Import a Car from the USA to Iraq: Umm Qasr & VIN Check

US cars
to Iraq

Iraq buys American auction cars through Umm Qasr and through dealers in the Gulf. The rules published in English are thin and differ between federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. What is not in doubt is that the car's American history is not in any Iraqi record. The VIN finds it.

At a glance

Port
Umm Qasr, Basra
Age limit
Some guides report a two-year limit for imported cars; we could not confirm it from an official source
Salvage
Some guides report that salvage cars are banned; not confirmed officially
Two systems
Federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region apply different customs and registration rules

Confirm the rules for where the car will be registered

Ask the General Commission of Customs for federal Iraq, or the Kurdistan Region's own authorities for Erbil, Duhok or Sulaymaniyah, before you buy. Rules reported by shippers have changed more than once, and a car that clears in one system may not clear in the other.

What to check before you pay

  • The title brand, in case the salvage ban applies.
  • The model year from the tenth character of the VIN, in case the age limit applies.
  • Prior auction sales and photos.
  • Odometer readings in miles.

Three things to check before money moves

  1. 1

    The US title brand

    Clean, salvage, rebuilt, flood, junk. Issued by a US state, invisible in every European registry.

    How it is checked
  2. 2

    Prior auction records and photos

    Copart and IAAI intake photos, damage codes and sale price, from every sale the car went through, not only the current lot.

    How it is checked
  3. 3

    The odometer sequence in miles

    Readings at US titles, registrations and inspections in date order. A reading below an earlier one is a rollback.

    How it is checked

Frequently asked questions

Can I import a salvage car from the USA to Iraq?

Some guides say no. We could not confirm it from an official source, so ask customs for the region where the car will be registered, and check the title brand by VIN first.

Does the report show Iraqi records?

No. It covers the US and Canadian history only.

Check the vehicle before you pay

Enter the VIN to see which US and Canadian records exist. The preview is free; the report is $19.99, once.