Unusual sighting- Mercedes van with European plates

[Reworked LMTV]

I have seen a lot of World, but had never seen this. Today I saw a Mercedes Van / Camper where the ONLY plates on it were from Germany. No State plates, nada. Apparently there is a Federal Law that allow you to import a vehicle into the US, and drive it for up to a year, without having to have it State registered. I see it can be extended for up to 5 years.

 

[Guyfang]

Nothing new. It works in both directions. Many, many years ago, hitchhiking through Spain, I caught a ride with a guy who was trying to spend the rest of his life touring the world in a ford pickup truck, with a cover on the back. He had plates from California. I have seen several others since. It's the same with drivers licenses. Any German, for instance, can drive a car in the States for up to a year. How do you think tourists can drive in the States. My last time home, I had 4 drivers licenses in my pocket, but my Texas license was no longer good. Two years expired. Since 9/11, renewal of a license is tough, unless you can do it in your home state. I whipped out my German license, and the lady at Alamo didn't even blink an eye.

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Most tourists DON'T bring their vehicle. They rent.

A Driver's License and Registration are two different things. Heck you can get an International Drivers License.

I'm taking about motor vehicle registration / license plates ONLY. Having only foreign plates is quite uncommon.

Nothing new. It works in both directions. Many, many years ago, hitchhiking through Spain, I caught a ride with a guy who was trying to spend the rest of his life touring the world in a ford pickup truck, with a cover on the back. He had plates from California. I have seen several others since. It's the same with drivers licenses. Any German, for instance, can drive a car in the States for up to a year. How do you think tourists can drive in the States. My last time home, I had 4 drivers licenses in my pocket, but my Texas license was no longer good. Two years expired. Since 9/11, renewal of a license is tough, unless you can do it in your home state. I whipped out my German license, and the lady at Alamo didn't even blink an eye.

 

[simp5782]

This guy from dubai gets stopped alot in this video here in the states. Flies is lambo in to drive then flies it home

 

[Trailboss]

Seen a few high-priced foreign-tagged vehicles like camper vans and earthroamer-types on the interstate and in national parks from Europe, as well as hundreds of Canadian and Mexican vehicles, which, as you stated, can stay in the country for up to a year.

One couple shipped their Honda Groms (124cc / 10 hp motorcycle) from New Zealand to NY, rode them 45 days from NY to TN, then across the country on the Trans-American Trail (TAT). Then they shipped them back to New Zealand. Sounds like a lot of trouble but if you bring it in, you have to take it out, can't sell it in the US. Probably the only other option is renting. As an alien, they could buy a vehicle, but I don't know if they could tag it without a resident address (well, maybe in CA).

 

[Reworked LMTV]

The first officer is still looking for a job after being fired for his attitude and lack of due diligence.

This guy from dubai gets stopped alot in this video here in the states. Flies is lambo in to drive then flies it home

https://youtu.be/Q1DCda5Cabo

 

[undysworld]

It's called "reciprocity".

 

[Ram1911]

Could be German military or diplomatic. Given that it's a van, probably official, or a bigwig's personal RV. Do you recall what was on the plate? Was the plate a typical civilian German plate with city codes (B, D, H, F, K, M, S, HH, KL, WI, NM, AM, AN, GAP, NEW, etc.) or did it start off (#)0, X, or Y? https://www.customeuropeanplates.com/german-license-plate-codes

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Boy, I don't remember. Should have taken a pict.