Import Regulations
Afghanistan
| Year Restriction | - |
| Destination Port | Karachi, Bandar Abbas |
| Time of Shipment | 16-26 days ( RoRo ) |
| Importation of left-hand drive vehicles is permitted in the country. |
Bangladesh
| Year Restriction | Maximum 4 years old |
| Destination Port | Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla |
| Time of Shipment | 19-24 days ( RoRo ) |
Vehicle imported in Bangladesh should be a right hand drive vehicle. All vehicles imported from Japan are required to pass JAAI inspection. |
India
| Year Restriction | Maximum 3 years old |
| Destination Port | Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata |
| Time of Shipment | 19-24 days ( RoRo ) |
| Importation of left-hand drive vehicles not allowed in the country. |
Kiribati
| Year Restriction | No age restrictions |
| Destination Port | Tarawa Island |
| Time of Shipment | 14-26 days ( RoRo ) |
| Only Right Hand Drive vehicles are allowed to be driven in Kiribati. |
Maldives
| Year Restriction | No age limit |
| Destination Port | Port of Male, Colombo |
| Time of Shipment | 21- 30 days ( RoRo ) |
| Right Hand Drive are allowed to import in the country. |
Pakistan
| Year Restriction | Maximum 3 years old |
| Destination Port | Karachi |
| Time of Shipment | 14- 24 days ( RoRo ) |
All vehicles imported must be Right Hand Drive (RHD). |
Sri Lanka
| Year Restriction | Maximum 3 years old |
| Destination Port | Colombo, Hambantota |
| Time of Shipment | 14-24 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Importation of only Right-Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles allowed in Sri Lanka. Inspection There is a compulsory inspection JAAI that should be passed in Japan. Inspection original certificate needed to complete customs clearance upon arrival. It will also need as an additional document for LCA transaction (Letter of Credit Authorization). |
Kenya
Year Restriction | Maximum 8 years old |
Destination Port | Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles All vehicles imported must be Right Hand Drive (RHD). Inspection Inspection on vehicles imported to Kenya, must be done either by JEVIC (Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center) or QISJ (Quality Inspection Services Japan) for road-worthiness. |
Madagascar
Year Restriction | – |
Destination Port | Tamatave |
Time of Shipment | 34-44 days ( RoRo ) |
Left-Hand Drive Vehicles Importation of left-hand drive vehicles is permitted in the country. |
Mauritius
Year Restriction | Maximum 4 years old |
Destination Port | Port Louis |
Time of Shipment | 19-24 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Right hand drive vehicles are only permitted to be imported in Mauritius. |
Nigeria
Year Restriction | Maximum 15 years old |
Destination Port | Appa, Lagos, Onne, Tincan island |
Time of Shipment | 34-44 days ( RoRo ) |
Left-Hand Drive Vehicles The used cars from Japan imported to Nigeria should be Left Hand Drive. |
Seychelles
Year Restriction | Maximum 3 years old |
Destination Port | Port Victoria, Mahe |
Time of Shipment | 28-39 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive vehicles is permitted in the country. |
South Africa
Year Restriction | No age restriction |
Destination Port | Durban, Elizabeth |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Right Hand Drive vehicles are only permitted for importation in South Africa. |
Tanzania
Year Restriction | No age limit |
Destination Port | Durban, Dar Es Salaam, ZANZIBAR |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Inspection EAA Inspection is a must. Age Restriction There is no age limit on the import of used cars in Tanzania from Japan. However used motor vehicles of 8 years of age or more, counted from the year of manufacture are charged additional excise duty while imported in Tanzania. |
Uganda
Year Restriction | Maximum 15 years old |
Destination Port | Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Right and Left hand drive both types of vehicles arfe permitted. Inspection Required Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has appointed EAA to conduct a compulsory inspection ‘Road Worthiness Inspection (RWI)’ for the used cars to ensure that it meets certain standards. |
Zambia
Year Restriction | No age limit |
Destination Port | Dar Es Salaam, Durban, Maputo |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Only right-hand drive vehicles are allowed to be imported in Zambia. Inspection All Japanese used vehicles imported to Zambia must be JEVIC (Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center) certified for roadworthiness. |
Zimbabwe
Year Restriction | Maximum 10 years old |
Destination Port | Dar Es Salaam, Durban, Maputo, Walvis Bay, Biera |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Importation of Right Hand Drive vehicle is allowed in Zimbabwe. Inspection EAA Inspection is mandatory for the vehicles imported in Zimbabwe from 01st June 2022 onwards. |
Antigua and Barbuda
Year Restriction | No age limit |
Destination Port | ST John’s |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles The country permits the importation of right-hand drive vehicles. |
Cayman Islands
Year Restriction | No age limit |
Destination Port | Georgetown |
Time of Shipment | 29-36 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Importers and buyers allowed to import right hand drive vehicles in the country. No mandatory inspection required. |
Dominica
Year Restriction | Maximum 5 years old |
Destination Port | Roseau |
Time of Shipment | 24- 34 days ( RoRo ) |
Right-Hand Drive Vehicles are used in Dominica. |
Guyana
Year Restriction | Maximum 8 years old |
Destination Port | Georgetown |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Age Restriction Japanese used vehicle imported in Guyana should not be more than 5 years old. Small trucks up to 3 tons must be less than four years old. Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Only right hand drive cars are imported in Guyana. |
Jamaica
Year Restriction | Maximum 6 years old |
Destination Port | Kingston, Montego Bay |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
Import of right-hand drive vehicle is allowed in Jamaica. The Government’s pre-shipment inspection regime for imported used motor vehicles, which will provide greater protection for consumers, comes into effect on February 1, 2018. |
Suriname
Year Restriction | Maximum 8 years old |
Destination Port | Paramaibo |
Time of Shipment | 39-44 days ( RoRo ) |
Right Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles are permitted to enter in Suriname. |
United States
Year Restriction | More than 25 years old |
Destination Port | Los Angeles, Long Beach, Tacoma, New York, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Savannah, Galveston, FREEPORT(TEXAS) |
Time of Shipment | 9-18 days ( RoRo ) |
| Left/Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Both Left Hand drive and Right Hand drive vehicles are allowed to be import in the country. |
Cyprus
Year Restriction | Maximum 5 years old |
Destination Port | Limassol,Larnaca, Famagusta |
Time of Shipment | 26-36 days ( RoRo ) |
| Importation of right-hand drive vehicles is allowed in Cyprus. |
Ireland
Year Restriction | - |
Destination Port | Dublin |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
| In Ireland, driving is done on the left-hand side of the road with vehicles steering on the right hand side. |
UK
Year Restriction | Less than 10 years |
Destination Port | Bristol, Liverpool, Southampton, Immingham, Dublin, Newcastle, Grimsby |
Time of Shipment | 24-34 days ( RoRo ) |
| UK is Right Hand Drive country and can import any steering Left Hand Drive or Right Hand Drive.
Japanese used cars must pass the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) or Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) Test |
Australia
Year Restriction | No age restriction |
Destination Port | Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, Kembla |
Time of Shipment | 14-24 days ( RoRo ) |
| Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Australia country allows the importation of right hand drive vehicles. |
New Zealand
Year Restriction | No age restriction |
Destination Port | Auckland, Lyttleton, Nelson, Dunedin, Napier, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington |
Time of Shipment | 14-24 days ( RoRo ) |
| Inspection JEVIC and Quarantine service (MAF Biosecurity) inspection are required to be done in Japan before importing the Car in New Zealand. |
