🇦🇺 Importing a Japanese car to Australia
Right-hand drive means no conversion. Vehicles 25+ years old enter under the older-vehicle pathway; newer models need to be on the SEVS register.
25-Year Rule or SEVS
In 2026, vehicles built in 2001 or earlier qualify. That line moves one year every January — a car that is ineligible today may be legal next year.
Duty: 5% MFN plus 10% GST. Japan-origin cars that meet JAEPA rules of origin are duty-free, and vehicles 30+ years old are duty-free by age alone. High-value cars also pay 33% LCT above the threshold (AUD 80,567, or 91,387 for fuel-efficient vehicles — 2026 figures).
Duty origin follows where the car was built, not where it was bought. A German car purchased in Japan is still EU-origin, so the Japan trade-agreement rate does not apply to it.
How it goes
- Confirm the pathway: 25+ years old, or listed on SEVS.
- Apply for a Vehicle Import Approval before shipping. Do not ship first.
- Asbestos declaration — Australia enforces this hard on Japanese imports.
- Pay 5% duty, 10% GST, and LCT if the value is high.
- State registration and roadworthy inspection.
1,352 cars in stock qualify (2001 and older)
View all ›Prices are the Japanese domestic asking price. Shipping, duty and compliance are extra — ask us for a landed quote and we will put the whole number in one place.