The cost of importing a car from Japan to the UK has one big advantage built in: thanks to the UK-Japan trade deal, a Japanese car pays 0% customs duty with a valid origin claim. You still pay 20% VAT on a newer car, or just 5% VAT on a classic that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production. The main variable cost is the longer shipping from Japan. Here is the full breakdown, with worked examples.
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The tax
The UK-Japan trade deal brings the duty on a Japanese-built car to 0% with a valid origin claim. VAT is 20% on most cars, or 5% on a classic that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production. Without a valid origin claim, a car that is not a qualifying classic pays 10% duty.
| Your car | Customs duty | Import VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Over 30 years old, original and model no longer in production | 0% | 5% |
| Any other car, valid origin claim | 0% | 20% |
| Any other car, no origin claim | 10% | 20% |
A worked example
Take a JDM car that is not a classic, with a valid origin claim and a customs value of £20,000 (the price plus shipping to the UK):
- Customs duty: 0% = £0
- Import VAT: 20% of £20,000 = £4,000
- Tax total: £4,000
If the car is a classic that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production, it pays 5% VAT and no duty: about £1,000. Age alone is not enough: all three conditions have to be met. Our guide on paying import duty and VAT shows the stacking.
Japan's trade deal means no duty. The VAT is the main tax cost, and a qualifying JDM classic drops even that to 5%.
The shipping
The main variable is shipping, since Japan is a long way off: sea freight takes several weeks and costs more than a European crossing. It also raises the customs value slightly, as VAT is charged on the value including shipping. The methods are in our guide to shipping a car to the UK.
The fees
Budget also for the agent's fee for customs, the origin claim and the registration paperwork, any test the car needs, and the £55 DVLA first registration fee. Japanese imports often also involve an export agent at the Japan end.
The total landed cost
For a Japanese car, the duty is zero, so after the price the two main costs are the VAT and the longer shipping. For a JDM classic that is over 30 years old, in its original state and of a model no longer in production, even the VAT drops to 5%, which makes it good value to bring over. More on the process is in our guide to importing a car from Japan.
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