Import a JDM Vehicle
The paperwork-first guide to buying in Japan, clearing U.S. Customs, and building a title packet that survives the county counter.
Age is the gate.
For the common enthusiast route, the car must be at least 25 years old from its actual build month when it enters the U.S. Not the model year, and not the first-registration date in Japan. A car built in March 2002 can enter in March 2027.
The export certificate shows when the car was first registered in Japan, not when it was built. Confirm the build month from the manufacturer plate or another factory record before you buy, and keep that evidence in the file with the export certificate and invoice.
Three agencies, three rules
- DOT / NHTSA: a car 25+ years old generally enters under Box 1 of Form HS-7 without regard to FMVSS compliance.
- EPA: a separate 21-year rule, and only for cars in original, unmodified configuration. An engine swap can break the easy route.
- CBP: age exemptions don't replace Customs entry. You still need ownership proof, the federal declarations, entry processing and a release.
Two different clocks
NHTSA counts from the build month. CBP's Section 232 auto-tariff exemption counts calendar years, so a car built in November 2001 can be tariff-exempt in January 2026 but not NHTSA-eligible until November 2026. Ship on the later date.
Already eligible
- Honda Integra Type R (DC5): production began July 2001, so early builds cleared in July 2026
- Subaru Impreza WRX STI (GDB): launched 2000
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII (CT9A): 2001 builds
- Toyota Altezza: launched 1998
Coming in 2027
- Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür / M-spec Nür (BNR34): launched February 2002, 1,003 built
- Mazda RX-7 Spirit R (FD3S): on sale April 2002, production ended August 2002
- Lancer Evolution VII GT-A: launched January 2002
- Final-year Supra (JZA80) and Silvia (S15): production ended August 2002
- Honda NSX-R (NA2): 2002
Seven clean handoffs.
Every document should tell the same story: same owner, same chassis number, same price, same car.
- 01
Qualify the exact car
Confirm build date, original engine and configuration, chassis number and eligibility before money moves. JDM chassis numbers may not be 17 characters; copy them exactly.
- 02
Buy with the title in mind
Get a signed bill of sale and the original Japanese export document. Make, model, year, chassis number, buyer, seller, price and date must match everywhere.
- 03
Book export and freight
Pick roll-on/roll-off or container, confirm port fees and storage rules, keep the bill of lading and arrival notice, and ask who files the Customs entry.
- 04
Prepare federal declarations
Complete DOT Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1 with the eligibility basis that actually applies. Don't copy a box or code from someone else's import.
- 05
Clear CBP
Present ownership, shipping, DOT, EPA and entry documents and pay duty and fees. Keep the stamped release and CBP Form 7501 Entry Summary.
- 06
Inspect and reconcile
Before leaving the port, photograph the car and its chassis marking, and check every digit against the export certificate, bill of sale, HS-7, EPA form and entry.
- 07
Build the title packet
Follow your state and county process for VIN inspection, title application, translations, tax and odometer forms. Bring originals plus organized copies.
Read Japan's paperwork.
The export certificate is the closest thing to a Japanese title. The auction sheet is the inspector's condition report.
Export certificate
- Registered cars: 輸出抹消仮登録証明書 (Yushutsu Massho Kari-Toroku Shomeisho), from the regional Transport Bureau
- Kei vehicles: 自動車検査証返納証明書, from the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization
- Shows chassis number, model code (e.g. BNR34), engine model and first-registration date
- Only one original exists. Treat it like a title.
Auction grades
- 5
- As new
- 4.5
- Very clean
- 4
- Minor blemishes
- 3.5
- Needs some paint or panel work
- 3
- Rough
- R / RA
- Accident-repaired (RA is minor)
- A–D
- Interior: as new through burns, tears, smells
Damage codes
- A1–A3
- Scratches
- U1–U4
- Small dents
- B
- Larger dents
- W
- Repaired or wavy paint
- S / C
- Rust or corrosion, common on snow-country cars
- X / XX
- Needs replacement / already replaced
Keep every page.
Scan each original the day it arrives. Port paperwork is much harder to reconstruct after the car is home.
Before shipping
- Bill of sale / invoice
- Original export or registration certificate
- Certified translation, if requested
- Build-date evidence
- Engine and chassis photos
Federal / port
- Bill of lading / arrival notice
- DOT Form HS-7
- EPA Form 3520-1
- CBP Form 7501 / release
- Duty and port-fee receipts
State title
- Foreign ownership original
- VIN inspection certificate
- State title application
- Odometer form, if applicable or requested
- Statement of fact / correction support
Build it for the counter.
Montana's foreign-vehicle checklist calls for released foreign ownership, a VIN inspection, Customs entry documents, a title application, odometer paperwork when applicable, and HS-7 support. Once titled, Montana is one of the cheapest places to own an old import.
