Considering importing a car from Japan to United States? Understand the essential rules, duties, and required documentation to ensure a smooth import process
Key Import Guidelines
Vehicle Age Restrictions
Cars must be at least 25 years old on arrival, counted from the month they were built.
Steering Position
Both right-hand drive and left-hand drive cars are accepted.
Vehicles Accepted
Passenger cars, trucks and buses are accepted. Trucks and vans must have engines over 660 cc.
Shipping and Port Details
Primary Ports: Los Angeles/Long Beach, Tacoma, Houston, Jacksonville, and Baltimore Seaport
Shipping Method
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
Duties and Taxes
Duties and fees are worked out on the price paid for the car, without sea freight. Customs duty is 12.5% of the car's price, or 25% for trucks and 2% for vehicles with more than 10 seats. The processing fee (MPF) is 0.3464% of the car's price, at least $33.58 and at most $651.50. The harbor fee (HMF) is 0.125% of the car's price.
Registration and Local Charges
State taxes and broker fees are charged on top.
Required Documents for Customs Clearance
Export Certificate
Issued by Japanese authorities, required for customs
Original Invoice
Provided by Carbarn.
Bill of Lading
Issued by the shipping company detailing shipment specifics
Condition Report
Detailed description of vehicle condition, including exterior, interior, and mechanical status
Buyers are responsible for paying the customs duty and federal fees due to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when the vehicle enters the country, and for titling and registering the vehicle with their state's motor vehicle agency, which charges its own sales or use tax and fees.
Thinking about importing a car from Japan to the United States? A car that is at least 25 years old can be imported without meeting today's federal safety standards. This page covers which cars qualify, how they are shipped, the federal charges at entry, and registering the car in your state.
A car must be at least 25 years old when it arrives, counted from the month and year it was built, not its model year. There is no upper age limit.
Both right-hand drive and left-hand drive cars can be imported. There is no federal rule on steering position.
Passenger cars, trucks and buses can be imported. Carbarn does not ship kei trucks or kei vans (engines of 660 cc or less).
Two federal agencies set separate conditions:
No inspection is needed in Japan before the car ships, and the car is not inspected by DOT or EPA when it arrives; customs checks the documents. Some states run their own VIN check or safety inspection at registration.
Federal charges are worked out on the price paid for the car, without sea freight.
There is no federal VAT or sales tax. Duty and fees are paid to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through your customs broker when the car enters the country. State taxes and broker fees are charged on top.
Importing a car and registering it are separate steps. Most states title a 25-year-old import on its customs entry documents and a certified translation of the Export Certificate. Georgia does not title a vehicle without a 17-character VIN, and Japanese-market cars carry a shorter chassis number, so these cars cannot be registered there.
