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25-Year Import Rule · FD3S
Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) US Import Eligibility
Legal NOW — since October 2016
Eligibility follows the build date: examples built 25+ years ago are legal today; the final August 2002 cars unlock in August 2027.
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Production run & eligibility
| Chassis code | FD3S |
|---|---|
| Production start | October 1991 |
| Production end | August 2002 |
| First cars eligible | October 2016 |
| Last cars eligible | August 2027 |
Eligibility is counted from the month of manufacture on the build plate of the specific car — not the model year. A RX-7 (FD3S) built one month later unlocks one month later.
JDM production ran to August 2002. The final 1,500-unit Spirit R becomes fully eligible in August 2027.
California is different
The 25-year rule is federal — it clears customs and NHTSA. California additionally requires direct-import vehicles newer than 1975 to pass its own emissions certification, which most JDM imports cannot do without an expensive lab conversion. If you are in California, read our state registration guide before bidding on anything.
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