The legal entity registered with the destination country's customs authority is accountable for the imported shipment. For automotive and EV products specifically, the IOR:
The legal entity registered with the origin country's export authority is accountable for the outbound shipment. For automotive and EV products specifically, the EOR:
As your registered Importer of Record (IOR), IOR Service manages four parallel compliance workstreams for automotive and EV imports — customs compliance, homologation documentation, lithium battery dangerous goods handling, and trade remedy/incentive program documentation across the regulatory frameworks each shipment triggers.
We classify components under appropriate HS codes — 8703 for complete vehicles, 8507.60 for lithium-ion batteries, 8501 for electric motors, 8504 for inverters and power electronics, 8708 for vehicle parts. We determine Section 301 tariff applicability per origin and product, AD/CVD investigations on Chinese EVs and batteries, and apply current tariff schedules per shipment.
For complete vehicles and regulated components, we coordinate country-specific homologation and type approval documentation — FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) in the US, EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA), JEVS in Japan, CCC in China, AIS in India, KMVSS in Korea, ECE regulations under the UNECE 1958 Agreement.
Lithium-ion batteries are Class 9 dangerous goods. We verify UN 38.3 testing documentation, manage IATA Lithium Battery Regulations for air freight, IMDG Code Class 9 for sea freight, ADR Class 9 for European road transport, and 49 CFR Part 173 for US road transport. State-of-charge and packaging requirements are coordinated per mode.
We screen every transaction party against the BIS Entity List, OFAC SDN List, EU Consolidated List, and equivalent restricted-party schedules. Some advanced automotive components — lidar systems, certain ADAS sensors — face dual-use review under EAR; handled within the engagement. For IRA-eligible EV imports, restricted party screening for FEOC compliance is coordinated in parallel with Section 30D documentation.
For US-bound EV imports, we compile origin documentation and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) documentation needed for buyer-side Section 30D clean vehicle credit eligibility. FEOC determinations are project-critical for IRA credit eligibility related to sourcing critical minerals and battery components.
We file import declarations with HTS classification for automotive components — accurate to product specification and destination country tariff schedule. We pay import duties, applicable Section 301 tariffs, AD/CVD duties, MPF, HMF, and VAT as the registered importer. Costs billed transparently to the client as part of the engagement.
Beyond homologation — EPA emissions certification (US), CARB compliance for California, EU emissions standards under Regulation (EU) 2018/858, NHTSA documentation, OBD diagnostic compliance. Coordinated per destination market, applied per shipment.
Every shipment is documented to the standard required by each jurisdiction. Homologation certificates, UN 38.3 test reports, dangerous goods declarations, Section 301 and FEOC documentation, customs records retained per jurisdiction. Automotive audit windows can extend across the vehicle lifetime; documentation is organized for multi-year retrievability.
Automotive and EV imports span complete vehicles, EV batteries, ADAS hardware, drivetrains, charging infrastructure, and Tier 1 components. Each category triggers different HS classifications, regulatory regimes, and trade remedy exposure.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) including Tesla Model 3, S, X, Y; Lucid Air; Rivian R1T, R1S; Nissan Leaf; Ford F-150 Lightning; Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6; Kia EV6 and EV9; Volkswagen ID series. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). HS 8703 series. Subject to FMVSS or EU WVTA homologation and Section 301 tariffs where China-origin.
Lithium-ion battery packs and modules from CATL, LG Energy Solution, BYD, Panasonic, Samsung SDI, SK On, AESC. Battery management systems (BMS), thermal management hardware, busbars, cell housings. HS 8507.60. Subject to UN 38.3 testing, IATA and IMDG dangerous goods compliance, and Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin cells.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems including radars, lidars (Velodyne, Luminar, Innoviz, Hesai), cameras, ECUs, sensor fusion modules. Connected vehicle telematics, V2X communication modules, infotainment systems. Components from Bosch, Continental, Aptiv, Mobileye (Intel), and Nvidia DRIVE platforms. Some lidar systems are ECCN-controlled under EAR.
DC fast chargers from ABB Terra, Tritium (RTM, PKM), Tesla Supercharger network hardware, BTC Power, Wallbox Hypernova, ChargePoint, EVgo hardware. Level 2 AC chargers, charging cables (CCS, CHAdeMO, NACS, GB/T), distribution panels. Subject to UL 1741, UL 9540, and IEC 61851 certification. Significant overlap with Renewable Energy deployments.
Electric motors — permanent magnet synchronous, induction, axial flux — from Yasa, Magna, ZF, Continental, Bosch, Hitachi Astemo. Inverters and power electronics from Wolfspeed (SiC), Infineon, and ON Semiconductor. Reduction gearboxes and eAxles. HS 8501 (motors), HS 8504 (inverters).
Bosch, Continental, ZF Friedrichshafen, Magna International, Aptiv, Denso, Aisin, Valeo, Forvia. Brake systems, suspension, body-in-white, interior assemblies, electrical architectures, wiring harnesses. Aftermarket parts and replacement components for fleet operations. Broadest equipment scope per shipment.
IOR Service pricing for automotive and EV imports is structured around four variables:
Origin country and trade remedy exposure — Chinese-origin components carry Section 301 and AD/CVD overhead that affects landed cost and compliance scope
Component category complexity — EV batteries (dangerous goods plus Section 301 plus IRA documentation) carry more overhead than standard automotive components
Destination market regulatory burden — FMVSS markets, EU WVTA markets, CCC markets carry distinct homologation overhead
Shipment volume and program continuity — production-scale OEM deployments are priced differently from one-off aftermarket shipments
GPUs, AI accelerators, servers, storage, networking. ECCN classification, BIS Entity List, and AI Diffusion Rule compliance
55G base stations, routers, switches, fiber-optic systems. Type approval and spectrum licensing across regulators
Hyperscale deployments, edge data center hardware. Multi-jurisdictional shipments synchronized across destination markets.
Connected medical devices, diagnostic equipment. FDA, CE, and SFDA registration management.
Smart manufacturing, sensors, control systems, robotics. Machinery directive compliance and industrial standards
Solar panels, inverters, battery systems. Project-scale imports and country-specific energy certifications
Avionics, dual-use electronics. ITAR, USML, EAR dual-use compliance.
Available on request
Shared after initial assessment.25+ Years of International Trade & Compliance Leadership
Backed by decades of experience in global trade, IOR Service delivers the compliance frameworks, regulatory oversight, and market-entry expertise required for successful international operations. From highly regulated industries to complex cross-border projects, we help organizations move forward with certainty.