Importing cars from Japan is a rising trend among auto enthusiasts. Importing vehicles from Japan can be a little bit tricky, though, if you don’t know what you’re doing. In this article, we’re explaining some key points that can help you through the process of importing these cars. Here are some key factors you have to take into consideration when you’re planning on buying a car from Japan.
Key factors when importing a car from Japan
Once you’ve found a car that you want to import from Japan, check its age and the first registration date. If the car is more than 25 years old, you may import it as a classic vehicle. If not, you’ll have to pay additional taxes. Restrictions and regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation have to be taken into account, too. Tariff rates can be found on the Japanese Customs’ official website. Pay attention to the vehicle’s certification in the USA. Check import regulations for Japanese vehicles with your local DMV as well. If your vehicle requires extensive modification to meet US road requirements, it may not be worth importing the vehicle in the first place. According to the Japanese Export Regulations, there are two documents required for when exporting vehicle you’ll need the following:
- Certificate of Registration Deletion
- Certificate of Notice of Planned Export
The original copies of these certificates should be sent directly to you, otherwise you won’t be able to retrieve the car from the port. Both of them are valid up to 6 months from the issue date. The vehicle’s invoice, as well as the documents required by the Japanese Export-Import Trading Laws, should be shown to customs in Japan.
The import of the vehicles to the United States is regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. You can also check the requirements for the cars being imported from overseas on their website. The Bill of Lading, Bill of Sale, Export Certificate and a government-issued ID are the necessary documents for importing any type of vehicle to the USA. Seeking additional information on this topic? Check the article about customs clearance.
Why import cars from Japan?
Japanese cars typically have low mileage and are in good condition. In many cases, the cars have expensive trims and in comparison with its market rivals from other countries, Japanese-specific vehicles are packed with different features. They are also known for their reliability, so it’s a good investment. If you want to drive a Japanese car, but have aren’t able to import it from Japan directly, check out some of our available Japanese cars in our inventory.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan?
The price of shipping varies depending on the destination port in the USA and the dimensions of the vehicle. Most of the vehicles imported from Japan are shipped to the USA via RORO-vessels, which is due to the Japanese Export Vehicles Inspection Center ensuring no faulty car enters RORO-ramp.
A final tip from Salvagebid
You have to consider the following while buying a car from Japan: the car purchase price, deregistration, export paperwork, customs broker’s service, import taxes in your country, shipping to and from the port and registering the car in the country you are from. If you still haven’t chosen the car, take a look at available inventory and you may start right with our Vehicle Finder on the main page.