Import Regulations by Country

region-map (1)

If you are new to the car business, we strongly recommend checking import regulations before purchase. Each country has its own unique import regulations and procedures, mainly you will have to check:

  • Age restriction
  • Inspection upon arrival or export inspection before shipment in Japan
  • Steering side location ( Right Hand Drive (RHD) and/or Left Hand Drive (LHD) )
  • Duties, tariffs and taxes based on vehicles engine capacity
  • Some countries demand the year of manufacture

 

 

 

AFRICA

  • Botswana

    BOTSWANA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.finance.gov.bw/customs/index.htm
    Important None
  • Burundi

    BURUNDI

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.english.obr.bi/
    Important Mostly Left Hand Drive cars. Some limitation on special equipment
  • Congo-Kinshasa(Zaire)

    DRC

    Year Restriction No more than10 years from first registration year for passenger vehicles, for commercial 7 years
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.azfreight.com/azworld/aw13955.cfm
    Important Please confirm the duty before the shipment and check the seat numbers for commercial vehicles and minibuses
  • Ghana

    GHANA

    Year Restriction Under 10 years
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.gra.gov.gh
    Important Only Left Hand Drive cars are allowed to be imported, except special-purpose cars
  • Kenya

    KENYA

    Year Restriction Less than 7 years
    Inspection/-Agents JEVIC or QISJ/-Clearing agents: http://www.kra.go.ke/
    Important Right-Hand Drive cars only. (Exceptions for special cars e.g. ambulance and fire trucks)
  • Malawi

    MALAWI

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://malawibook.com/gouvernement/customs-clearing/
    Important Right Hand Drive mostly ( There is an exception for special equipped vehicles)
  • Mozambique

    MOZAMBIQUE

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents INTERTEK/- Clearing agents: http://www.mcli.co.za/mcli-web/spd/cfa.htm
    Important You will need to apply for vehicles MOZ number at your local INTERTEK office.
  • Namibia

    NAMIBIA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.mof.gov.na/customs-exercise
    Important For exact numbers and recent regulation, please contact local authorities
  • Nigeria

    NIGERIA

    Year Restriction None
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: https://www.customs.gov.ng/
    Important All vehicles must be Left Hand Drive cars, except special equipped vehicles
  • Tanzania

    TANZANIA

    Year Restriction None
    Inspection/-Agents JAAI or EAA-Clearing agents: http://www.tra.go.tz/
    Important Vehicles up to 10 years are preferred, for older cars some additional charges will apply
  • Uganda

    UGANDA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents JEVIC/-Clearing agents: https://uganda.visahq.com/customs/
    Important Right-Hand Drive vehicles only. (Exceptions for special cars e.g. ambulance and fire trucks)
  • South Africa

    SOUTH AFRICA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents -for transit vehicles please check them locally since the rates differ quite much
    Important Import is not allowed, permitted only for few models and for transit vehicles
  • Zambia

    ZAMBIA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents JEVIC/-Clearing agents: https://www.zra.org.zm/
    Important Right-Hand Drive vehicles only. (Exceptions for special cars e.g. ambulance and fire trucks)
  • Zimbabwe

    ZIMBABWE

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.zimra.co.zw/
    Important Right-Hand Drive vehicles only. (Exceptions for special cars e.g. ambulance and fire trucks)
  • Jamaica

    JAMAICA

    Year Restriction Passenger cars: 3 years Commercial cars: 4 years
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.jacustoms.gov.jm/
    Important Please check the genuine Manufacture date, same as on the belt
  • Antigua & Barbuda

    ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.customs.gov.ag/
    Important  
  • Bahamas

    BAHAMAS

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/customs
    Important  
  • Dominica

    DOMINICA

    Year Restriction Under 5 years
    Inspection/-Agents Customs office: http://customs.gov.dm/
    Important  
  • Dominican Republic

    DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

    Year Restriction Under 6 years
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://dominican-republic.shipping-international.com/freight-forwarders/
    Important  
  • Grenada

    GRENADA

    Year Restriction No Year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.grenadacustoms.com
    Important  
    • St Kitts & Nevis

      SAINT KITTS AND NAVIS

      Year Restriction No year restriction
      Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.skncustoms.com/
      Important  
    • Trinidad & Tobago

      TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

      Year Restriction Less than 6 years
      Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.customs.gov.tt/
      Important Please check the actual manufacture date

SOUTH AND NORTH AMERICA

OCEANIA

  • Australia

    AUSTRALIA

    Year Restriction According to RAWS the year restriction is 15 years old / Vehicle Import Approval is a must/
    Inspection/-Agents AQIS/- Customs: http://www.customs.gov.au/
    Important A freon (R12) gas removal is compulsory.
  • New Zealand

    NEW ZEALAND

    Year Restriction No Year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents MAF /odometers inspection/-Customs agents: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/
    Important You will have to pass the compliance test upon arrival of your car/ no rust, no structural changes or accidents cars/
  • Papua New Guinea

    PAPUA NEW GUINEA

    Year Restriction No Year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: www.customs.gov.pg/
    Important  

SOUTHERN ASIA

  • Hong Kong

    HONG KONG

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Clearing agents: http://www.td.gov.hk/
    Important Environmental Protection Department approval is needed, before shipping a vehicle into Hong Kong.
  • Malaysia

    MALAYSIA

    Year Restriction Import License is required
    Inspection/-Agents NONE/-Customs: http://www.customs.gov.my
    Important Right-Hand Steering Wheel has to be changed into Left-Hand Steering Wheel.
  • Myanmar(Burma)

    MYANMAR

    Year Restriction From 2007 onwards
    Inspection/-Agents Customs agents: http://www.myanmarcustoms.gov.mm/
    Important Only Left Hand Drive cars only
  • Pakistan

    PAKISTAN

    Year Restriction Passenger cars: 3 years
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.fbr.gov.pk/
    Important Please check import taxes and vehicle category, engine capacity and Capital Value Tax
  • Singapore

    SINGAPORE

    Year Restriction Less than 3 years
    Inspection/-Agents Emission Standarts/-Customs agents: http://www.customs.gov.sg/
    Important Check in advance emission codes and restrictions
  • Sri Lanka

    SRI LANKA

    Year Restriction Passenger cas:2 years Commercial vehicles:Light Weight Vehicle:4 years /Heavey Weight Vehicle:5 years
    Inspection/-Agents JAAI/-Clearing agents: http://www.shiplink.lk/cargo-clearing-forwarding.html
    Important L / C settlement is a condition of import payments.
  • Thailand

    THAILAND

    Year Restriction No year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs agents: http://Customs: www.customs.go.th
    Important You will have to pass the compliance test upon arrival of your car/ no rust, no structural changes or accidents cars/
  • United Arab Emirates

    UAE

    Year Restriction No Year restriction
    Inspection/-Agents Customs: http://www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en
    Important  

Europe