How Much Does It Cost to Import a Car from Japan to the US in 2026?

Updated October 22, 2026, with the Section 301 rate in force since July 24, 2026, the fiscal 2027 processing fees and the 2001 cars now turning 25. Our older Japan shipping cost guide now points here.

The age of the car decides what a Japan import costs, more than the auction price or the freight. A 25-year-old Japan-built classic pays 12.5% US duty in 2026, a newer one pays 15% and usually can't be made road legal at all. On a classic entered at $35,000, duty and customs fees come to $4,539.99 before freight. If you want a price for a specific car, our import a car from Japan page has the calculator.

Related: the best 90s JDM cars and what they're worth in 2026.

By the numbers: importing a car from Japan in 2026

• 12.5%: US duty on a Japan-built car 25 years or older, base and Section 301 combined (HTS 9903.05.49, CBP, from July 24, 2026).
• 15%: US duty on a Japan-built passenger car under 25, all-in under Section 232 (Federal Register, September 16, 2025).
• $4,539.99: duty, MPF and HMF on a classic entered at $35,000.
• October 2001: the latest build month that turns 25 this month, so it clears DOT now.
• 1,226,652: cars sold through USS auctions in Japan from April to September 2026, at an average of 1,286,000 yen (USS monthly data).

How to import a car from Japan: the six steps

Our view: most of the cost and nearly all of the risk sit in steps 1 and 2. Get those right and the rest is paperwork and a sailing date.

1. Confirm the car is legal to import

Check the build month and year on the chassis plate, not the model year in the listing. A car built in October 2001 clears DOT in October 2026. Cars under 25 years need a Registered Importer pathway, which most Japan-only models do not have. The detail is in the 25-year rule section below.

2. Buy the car

Three routes: bid at a Japanese auction through an export agent, buy from a Japanese dealer with export-ready stock, or buy from an exporter's own inventory at a fixed price. We would pay for a full auction sheet translation on three cars before bidding on one. Our Japan car auction guide covers sheets, grades and agents, and our guide to buying a car in Japan covers payment.

3. Pay and prepare for export

The agent pays the seller, deregisters the car and obtains the export certificate, then trucks it to the loading port. US customs and your DMV will both ask for that certificate. Our export certificate guide covers the paperwork on the Japan side.

4. Ocean or air to the US

The car sails in a container, usually shared with other cars, to a US port on either coast, or flies when a date is fixed. The trade-offs are in the shipping section below.

5. Customs clearance

A licensed customs broker files the entry with EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7. Duty, MPF and HMF are paid at this point.

6. Delivery and registration

We ship door to door, so the car goes from the port to your address, and you register it at your state DMV with the customs entry, the export certificate and the bill of sale.

The 2026 duty stack for Japanese cars

Any source written before July 24, 2026 is out of date. That day, CBP's Section 301 guidance replaced the temporary 10% surcharge, and for Japan the base duty and Section 301 together are capped at 12.5%.

• Classic passenger car, 25 years or older, HTS 8703: 12.5% combined (9903.05.49). Section 232 does not apply to cars 25 years and older.
• Modern passenger car, under 25, HTS 8703: 15% all-in under Section 232, the rate set by the US-Japan agreement. Section 301 does not stack on top.
• Pickups and kei trucks, HTS 8704: the 25% Chicken Tax. Confirm the coding with your broker before you bid. Our Chicken Tax guide and kei truck import guide have the detail.

One open question: the same CBP notice lists a general exemption for passenger vehicles under U.S. note 52(f) of chapter 99. Whether a 25-year-old classic falls under it, and pays only the 2.5% base, is the point to settle with your licensed customs broker before you bid. We budget the 12.5% and treat 2.5% as the upside: on a $35,000 car that is $875 in duty instead of $4,375.

Two fees apply to every ocean entry: the Merchandise Processing Fee at 0.3464% of value, minimum $34.58 and maximum $670.86 from October 1, 2026, and the Harbor Maintenance Fee at 0.125%. More on how the rates work by origin in what duties you pay today on classic car imports.

Duty and fees on three Japanese imports

Worked examples at the 2026 rates, before freight, on illustrative entered values:

• Classic entered at $25,000: $3,125 duty, $86.60 MPF, $31.25 HMF. $3,242.85 in total.
• Classic entered at $35,000: $4,375 duty, $121.24 MPF, $43.75 HMF. $4,539.99 in total.
• Modern car under 25 entered at $46,000: $6,900 duty, $159.34 MPF, $57.50 HMF. $7,116.84 in total, before any compliance work.

The $2,577 gap between the last two is the smaller part of the story. The modern car also needs a legal path into the country, and most Japan-only models don't have one.

Shipping from Japan to the USA: container, RoRo or air

A shared container is our default for a Japanese classic. It suits cars that don't run, keeps the car out of the weather and lets spare parts travel with it within carrier rules. RoRo only takes cars that drive, and only on the routes a RoRo carrier serves.

Air is fast on the plane and slow on paper. Without the documents ready before pickup, clearance can take up to two weeks, so we only recommend it when a show or auction date is fixed and the paperwork is done early.

Freight moves with the port pair, the carrier's schedule and the season, so we don't print a single number here. The arrival coast should be chosen on ocean plus inland cost together, not ocean alone. Ports and routes are in our Japan to USA shipping guide, and the car import calculator prices your lane.

The 25-year rule in 2026: which models qualify

Two different 25-year tests apply, and they do not use the same clock.

For the Section 232 exemption, CBP looks at the year of manufacture against the year of entry. A car built in 2001 qualifies for all of calendar 2026, whichever month it was built.