That checklist is dated 2016 and says exceptions may apply. Call your county treasurer before the appointment and ask what they currently require for a Japanese export certificate, translation, a non-17-digit chassis number, VIN inspection and odometer disclosure.
The Beat's lesson: small wording errors, big delays
- Use the Japanese chassis number consistently. Don't invent or pad a 17-digit VIN.
- The Beat packet included a Montana MV90A odometer disclosure. The older checklist only requires one for vehicles nine years old and newer, but a county may still ask for mileage paperwork.
- An MV100 Statement of Fact fixed seller-capacity wording. Describe the error and correction plainly, and attach the document it explains.
- Keep personal identifiers and full chassis numbers off public copies.
Tax and registration
- No general sales tax
- Annual light-vehicle registration for an 11+ year-old car: $28 plus the county option tax
- Or register permanently: pay the fees plus five years of county option tax once, and skip renewals while you own it
- Title fee: $12
Kei trucks
- No kei or mini-truck statute. A road-capable kei truck titles as an ordinary light truck (rated 1 ton or less).
- No special speed cap, but the minimum-speed rule bars driving slow enough to block traffic. A 660cc truck on an 80 mph interstate is a judgment call.
- Montana plates don't override another state's rules if you live elsewhere.
Plates, RHD and insurance
- Collector plates need a vehicle 30+ years old used solely as a collector's item. Most 1990s JDM cars qualify for ordinary permanent registration long before that.
- No rule against right-hand drive.
- Collector insurers write agreed-value policies on Japanese imports; a standard policy may pay only a generic book value. Get a quote before you buy.
Price the landed car.
The auction price is only the first line. Approximate figures for October 2026; get a written entry estimate from your customs broker before the car ships, and keep a contingency for storage, inspection and document fixes.
Import duty
- Passenger cars: 2.5% base rate
- Since July 24, 2026, a Section 301 tariff brings many Japanese goods to 12.5% combined. Passenger vehicles have an exemption, but brokers disagree on whether it covers 25-year-old cars. Plan for 12.5% until your broker confirms otherwise.
- Trucks, including kei trucks: 25%. CBP classifies mini trucks as goods-transport vehicles (ruling HQ H299177).
Federal fees and broker
- Merchandise Processing Fee: 0.3464% of value, minimum $34.58, maximum $670.86 (fiscal 2027, from October 1, 2026)
- Harbor Maintenance Fee: 0.125% of value on ocean shipments
- Customs broker: roughly $400–$800. Bond: roughly $150–$500.
Freight, Japan to West Coast
- Roll-on/roll-off: roughly $800–$1,400
- Dedicated 20-foot container: roughly $1,500–$2,800
- Transit: about 2–3 weeks
The full budget
- Vehicle + exporter: purchase, auction, inland Japan transport, exporter fee
- Ocean: freight, marine insurance, destination handling
- Customs: duty, entry, broker, bond, federal fees
- Port + delivery: terminal, storage, exam, tow or transport home
- Title: inspection, translation, tax, title and registration
- Baseline service: fluids, tires, battery, belts, deferred maintenance, parts
At 2.5%, duty is $200. At 12.5%, it's $1,000. The MPF hits its $34.58 minimum and the HMF adds $10. The duty question alone is an $800 swing, which is why the broker's written estimate matters.
Small car. Big trip.
The forms are dry. The payoff isn't. An age-eligible Beat is exactly the kind of strange, joyful machine the 25-year rule opens up.
Honda Beat photography from the Aaron Goes Fast archive.
Import FAQ.
Does the 25-year rule go by model year?
No. NHTSA counts 25 years from the month the car was built. Check the build plate before you buy.
What is the duty on a car from Japan?
The base rate is 2.5% for passenger cars and 25% for trucks, including kei trucks. A Section 301 tariff since July 2026 may bring Japanese cars to 12.5% combined. Get a written broker estimate.
Do I need a customs broker?
Not legally, but most first-time importers use one to file the entry, post the bond, and handle the port.
Can I register a right-hand-drive car in Montana?
Yes. Montana has no right-hand-drive restriction. Title it with the export certificate, customs release, HS-7, and a VIN inspection.
Are kei trucks street legal in Montana?
Montana has no kei-specific law, so a road-capable kei truck titles as a light truck. Normal traffic laws apply, including the rule against driving slow enough to block traffic.
How long does importing take?
Ocean transit to the West Coast is about 2–3 weeks. Add time for purchase, export paperwork, port clearance, and titling, and plan on several weeks from purchase to plates.
Use primary sources.
Forms and procedures change. Download fresh forms right before filing and confirm port-specific instructions with CBP or your broker.
Educational field guide only; not legal, tax, brokerage, or title advice. This page covers the common permanent-import path for age-eligible enthusiast vehicles. Newer, modified, commercial, show-or-display, racing, off-road, and temporary imports follow different rules.