How to Ship a Car From Japan to the USA

Shipping a car from Japan must adhere to import and export regulations.

Due to the differences in pricing, exporting a car from Japan and shipping it to the United States has become increasingly common in recent years. With low import tariffs and straightforward bureaucratic procedures, shipping a car to the United States can be trouble-free. Following a few simple guidelines, however, is recommended before and during the shipping process, as both the United States and Japan have stringent import and export procedures that must be followed.

Instructions

1. Check if your car is eligible for importation and that it is road-legal for the United States. A list of cars eligible for importation is published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. Although vehicles from Japan are right-hand drive (that is, the driver sits on the right-hand side of the car), most models are legal for U.S. roads.

2. Purchase your car through a registered importer, a list of which may be found on the NHTSA website. A registered importer will carry out all the necessary modifications that are needed to make your car road-legal (for example, switching from a metric speedometer). They will also arrange for the shipment of your car as well as carrying out any of the relevant bureaucratic paperwork.

3. Pay the import duty for your vehicle, which is often invoiced to you by your registered importer. Import duty for a car arriving in the United States is 2.5% of the present value of the car. You can pay the import duty along with any shipping costs and modification costs that are borne by your importer.

4. Arrange for the collection of your car. Your car will be shipped and transported to the office of your registered importer. Alternatively, the importer can arrange for your vehicle to be transported from their office to your home for an extra fee.

Tips & Warnings

• It is recommended to use the services of a registered importer instead of handling all of the paperwork and shipping yourself. Registered importers have the knowledge and experience of car importation, and will save you the delays and hassles of working around the Japanese export system. They will also arrange for inspections for your vehicle in the port of export as well as the port of import.

References

• Import Export Help: Importing Cars- Car Importing
• Epoi: Japanese car import / export FAQ

Resources

• NHTSA: List of nonconforming motor vehicles that are eligible for importation
• NHTSA: Registered Importers