Providence Auto · Japan Import Specialists
Japanese Import Cars, Direct from Japan.
Tell us the car you want. We search dealers and auctions across Japan for a grade 4+ example, inspect it before your money moves, and ship it to your port with one landed price and the paperwork to import it.
Where are we landing it?
Import direct from Japan — a grade 4+ car, inspected before you pay, with one landed price and the paperwork support to import it.
Tell us the model and spec you want. We search dealers and auctions across Japan, send you the grade and our inspection findings before any money moves, and give you the whole landed figure itemised — the CNF price you pay us for the car, shipping and marine cover to your port, and the duty and taxes you pay on arrival. Choose your destination above to see the rules and timeline for your country.
Select a model to begin
Choose the car you want to import.
Every model below is one we export regularly from Japan. Select one and we will open the inquiry form with it filled in, or use the card at the end to tell us about something else.
Hybrids & Hatchbacks
Fuel-efficient hybrids and small hatchbacks.
These are the highest-volume cars we import, and for most private buyers they are the cheapest way to own a reliable car. Japanese owners trade them in early, so they reach auction with low verified mileage and a full inspection history, and their small engines and low emissions keep import duty and registration tax down in nearly every country we ship to.
SUVs & 4x4s
Land Cruisers and premium SUVs.
Japan registers more Land Cruisers than almost any other market and sells them on while they are still young, which is why a Japanese-sourced 4x4 usually lands cheaper than the equivalent car bought locally. Every vehicle in this group is right-hand drive as standard, and you see its grade and our own inspection findings before you commit.
Vans & People Movers
Seven and eight-seat vans.
Japanese people movers are built around sliding doors, a flat floor and a genuinely usable third row, which is why they are the default choice for large families and for private hire work in most of the markets we serve. Hybrid versions are widely available and keep both fuel bills and emissions-based import taxes low.
Luxury & Performance
Premium saloons and performance cars.
Japan's shaken inspection regime makes older cars expensive to keep, so premium models leave first ownership early and arrive at auction with mileage you can verify against the country's own inspection records. That is how a European executive saloon or a Japanese performance car reaches you for less than the local equivalent costs.
This is a shortlist, not our catalogue. If you are after a kei truck, a Toyota Hiace, a GR-badged model or anything else sold in Japan, describe it in the inquiry form and we will find it in Japan for you.
Available Now From Japan
Cars we have already found and graded in Japan, ready to ship to your country.
Every car we export is graded 4 or above and inspected by our own team in Japan, with its mileage checked against Japan's inspection records. You see the grade and our inspection before we spend a yen.
Why Import From Providence Auto
Grade 4 and Above, Verified
We only export cars graded 4 or above. Japanese owners drive little and most cars never see a salted road, so they come to market clean and low-mileage. We check the odometer against Japan's inspection records, and if a car doesn't match its grade, we don't export it.
Your Country's Rules, Confirmed First
Every right-hand-drive market applies its own age limits, pre-export inspections, emissions rules and registration deadlines, and we have shipped through all of them. We confirm the rules in force for your destination before you commit, and check the car against them before it leaves Japan — so you know it qualifies rather than hoping it does.
One Honest Landed Price
Before you commit anything, you get the whole landed figure, itemised in two halves: the CNF price you pay us — the car, any auction fees, freight and marine cover to your port — and the duty and local taxes you pay your own customs authority when it lands, worked out for your exact car and country. You see both numbers before any money moves.
Shipping and Paperwork Support
We book RoRo or container freight from Japan's ports to yours and keep the car under marine cover for the voyage. Your export file — certificate, inspection, bill of lading — is prepared and explained before it arrives, and our team supports you through clearance at your port. You get milestone updates the whole way.
Anyone can promise. We show.
You see the inspection before your payment is released.
- Engine
- Transmission
- Underbody
- Electronics
- Bodywork
- Interior
- The auction sheet is read in Japanese and checked against the car itself.
If it does not match the description you approved, it does not ship, and you are not charged.
You get the full document pack for your port.
- Export certificate (deregistration) with certified mileage
- Pre-shipment inspection certificate where your country requires one (JEVIC, QISJ and similar)
- Biosecurity cleaning record where your country requires one
- Bill of lading
- Commercial invoice
- Marine insurance certificate
You know the landed figure before you commit.
Paid to us: your CNF price
- The car, at source
- Freight to your port
- Marine cover for the voyage
Paid in your name at your port
- Duty and local taxes, for your exact car
You can track every milestone to your port.
- You choose
- We find it
- Inspected
- At sea
- At your port
- Yours
Tell us exactly what you want.
Tell us the car you are after and we will find it in Japan, graded 4 or above, and come back to you with a full landed-cost quote for your country before you commit to anything.
Importing From Japan — Your Questions Answered
Everything you need to know about importing a Japanese car and landing it in your country with Providence.
Importing From Japan
Why import a used car from Japan?
Japanese owners drive little and sell young, because the shaken inspection regime makes older cars expensive to keep. Cars come to market with low, verifiable mileage, and most never see a salted road. We export grade 4 and above only, and importing direct means you pay a Japanese price, not a local dealer's markup.
How does the Japanese auction grading system work?