For DOT admission under the NHTSA 25-year exemption, the car must be 25 years old to the month of manufacture. An October 2001 build clears DOT from October 2026 onward. EPA uses a separate 21-year test, so any 2001 car already clears that one. Check the build plate, not the model year. Our 25-year rule guide has the full detail.

Models that enter the window during 2026:

• 2001 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec II, and the M-spec from May 2001
• 2001 Honda S2000 AP1
• 2001 Toyota Supra RZ JZA80, one of the final production years
• 2001 Mazda RX-7 Type R Bathurst FD3S
• 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX STI GDB, the first "bugeye" cars
• 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII
• 2001 Honda Integra Type R DC5, from July 2001
• 2001 Nissan Silvia Spec-R S15

Cars under 25 years can enter under Show or Display, but those cars are limited to 2,500 miles a year and the model must be on the approved list. A Registered Importer can only bring a car into DOT compliance if NHTSA has found the model eligible, and most Japan-only models have no such finding. Our advice is plain: buy a car that is already 25, or wait for it.

Documents customs expects to see

For a 25-year-eligible Japanese import the broker files:

• Original Japanese export certificate (the deregistration document)
• Bill of sale or auction invoice showing the purchase price
• Bill of lading
• EPA Form 3520-1 with Box E checked, "vehicle is at least 21 years old"
• DOT Form HS-7 with Box 1 checked, the 25-year exemption under 49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(3)
• CBP Form 7501 entry summary, prepared by the broker
• Photo ID for the importer of record

A missing export certificate or a bill of sale that doesn't match the entry is the usual reason a car sits at the terminal, so we check the set before the car sails.

Right-hand drive

RHD is legal at the federal level and there is no federal requirement to convert. Most states register RHD cars routinely; a few add inspection or insurance steps, and some restrict kei vehicles on public roads. Most JDM buyers keep the car as built, and so would we. Check your state before you buy a kei car; our kei truck import guide covers the state rules.

Is importing a car from Japan worth it?

Sometimes. It depends on the car, not on the idea of JDM. Four questions settle it:

1. Is the car unavailable in the US, or clearly better from Japan? R32, R33 and R34 Skylines, S15 Silvias, Chasers, kei cars and vans were never sold here. A model sold here in volume rarely pencils out once freight, duty and fees are added to the hammer price.
2. Is it 25-year eligible? If yes, compliance is a form. If not, there is usually no legal path at all.
3. Does the landed cost still beat US listings? Run the calculator, then search US listings for the same car. If the gap is a few thousand dollars, buy local.
4. Can you wait for the export paperwork, the sailing and clearance? A Japan import is measured in weeks, not days.

Four yes answers and the import is usually worth it. A low auction price on its own is not a reason.

Four ways to lower the cost

• Share a container. You pay for one car's space, not a whole container.
• Pick the arrival coast on total cost: ocean freight plus inland delivery, not ocean freight alone.
• Stay inside the 25-year rule. The duty is lower and the compliance bill disappears.
• Get the full landed estimate in writing before you bid: collection in Japan, freight, duty, fees, port handling and delivery. Most surprise costs are items that were never on the first quote.

Cargo Damage Protection

A car crossing the Pacific is handled at two ports and on a truck at each end. West Coast Shipping offers optional Cargo Damage Protection for loss or damage in transit. On a GT-R, Supra or NSX it is a small line next to the replacement cost.

How we handle Japanese imports

We ship door to door, by ocean or air. Cars arrive through our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey, covering all of the US for imports and exports, and our own team loads every car and handles every document. Customs entry is filed by a licensed customs broker.

Bought at a USS auction, from a dealer in Tokyo or at a show overseas? The same plan applies. Read how we ship a collector car, and find rates and the booking form on the import a car from Japan page.

Get Your Japanese Import Cost Assessment Today

Found your car at a USS auction, a dealer in Tokyo or a show overseas? Price your lane with our car import calculator and our Japanese import specialists will send a personalized cost breakdown. It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Importing Cars from Japan to the US

How do I import a car from Japan to the US?

Confirm the build month clears the 25-year rule, buy through an auction agent or dealer, have the car deregistered and trucked to a Japanese port, ship it by container or air, clear customs with EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7, then register it in your state.

How much does it cost to import a car from Japan in 2026?

Duty and customs fees on a 25-year-old Japan-built car entered at $35,000 come to $4,539.99: $4,375 duty at 12.5%, $121.24 MPF and $43.75 HMF. Freight depends on the port pair and season, and the car import calculator prices it by lane.

What is the US import duty on a Japanese car in 2026?

A Japan-built car 25 years or older pays 12.5% combined from July 24, 2026 (HTS 9903.05.49). A passenger car under 25 pays 15% under Section 232. Pickups and kei trucks pay the 25% Chicken Tax.

Which Japanese cars qualify for the 25-year rule in 2026?

Cars built in 2001. NHTSA counts 25 years to the month of manufacture, so an October 2001 car clears DOT in October 2026. The R34 GT-R V-Spec II, S2000 AP1, Evo VII and DC5 Integra Type R all arrive this year.

Do Japanese right-hand drive cars need conversion?

No. RHD is legal at the federal level and most states register RHD cars routinely. A few states add inspection or insurance steps, and some restrict kei vehicles on public roads.

Should I ship a car from Japan by container, RoRo or air?

A shared container suits most classics, including cars that don't run. RoRo takes only running cars on routes a RoRo carrier serves. Air is the fast option when a date is fixed, but the documents, not the flight, usually set the pace.