value. While it is likely not a bad idea, there is always a chance that the government could modify import regulations, leaving you with a depreciating burden rather than an asset that depreciates over time. Although it’s unlikely, it’s nevertheless important to remark.
We would be interested in hearing from you if you are aware of any other legitimate ways to buy a Skyline GTR in the United States. Please comment down below!
In This Article...
thoughts on “Why Are Nissan Skylines Illegal In The United States?
Untrue in every way, 100%. A skyline can be exported and imported to the US for a pricey sum of $5,500. That doesn’t make it unlawful.
In the US, is the skyline forbidden?
The NHTSA gave import automobiles older than 25 years of age amnesty in 1998. So even though it doesn’t comply with requirements, you can now import any Nissan Skyline that was manufactured in 1995 or earlier. Only in California are you at risk of problems.
Any GT-R Over 25 Years Old
Since gray market vehicles are regarded as collector’s pieces that are unlikely to be driven as frequently as regular vehicles, they are permitted to be imported into the US as long as they are over 25 years old. Therefore, you may freely import Skyline GT-R models from 1969 to 1973 and 1989 to 1992 into the US.
R33
But what if you have no interest in a classic car? What if you only wanted to drive around in a Skyline GT-R? You can clear a lot of hurdles to obtain a newer one of your very own and preserve it in the US. All imported vehicles under 25 years old must adhere to the NHTSA, DOT, and EPA requirements and be accompanied by a Show or Display exemption or a certification from Nissan attesting to the Skyline GT-legal R’s capacity to operate on US roads (which may be difficult to get because Nissan would never risk a lawsuit).
A 1996–1998 R33 would be the easiest to import if you’re up for the effort of bringing a post–1992 Skyline GT–R to the US because a registered importer by the name of Motorex had already set the basis for that generation. To demonstrate that the R33 complied with the safety criteria established by the US federal government, they determined all of the requirements for the vehicle and conducted crash tests. Motorex was forced to close business after being detected engaging in some illicit side deals before everything for the R33 could be finalized. The NHTSA, however, maintained its R33 importation certification.
Finding an importer who will transport a legal Skyline R33 to the US and take care of all the compliance work on your behalf will cost you a lot of money because it’s a challenging task to complete. For instance, an OBD-II system, which is challenging to retrofit, must be installed in all imported vehicles constructed after 1995. An older Skyline GT-R may be imported much more easily.
Non-Street-Legal Race Cars
Additionally, it would be simpler to import a Skyline GT-R that is either totally unusable or a non-street legal race car. Even though these vehicles are exempt from the same NHTSA regulations, importing one lawfully requires a significant amount of documentation.
A R34 is legal to own in the US.
10 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec II is still illegal Unless it’s an import from MotoRex, Gran Turismo and Fast and Furious fans will have to wait until 2024 to legally import the R34 Skyline to the United States because this model is still under the age of 25.
What are the prices of skylines?
The base MSRP for the 2021 Nissan (Skyline) GT-top R’s variant is $113,540. The base MSRP for NISMO trims is $210,740.
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What does an R34 Skyline cost?
Currently, the base-model R34 Skyline GT R rarely sells for less than $100,000, while the rarest models, such the V or M spec Nr’s, sell for more than $300,000.
How come R35 isn’t a Skyline?
One of the most renowned Japanese performance cars of all time is the Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The “Godzilla” (see here why the Skyline GT-R is called as Godzilla) has come to represent strength and performance throughout the course of several different generations.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R has become one of the most coveted names in Japanese performance driving despite being illegal in the United States at the time (see our article on why Nissan Skylines are illegal in the United States).
You probably already know that Nissan stopped producing the R34 Skyline generation in 2002 (for more information, see our buying guide for the R34 GT-R).
The Skyline actually kept on after that and is still going today, but it is now what is known as the “New Generation Skyline,” which is very different from the original Skylines. The new Skyline is more well-known in America as a line of Infiniti vehicles, including the Infiniti G35:
This New Generation Skyline was mainly focused on giving a premium touring car experience and never included a GT-R variant.
Due to the overwhelming demand from auto enthusiasts, the R35 GT-R was debuted in 2007 and is still in production today.
Indeed, the R34 GT-R was the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, to give an example.
What makes the Nissan GT-R of today the Nissan Skyline GT-R R35? After all, any car sporting those distinctive taillights must be a Skyline!
The reason the R35 GT-R is not a Skyline is rather straightforward, in case you’re wondering.
Earlier GT-Rs (such as the R32, R33, and R34) were built on the Skyline platform of that generation.
Consider the R32 GT-R, which was offered in a variety of trim levels and engine/gearbox combinations, including as a sedan.
Nissan used that generation’s Skyline base to build the R32 GT-R (the original “Godzilla”), turning everything up to 11.
There is no platform overlap with the existing Skyline (known in America as the Infiniti Q50). The R35 GT-R is a “standalone” vehicle, as opposed to the previous generations of GT-Rs, which were all the pinnacle of the applicable Skyline platform.
Although the R35 GT-R is essentially the spiritual successor to previous Skyline GT-Rs, Nissan opted not to utilize the Skyline brand due to the distinctive platform.
Which GTR is accepted on US soil?
As you can probably tell, we at Drifted are HUGE fans of the Nissan Skyline.
Numerous Skyline guides have already been released, and we’ve seen that there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding their present legal standing in America.
Our supporters have constantly questioned us about the situation, seeking the truth and explanation.
We’ve chosen to produce a comprehensive guide explaining all the fascinating details and responding to the all-too-common query, “Why are Nissan Skylines illegal in the US?” as a result.
Since the F&F brand surely contributed to the Skyline’s rise to become a cult icon in the US, we first brought up the matter and provided some clarity in our Paul Walker Skyline article.
The Fast and the Furious star was without a doubt one of the biggest R34 GT-R aficionados in the US and was also fortunate to have owned and driven several of them in Japan, including the illustrious Mine’s R34 GT-R.
But what if you don’t want to travel to Japan to satisfy your Godzilla craving? What’s holding you back from bringing your own in and becoming a renowned figure in your community on the track or in the streets?
We have some happy news for you! Any vehicle older than 25 years can avoid the absurd US legal system.
This implies that, except for California, where there are some additional obstacles, it is totally legal to import and own a Nissan Skyline R31 or R32 GT-R in the US at the moment.
You can also lawfully import any Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R that was registered before 1995 as of the time this page went online.
However, you’ll have to wait a bit longer if you want to import a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, as we’ll discuss in more detail below.
When did the R34 become legal?
You’re now posing the proper queries! It turns out that is not just acceptable but also fairly typical. For automobiles intended for track use or for exhibition and storage solely, there has long been a gray area.
Before 2024, an R34 may be brought into the country legally for use on the racetrack only; it cannot be registered or used on public roads, in accordance with NHTSA regulations. To do so, you’ll need the NHTSA’s formal consent and the car’s conversion to track-only use before importing. Once the vehicle reaches the age of 25 it can be modified and registered for use on the road.
Nevertheless, R34s are still driven on American roads today. It has between 280 and 500 horsepower and is capable of 1,000 BHP, which means it can travel at speeds of up to over 200 mph on the highway. Some rebellious drivers in Los Angeles, Miami, and rural Texas regularly drive at these speeds while feigning to be in Mexico.