Independent inspectors grade every auction car on a standard scale: Grade 5 is near-new, Grade 4 is excellent, Grade 3.5 is very good with minor cosmetic marks, and accident-repaired cars are flagged separately as Grade R. The grade, panel-by-panel condition map and inspector's notes all appear on the auction sheet. We export Grade 4 and above only. Where a car comes through auction, you get the original sheet with a translation before we bid, and if a car doesn't match its grade on our own inspection, we don't ship it.
Is the mileage on Japanese import cars genuine?
Yes — and it's verifiable. Japan records odometer readings at every shaken inspection and at auction, and auction houses flag any inconsistency directly on the sheet. Before export, the mileage is certified again on the official export certificate. We cross-check all three records on every car we export, and we walk away from any vehicle where the history doesn't line up perfectly.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan?
The total is the car's price (plus auction fees if it's won at auction), inland transport in Japan, ocean freight, marine insurance, and your country's import duties and taxes — which vary widely by destination and vehicle. We work out the whole landed figure for your specific car and country before you commit anything, itemised so you can see which part you pay us — the car, fees, freight and marine cover to your port — and which part you pay your own customs authority when it lands. What you pay us is fixed before you commit, and there are no surprise charges from us on arrival.
How long does it take to import a car from Japan?
Typically 6–14 weeks from order to the car reaching your port, depending on destination: 1–2 weeks to find and inspect the right car, then roughly 3–5 weeks shipping to East African ports, 4–6 weeks to South Asia, or 6–8 weeks to the UK and Ireland. Customs clearance and local registration follow at your end — those are yours to complete, with our documents prepared and our team on the file. You get live milestone updates from the moment it leaves Japan.
Your Country's Rules
What are the rules for importing a Japanese car to the UK?
The UK has no age limit on imports, which is why it's the natural home of the JDM classic. Your car must be notified to HMRC through NOVA within 14 days of arrival, approved where required, and registered with the DVLA — we prepare the paperwork for each step, and you file it as the importer. Duty and VAT depend on the vehicle; we calculate both before you commit, and you pay them to HMRC in your own name.
What does it cost to import a Japanese car to Ireland?
Three charges apply: customs duty — 0% for Japan-built cars under the EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement — VAT at 23% on the landed value, and VRT based on CO2 emissions, which runs as low as 7–14% for efficient Japanese hybrids. Every import must be registered at NCTS within 30 days of arrival. We calculate all of it before you commit and prepare the declarations; the taxes are paid in your name, as the car's owner.
Can I import a Japanese car to Cyprus?
Yes. Cyprus drives on the left, so a right-hand-drive car from Japan suits its roads, and as an EU member it takes Japan-built cars at 0% customs duty under the EU–Japan agreement. Tell us the car you want and we will confirm the rules and quote one landed price before you commit.
What is the age limit for importing a car to Kenya?
Kenya only accepts vehicles under 8 years old from the year of first registration, right-hand drive only, and every car must pass a mandatory pre-export roadworthiness inspection in Japan for KEBS compliance. We export age-compliant stock, arrange the inspection, and ship into Mombasa with the duty calculated up front and payable by you on clearance — the Toyota Harrier, Fielder, Vitz and Land Cruiser Prado are the perennial fast movers.
Can I import an older Japanese car to Tanzania?
Yes — Tanzania has no outright age ban, though vehicles more than 10 years old attract additional excise duty, which we work into your landed figure up front so there is no surprise when you clear it. Cars ship into Dar es Salaam and must pass pre-shipment inspection in Japan, which we arrange. The IST, Harrier, Noah and Land Cruiser are among the most in-demand imports.
What are Uganda's rules for Japanese car imports?
Uganda sets an age limit on imported vehicles, so a younger Japanese car is the sweet spot: think Harrier, Premio, Wish or Hiace. Tell us the car you want and we will confirm Uganda's rules for it and give you the full landed figure before you commit — what you pay us, and what you pay at the border, itemised.
Do you ship to other right-hand-drive countries?
Yes. Beyond the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, we ship to right-hand-drive markets worldwide — including the wider Caribbean, southern Africa, and the Pacific. Tell us your country in the inquiry form and we'll come back with the exact rules, timeline and full landed cost for your destination.
Warranty, Shipping & Protection
Does an imported car come with a warranty?
Yes — you get a local warranty, provided by our partner dealer in your own region rather than by an exporter on the other side of the world. Cover is whatever that dealer offers in your market, so if something needs attention after delivery you book it in with a garage you can drive to. We confirm in writing which partner is covering your car, what the warranty includes and how long it runs, as part of your landed-cost quote — before you commit.
Is my payment protected when importing a car from Japan?
Yes. Funds are held securely until your vehicle is confirmed, inspected and cleared for shipment, and every car is covered by marine insurance for the voyage. Providence is an established international sourcing and export group with its own people in seven countries, including a team on the ground in Japan, so you always know exactly where your car and your money are.
Will my car ship by RoRo or container?
Both are available. RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) is the economical default for most imports; containerised shipping suits higher-value cars or multi-vehicle orders. We recommend the right method for your car and destination, and either way it's covered by marine insurance with live vessel tracking from Japan to your port.
What documents do I receive with my import?
The car's condition grade and our inspection report (with the original auction sheet and translation, where it came through auction), the export certificate with verified mileage, the deregistration certificate, the Bill of Lading, and any required pre-export inspection certificates for your country — the full file you or your clearing agent needs to clear, register and own the car outright.
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