Arizona: titling an imported car

Arizona's administrative rule (current as of Feb. 1, 2026) exempts foreign-manufactured vehicles 25 or more years from manufacture from the certificate-of-conformity requirement, while an inspection and ADEQ emissions test still apply.

Sources checked 2026-10-17. Not legal advice; rules change.

At a glance

• Import ease (where verified): not rated.
• Kei / mini-truck: No kei or mini-truck rule found in the sources read.

What the official sources say

1. A.A.C. R17-4-206(A)(1): MVD issues a title for a foreign-manufactured vehicle imported to the U.S. if the applicant presents a valid titling document, a completed Title and Registration Application, a Vehicle Verification form showing the vehicle passed an MVD inspection (A.R.S. §28-2011), a certificate of inspection from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality showing it passed an Arizona emissions inspection (A.R.S. §49-542), and a certificate of conformity showing it was converted to meet all applicable FMVSS and EPA standards.
   Source: Arizona Administrative Code Title 17, Ch. 4 (Secretary of State), R17-4-206
2. R17-4-206(A)(2): a foreign-manufactured vehicle imported to the U.S. is exempt from the certificate of conformity if it is 25 years or more from its manufacture date. (A)(3): one more than 20 but less than 25 years from manufacture is exempt from the EPA standard requirement if it is in its original unmodified configuration or contains an equivalent or newer EPA-certified engine. (B): MVD requires a registered importer's certification for vehicles not exempt under (A)(2) or (A)(3).
   Source: Arizona Administrative Code R17-4-206 (history note: amended 31 A.A.R. 4695, effective February 1, 2026)
3. A.R.S. §28-2052(C)-(D): MVD may inspect a foreign vehicle before title or registration, including to establish compliance with §28-955 under standards set by the director of environmental quality; before MVD issues a title for a vehicle imported into this country the owner shall obtain a certificate of compliance stating it meets all federal vehicle equipment and emissions equipment requirements.
   Source: Arizona Revised Statutes §28-2052
4. ADOT MVD Vehicle Inspections page: a Level I inspection matches the VIN to ownership documents and is done at MVD offices or by designated law enforcement for title-only requests, bonded titles and some out-of-state or out-of-country vehicles without proof of title or registration; a Level II inspection (secondary VIN) costs $20 plus $5 if an Arizona-assigned number is issued, by appointment only.
   Source: ADOT MVD: Vehicle Inspections

Not verified (do not rely on ImportClock for these)

• Retry result: the Arizona Secretary of State PDF (R17-4-206) was read in full via the search/fetch tool on 2026-10-17; the ADOT MVD out-of-state page loaded on retry but is about vehicles from other states and says nothing about imports. A dedicated ADOT page for out-of-country vehicles was not found.
• A.R.S. §28-2052(D) (certificate of compliance before title) and the rule's 25-year exemption from the certificate of conformity appear to sit uneasily together; how MVD reconciles them in practice was not found. Confirm with MVD.
• Cornell LII's copy of R17-4-206 showed older wording ('older than 25 years'); the Secretary of State text (effective Feb. 1, 2026) is the one used here.
• ADEQ emissions test details (Phoenix and Tucson areas), fees and kei treatment were not verified.

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