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Complete Guide to Japanese Car Imports

Step-by-step instructions, country-specific regulations, and expert advice from professionals who've exported over 10,000 vehicles worldwide.

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Updated 2026
25 Country Guides
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25

Country Guides

3

Detailed Guides

6

FAQs Answered

15+

Years Experience

Featured Guides

Beginner 8-12 weeks

Complete Import Process Overview

End-to-end overview of the Japanese car import process from selection to delivery

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Intermediate 10-12 weeks

How to Import to Tanzania

Tanzania counts age from manufacture, not first registration. Standard TRA rates apply up to 8 years; older cars pay extra excise. Use UMVVS before you bid.

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187 views
Intermediate 8-10 weeks

How to Import to Kenya

Kenya is a hard 8-year market from first registration. For 2026 arrivals you need 2019+ first registration, QISJ CoR, and an IDF before shipping.

Read Guide
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Country Import Regulations

Comprehensive, country-specific import guides with step-by-step procedures, documentation requirements, and cost breakdowns

Step-by-Step Process Required Documents Cost Breakdown
Examples: Tanzania, Mombasa, Kenya 2019, UK IVA
Showing 25 of 25 country regulation pages. Filter by region or whether used imports are open, age-capped, or permit-only.
Featured
United Kingdom flag

United Kingdom

Southampton Open import
Year Limit
No maximum age (IVA/NOVA still required)
Shipping
8-12 weeks
Import Duty
UK Global Tariff on cars (often 10% outside reliefs — confirm GOV.UK / HMRC) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
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Ireland flag

Ireland

Dublin Open import
Year Limit
No maximum age (VRT + NCTS registration)
Shipping
9-13 weeks
Import Duty
EU customs duty if not already in free circulation (Japan origin typically dutiable — confirm Revenue) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Australia flag

Australia

Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane Restricted / permit
Year Limit
25-year older-vehicle pathway, or SEVS/RAW for newer
Shipping
6-10 weeks plus ROVER wait
Import Duty
Customs duty on passenger cars (often 5% — confirm ABF) plus LCT if applicable Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
New Zealand flag

New Zealand

Auckland Open import
Year Limit
No maximum age (standards + biosecurity + entry cert)
Shipping
5-8 weeks
Import Duty
Usually 0% duty on used cars (confirm NZ Customs tariff) — GST still applies Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Jamaica flag

Jamaica

Kingston Age-capped
Year Limit
Cars max 6 years (returning residents 10 years)
Shipping
10-14 weeks
Import Duty
JCA Customs duty on CIF (schedule — confirm current) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Mauritius flag

Mauritius

Port Louis Age-capped
Year Limit
Used cars tightly age-capped (confirm MRA — often ~3–4 years)
Shipping
7-10 weeks
Import Duty
Customs duty + high excise on motor cars (MRA — confirm current) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Fiji flag

Fiji

Suva Age-capped
Year Limit
Used import age cap (confirm FRCS — commonly 5 years)
Shipping
6-9 weeks
Import Duty
FRCS fiscal duty on motor vehicles (confirm current) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Hong Kong flag

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Open import
Year Limit
No maximum age (First Registration Tax applies)
Shipping
3-6 weeks
Import Duty
No general Customs duty on private cars; First Registration Tax is the main levy Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Sri Lanka flag

Sri Lanka

Colombo Restricted / permit
Year Limit
Used passenger-car imports generally banned / permit only
Shipping
Only after a valid import permit exists
Import Duty
When permitted: very high duty/excise/PAL/VAT stack — confirm Sri Lanka Customs Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Malaysia flag

Malaysia

Port Klang Restricted / permit
Year Limit
AP permit required (used imports not open)
Shipping
Only after AP is granted
Import Duty
Customs duty + excise on motor cars (high — confirm Royal Malaysian Customs) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Papua New Guinea flag

Papua New Guinea

Lae Open import
Year Limit
Used imports allowed (confirm IRC age/duty)
Shipping
7-11 weeks
Import Duty
IRC Customs duty on vehicles (confirm current tariff) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide
Trinidad and Tobago flag

Trinidad and Tobago

Port of Spain Age-capped
Year Limit
Used cars age-capped (confirm Customs — commonly 6 years)
Shipping
10-14 weeks
Import Duty
Customs duty + motor vehicle tax (confirm Customs & Excise Division) Estimate only — see the country page
Inspection Required
View Full Guide

Don't see your country?

We publish 25 country regulation pages (mainly RHD markets). We can still quote shipping to other destinations — contact us with the country and vehicle.

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Browse by Topic

Organized guides covering every aspect of the import process

Getting Started

Essential information for first-time importers

1 guide Explore

Country Guides

Country-specific import regulations and processes

2 guides Explore

Import Process Timeline

Typical timeline from order to delivery (8-12 weeks total)

1

Vehicle Selection & Purchase

Week 1-2

Choose vehicle, verify auction sheet, confirm price, make payment

Cost: Vehicle price + auction fees
2

Export Preparation

Week 2-3

Export certificate, deregistration, transport to port, loading

Cost: $200-400
3

Ocean Shipping

Week 4-9

RORO or container shipping to destination port (35-45 days)

Cost: $850-1,300
4

Customs Clearance

Week 9-11

Import duty, VAT, port charges, clearing agent, inspection

Cost: Varies widely by country — not a flat % of CIF
5

Registration & Delivery

Week 11-12

Vehicle inspection, registration, number plates, insurance, delivery

Cost: $300-600
Total Timeline: 8-12 weeks from order to driving your vehicle!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common import questions

Tip: Type keywords like "cost", "time", "documents", or country name to find relevant FAQs

The complete import process typically takes 8-12 weeks from purchase to delivery. This includes: vehicle selection (1-2 weeks), shipping (4-6 weeks), customs clearance (1-2 weeks), and registration (1-2 weeks). Timing may vary based on destination country and port.
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There is no single landed-cost multiplier such as “2× FOB”. East African Community passenger cars often stack about 25% import duty plus excise and VAT (Kenya also adds IDF and railway levy, and often taxes CRSP rather than the invoice). The UK is closer to tariff plus 20% VAT after NOVA. New Zealand and Hong Kong do not use East Africa-style age excise. South Africa generally prohibits used passenger imports. Bangladesh tax can be several times CIF. Open the country regulation page and use that authority’s calculator or a licensed clearing agent before you bid.
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We accept bank transfer (TT), PayPal, and wire transfer. Full payment is required before shipment. We can also arrange payment plans for established customers.
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Tanzania does not apply a hard 8-year ban. Age is counted from the year of manufacture, not first registration. Vehicles up to 8 years old are assessed at standard TRA rates; older cars can still be imported but attract extra excise. Confirm the current band on TRA’s Used Motor Vehicle Valuation System (UMVVS) before you buy. Only RHD passenger cars are practical for Tanzania roads.
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Kenya strictly enforces an 8-year limit from first registration (KEBS KS 1515). For 2026 arrivals, first registration must be 2019 or later. Manufacture year versus first registration must be within one year. A QISJ Certificate of Roadworthiness and an Import Declaration Form (IDF) are required before the car ships. Non-compliant units are rejected at the importer’s cost.
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RORO (Roll-On/Roll-Off) is cheaper ($850-1,100) but vehicle must run and drive. Container shipping ($2,000-2,800) protects vehicle better and allows non-running vehicles. RORO is recommended for most imports unless vehicle cannot run or requires extra protection.
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