The R32, R33, and R34 Skyline GT-Rs will always be known as the ultimate forbidden fruit among car enthusiasts in America.

For years JDM fans in the U.S. could only helplessly drool over pictures of Skyline GT-Rs from Japan and other parts of the world. We (Americans) were forced to deal with the fact that not only was Nissan unwilling to sell the legendary Skyline in the American market, it would be illegal for us to try and ship one over and drive it on U.S. soil.

Eventually, registered importer Motorex and now Toprank Importers have come along to remedy that problem. Though, some might wonder why the earlier model Skylines were illegal in the first place.

Furthermore, why is it easier to import a Skyline after it's 25 years old?

Our import expert Sean Morris of Toprank Importers was kind enough to answer those burning questions.

Why the Skyline GT-R is illegal in the USA

This question is not as complicated as it may seem. Every country has their own laws, rules, and regulations when it comes to selling automobiles to their citizens. For the most part, those regulations are heavily based on safety standards and environmental considerations. If a large automaker (like Nissan) wants to sell a car in multiple countries then they have to make sure that car complies with the regulations of each country they want to sell it in.

Now, to be fair many countries have regulations that are in line with each other which makes things a little easier, but regardless bringing a car to compliance is a complicated and expensive task. With the Skyline GT-R, Nissan weighed that against what they felt the demand for the car would be in America and they decided not to take on that task.

So, in a nutshell the Skyline GT-R is illegal in America because Nissan didn’t put it through the regulatory systems necessary for it to be sold here.

Why registered importers are allowed to sell Skyline GT-Rs in the USA

Remember when I said that making a car compliant with a country’s regulations and standards is complicated and expensive? Well that is where a registered importer comes in. They do that complicated and expensive leg work with imported cars to ensure that they are compliant with federal regulations. This includes paying for their own crash tests and gathering data. The importers are then able to take the data, measure it against federal regulations, and make any required modifications to make an imported car compliant. This is what Toprank Importers does for their inventory.

That being said, don’t expect Sean or any other registered importer to go into too much detail about how they make cars legal for U.S. roads. Those methods are the core of their business and they rightfully keep that kind of information close to the chest.

What is the “25 year rule”?

Firstly, it isn’t actually called the “25 year rule”. Officially it is known as the “Imported vehicle safety compliance act of 1988”. Quite the mouthful isn’t it? That is why those in the know just shortened it to the “25 year rule”. So, where did this rule come from?

Before 1988, there were no “registered importers”. In fact, anyone could take it upon themselves to import a car to the U.S. and do the work themselves to make sure it was compliant with current standards and they didn’t have to show their work. The problem came when people abused the system with flimsy paperwork while not really having done much to make a car compliant. Eventually the federal government shut that party down and passed the imported vehicle safety compliance act.

Where the “25 years” comes in is the fact that any car that is older than 25 years is exempt from federal safety regulations. Why 25 years? Some OEMs lobbied the government to make it harder on importers but also to protect new car sales. Follow the money right?

Furthermore, the 25 year rule isn’t exactly universal. In California, even if a car is 25 years old it still has to meet state-specific standards set by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board or “CARB”. Toprank Importers can handle that for customers but it does come at an extra cost which can vary between $5,000 and $10,000. So, if you live in Cali and want to buy a GT-R from Toprank, make sure you factor that in.

So now you know the basic ins and outs of why Skyline GT-Rs are illegal in the U.S. and how registered importers like Toprank put the money, time, and knowledge into making it possible to drive one of these fabled cars on American roads.

Why Skyline GT-R’s Are Illegal and What Is The “25 Year Rule”