Buying a car on the other side of the world feels like a lot to take on. Paperwork in another language, a long sea crossing, then customs, testing and the DVLA at this end. In practice, Japan is one of the most well-trodden routes into the UK, and a right-hand drive car from Japan usually needs less work to make road legal than almost anything else we import.
- Typical journey
- 5 to 8 weeks
- Usual method
- RoRo
- Guide shipping price
- From £3,575
- Import tax
- 20% VAT + 10% duty
- Testing
- IVA under 10 years, MOT over
Buying the car
There are three usual ways to buy a car in Japan:
- A Japanese auction, bought through an auction agent
- A dealer in Japan who sells for export
- A private seller
Auctions are where most Japanese imports come from. If you buy that way, the auction agent usually arranges the inland transport to the port and the shipment itself. Whichever route you take, make sure you get a proper purchase invoice, or the auction paperwork, because customs will want to see what you paid.
The export certificate
The key document from Japan is the export certificate. Send us a copy before the car ships: it lets us check the car's technical details early, so there are no surprises when it lands. Alongside it you will need the purchase invoice and your passport.
Your Japan paperwork
0 of 4 done
Getting it to the UK
RoRo is the usual route from Japan, and it costs less than a container. The car is driven onto a car carrier, parked on a deck, lashed down and driven off at the other end. For RoRo the car has to run and drive, and it should normally be empty inside.
A container is the better choice for a car that does not run, a high-value or modified car, or if you simply want it sealed away for the whole voyage.
| Feature | RoRo | Container |
|---|---|---|
| Usual from Japan | Yes | On request |
| Car must run | Yes | No |
| Sealed in transit | No | Yes |
| Belongings inside | Normally not | More flexible |
More on the differences in container, RoRo or air.
How long it takes
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Before it sails
Buy and prepare
You buy the car and send us the export certificate. The auction agent or seller gets it to the port.
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5 to 8 weeks
At sea
The car crosses on a RoRo ship or in a container.
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On arrival
Customs
As HMRC CDS authorised agents, we make the customs entry as the car arrives and the import tax is paid.
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Within 14 days
NOVA
We tell HMRC the car has arrived. The DVLA will not register a car without it.
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At our site
Changes and testing
Rear fog light and speedo if needed, then an IVA test or MOT on our own lanes.
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Within 10 working days
Registration
Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car and fit your plates.
Customs and import tax
A car bought in Japan pays 20% import VAT and 10% import duty. Both are worked out on the price you paid plus the cost of getting it here, and the VAT is charged on top of the duty. There are two big exceptions:
- Cars over 30 years old: 5% VAT and no duty
- Moving to the UK: no tax under Transfer of Residence, if you have lived abroad for 12 months and owned the car for 6
The import tax calculator gives you a rough figure, and the cost of importing from Japan works through a full example.
Making it UK road legal
Because Japanese cars are right-hand drive, the list of changes is short. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down further.
- A rear fog light, if one was not fitted at the factory
- A speedometer that reads in mph, on cars under 10 years old
On older cars the speedo conversion is recommended rather than required. We do both in-house, aiming for a finish that looks like it left the factory that way.
IVA or MOT
Which test the car takes depends on its age. A car under 10 years old needs vehicle approval, which for a Japanese import means an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test. Cars over 10 years old are exempt from approval and take an MOT instead, and cars over 40 years old do not need an MOT at all.
We are one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, and the DVSA visits us weekly. Your car never has to leave our site to be tested. More detail is on the My Car Import IVA page.
No 25-year wait here. There is no minimum age for importing a car to the UK. A brand new Japanese car can come in, as long as it passes its IVA test.
Registration
With the test passed and the NOVA done, we apply to the DVLA. Our dealer-level account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days, and we fit your plates before it leaves. Then you tax it, insure it and drive it home, or we deliver it to you.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to import a car from Japan to the UK?
The sea crossing typically takes 5 to 8 weeks. After that the car clears customs, has any changes it needs, takes its IVA test or MOT, and is registered. With our dealer-level DVLA account we register imported cars within 10 working days once they are ready.
Does a car from Japan need an IVA test?
Only if it is under 10 years old. Cars over 10 years old take an MOT instead, and cars over 40 years old do not need an MOT.
What changes does a Japanese car need for UK roads?
Usually a rear fog light if one was not fitted at the factory, and a speedometer that reads in mph on cars under 10 years old. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance.
Is there a 25-year rule for importing Japanese cars to the UK?
No. There is no minimum age for importing a car to the UK. Cars under 10 years old need an IVA test, older cars take an MOT.
Found the car, or close to it? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from Japan to your drive.
