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The 25-year rule
Japanese-market vehicles weren’t built to US safety and emissions standards. They can be imported for road use because vehicles 25 years or older (counted from the month of manufacture) are exempt from FMVSS, and EPA exempts vehicles of that age too.
Sheets give the year in the Japanese era: H11 is Heisei 11, which is 1999. Some states restrict certain imports — kei vehicles especially — on public roads regardless of federal rules.
Choosing an export agent
Japanese dealer auctions are members-only. An export agent bids for you, pays the auction, handles deregistration and books shipping. Compare agents on per-car fee, deposit terms, how fast they send sheets and extra photos, and how they handle damage claims. Many shops keep accounts with more than one agent to see more lots.
Reading an auction sheet
Every lot is inspected by the auction house. The sheet gives an overall grade, interior and exterior grades, mileage, options, a damage map and handwritten inspector notes.
Damage codes pair a letter with a size: A scratch, U dent, W repair wave, S rust, C corrosion. Bigger number, bigger problem. On 4x4s and trucks, read the underbody notes closely.
Bidding and the fees to expect
You give the agent a maximum bid. If you win, the hammer price is only the start. On the Japan side, expect fees like these (illustrative):
Japanese taxes and charges on exported vehicles change too. Your agent works them out and they appear on the invoice — Right Hand DMS records what you were actually charged.
Paying: Wise or wire
Agents invoice in yen and expect payment soon after the auction — check your agent’s terms. The ¥/$ rate printed on the invoice can change from one invoice to the next (159.50 to 163.80 in one recent shipment), so record FX per invoice. A Wise transfer often costs less than a bank wire and shows the exact rate you got. Whatever you use, keep the confirmation — that rate is what the car actually cost you in dollars.
Export, deregistration and RoRo shipping
Your agent deregisters the car and issues an export certificate — you’ll want the original and an English translation for customs and title. Most cars ship RoRo: driven onto a vehicle carrier, no container. The bill of lading names the frame number.
Customs: the broker, CBP 7501, duty, MPF and HMF
A licensed customs broker files your entry. You’ll need the bill of lading, the agent’s commercial invoice, the export certificate, and EPA 3520-1 and DOT HS-7 forms declaring the 25-year exemption. The entry summary (CBP Form 7501) shows what you paid. On one recent entry, the entered value was the vehicle price alone, not the invoice FOB with service fees. Ask your broker which applies.
Tariff rates on Japanese vehicles have changed several times since 2025 and are still moving. Right Hand DMS doesn’t classify vehicles or quote rates — your broker does that. We take what was actually charged off your paperwork and tally it into the car’s landed cost.
Port pickup and trucking
Once customs releases the car, the terminal charges handling, and storage once its free days run out. Book your carrier before release so storage doesn’t stack up. Keep every terminal and trucking receipt — they’re part of the car’s cost.
Title and registration
Requirements vary by state. Most ask for the stamped 7501, the translated export certificate, a bill of sale, and an inspection of the frame number. Some states won’t title kei vehicles for road use or limit where they can drive.