How to import a car from Japan
25-year rule · shipping · customs · titling
Importing a car from Japan is more approachable than it looks once you know the sequence. Here's the whole process from eligibility to license plates — and where an importer can take the work off your plate.
Quick answer
To import a car from Japan to the US, the vehicle generally must be at least 25 years old to be exempt from federal safety and emissions rules. From there the steps are: find and buy the car, arrange ocean shipping, clear US customs and CBP/EPA/DOT paperwork, then title and register it in your state — or have an importer handle the whole process for you.
Step 1
Check eligibility (the 25-year rule)
The single biggest factor is age. Under the federal 25-year rule, a vehicle that is at least 25 years old is exempt from the FMVSS safety standards and most EPA emissions requirements that would otherwise block a non-US-market car from being imported.
The clock runs from the month and year of manufacture, not the model year — so a car may become eligible partway through a calendar year. Newer cars can sometimes be imported under narrow exemptions, but for most buyers the 25-year path is the practical one.
State rules are separate
Clearing federal import is only half the story. Each state decides whether an import — especially a kei vehicle — can be titled and driven. Check your state's rules before you buy.
Step 2
Find and buy the car
Most vehicles are sourced from Japan's wholesale and dealer market. This is where an importer earns their keep: they source and find vehicles across Japan every week, inspect condition and documentation, and confirm the car is genuinely what it claims to be before any money moves.
Whether you go direct or through an importer, get clear on the vehicle's condition, mileage, service records, and export documentation up front.
Step 3
Ship it to the US
Cars cross the Pacific by ocean freight, typically either roll-on/roll-off (RoRo), where the car is driven onto the vessel, or inside a shipping container. RoRo is usually cheaper; a container offers more protection and lets you ship parts with the car. Transit to a US port generally takes a few weeks depending on the route.
Step 4
Clear US customs & compliance
At the port, the vehicle is cleared through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along with the required agency paperwork — an EPA form 3520-1 and a DOT form HS-7, which claim the 25-year exemption. Import duty on a passenger car is typically 2.5% of the vehicle's value (trucks are higher).
A licensed customs broker usually files the entry, and an importer will normally handle this whole step for you.
Step 5
Title & register in your state
Once the car clears customs, the last step is titling and registering it at your state DMV using the import and customs paperwork. Requirements vary widely — some states register 25-year imports and kei trucks with no drama, while others restrict where they can be driven or won't register kei vehicles at all.
The shortcut
Doing it yourself vs. using an importer
You can manage every step above yourself, but it means coordinating a Japanese seller, a shipping line, a customs broker, and your DMV across a language barrier and a time zone. An importer like Pacific JDM rolls sourcing, shipping, customs, compliance, and nationwide delivery into one process — you tell us the car, we hand you the keys.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to import a car from Japan?
- The landed cost is the vehicle price plus ocean freight, US import duty (typically 2.5% for a passenger car), customs and broker fees, and domestic transport to your door. The vehicle and freight are the biggest variables, so it's best to get a landed quote for the specific car.
- How long does it take to import a car from Japan?
- From purchase to delivery is often a couple of months. Ocean transit is usually a few weeks, with additional time for sourcing beforehand and customs clearance plus domestic transport afterward.
- What is the 25-year import rule?
- It's the federal rule that exempts a vehicle from FMVSS safety standards and most EPA emissions requirements once it's at least 25 years old, making non-US-market cars legal to import. The age is measured from the month of manufacture.
- Can I import a car younger than 25 years?
- Usually not for normal road use. Cars under 25 years generally must meet US safety and emissions standards, which most Japan-market vehicles don't — so the 25-year path is the practical route for most buyers.
- Do I have to import the car myself?
- No. You can handle it yourself, but many buyers use an importer who manages sourcing, shipping, customs, compliance, and delivery end to end so the car simply arrives ready to title.
Want the whole import handled for you?
Pacific JDM sources and finds vehicles in Japan every week and manages shipping, customs, compliance, and nationwide delivery. Tell us the car you want and we'll quote it landed to your door.