How Are Cars Shipped from Japan?

What's in this article?

How Can You Bring an Automobile from Japan into the US?
Step 1 Check vehicle eligibility
Step 2 Complete all necessary documents
Step 3 Shipping the car
Types of Shipping
Ro/Ro Shipping
Container shipping
Knockdown shipping
Preparing to Drive My Car in the United States
To Finish

Have you ever found how cars from Japan travel overseas to other countries intriguing? It is an intricate process requiring careful planning and logistics.

Japan has long been revered as an excellent car producer, and many around the globe eagerly anticipate getting one from Japan's factories to dealerships worldwide. How exactly are these vehicles transported between factories in Japan and dealerships abroad?

In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at the shipping process for cars from Japan and explore various methods employed for overseas transport. No matter whether you are passionate about cars or just curious about logistics, don't miss this insightful guide!

How Can You Bring an Automobile from Japan into the US?

Car enthusiasts eager to purchase Japanese Domestic Market Vehicles (JDMs), known as Japanese Domestic Market Automobiles (JDMA), now have an avenue of legal import into the US through the 25-year rule.

Under this provisional measure, vehicles over 25 years old may be imported without meeting current federal safety standards requirements.

Nissan and other popular automotive manufacturers have taken advantage of this change to expand into Japan legally, but what steps must they take to import one or more vehicles legally?

Step 1: Check vehicle eligibility

Before considering purchasing a Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) vehicle, ensure it meets entry eligibility regulations in the United States.

Customs authorities in this regard can be particularly strict, and failing to meet exemption criteria could leave you stranded with an expensive car illegally imported into your new home country.

Vehicles over 25 years old typically qualify for release by customs as classic cars without needing to comply with EPA/DOT regulations.

Since 2021, cars produced before 1996 will qualify under this rule - including popular models like the Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra, and MR2.

Be mindful, however. Before becoming road legal in America, each car must still meet specific standards, so do your research first.

Step 2: Complete all necessary documents

Before importing a car from abroad, it's crucial that all necessary documents, such as an EPA Form 3520-1, DOT Form HS-7, and CBP Form 7501, be in order.

Environmental Protection Agency Form 3520-1 requests information about vehicle make and model, use status, ICI (if applicable), date/port of entry into the US, and any RIs that apply (if any).

DOT Form HS-7 similarly requests details such as make/model information, port entry date/port location, and any related RI (if relevant).

Form 7501 from Customs and Border Protection requires details regarding vehicle value. It is an import evidence form issued through Customs and Border Protection that must be filled out at an official CBP port (typically where the vehicle initially enters the United States).

Step 3: Shipping the car

Moving an imported vehicle between countries can be involved and complicated.

This process must first meet US Department of Agriculture requirements regarding cleanliness before being accepted onto their shipping list. They must also meet the criteria laid out by the Department of Transportation.

Before shipping, ensure your car has been given an intensive wash by either steam-spraying or scrubbing down its undercarriage. Complete this process before inspection for import compliance.

Find an experienced and trustworthy car shipping company to provide all the paperwork to transport your car safely. Depending on its make and destination port of entry, transporting can usually take 10-17 days and could cost as much as USD 4200.

Once shipped, your car must be collected from its port of entry for Customs and Border Protection inspection before reaching its final destination.

If someone other than yourself will be picking up your vehicle according to local regulations, following all these steps carefully can ensure a stress-free international shipping experience for you and your car.

Types of Shipping

International car shipping methods provide valuable assistance that can save time and money when transporting automobiles across borders.

Let's examine some effective approaches.

Ro/Ro Shipping

RO/RO shipping (Roll-On/Roll-Off, RO/RO for short) is an efficient method for transporting cars, boats, and trucks by driving them directly onto and off ships.

It provides safe yet cost-efficient handling of large amounts of cargo in one go - specifically designed RO/RO ships are equipped with ramps to facilitate vehicle loading onto their decks quickly.

These ships, sometimes dubbed as floating parking lots due to the sheer volume of cars they transport at any one time, often come to be known by this moniker.

RO/RO shipping offers the most cost-effective and convenient means of importing or exporting single vehicles or other items overseas, often with lower paperwork requirements than other methods since less labor needs to be carried onboard the ship itself.

Simply drive it onto a designated ramp, secure it, and drive off when arriving at its final port - for ease and cost efficiency, RO/RO shipping provides the ideal solution to move their car across long distances safely and promptly.

Container shipping

Container shipping is one of the most prevalent means of moving cargo across international boundaries, packed into large metal containers, and then loaded onto ships or trucks for transport across oceans and borders.

Shipping containers have replaced manual packing and break-bulk shipping as the more efficient shipping option, moving these daily necessities such as carpets, lightbulbs, beds, bicycles, clothing, bicycle helmets, and coffee mugs much faster and efficiently.

Speed and cost advantages make these methods of delivery ideal for transporting products worldwide.

Containerized shipments still present exceptions, as some commodities travel on individual vessels. This form of transportation tends to be reserved for bulk commodities like raw oil or ore, which do not require special packaging.

But for precise deliveries, containerization provides an efficient and dependable means of shipping products door-to-door with precise tracking capability.

Containerized shipments provide safety and security benefits while offering value-added services, making global logistics work faster than ever before.

Knockdown shipping

This cost-saving shipping option for used Japanese vehicles has quickly become one of the most sought-after solutions for international shipping. It works by disassembling and packing vehicles in tight containers for overseas transport.

Knockdown shipping makes more vehicles suitable for shipping in one container simultaneously, thus decreasing freight fees because it occupies less space than its assembled counterparts.

Semi-knockdown (SKD) is the primary knockdown method employed on Japanese vehicles, where certain exterior parts that might cause injury to other cars during shipment or may become vulnerable during transport are removed and packed separately to reduce potential liability issues.

SKD technique also brings benefits for buyers of used cars from Japan, including lighter delivery loads overseas and greater efficiency due to more containers fitting onto one vessel, plus reduced storage time at ports due to decreased paperwork requirements.

Shipping your car via this method can help cut costs while still guaranteeing it reaches its destination safely.

Furthermore, reassembly should be relatively straightforward since each component comes labeled with diagrams that anyone without advanced mechanical knowledge should find easy to follow.

Preparing to Drive My Car in the United States

When entering the United States with your car for driving purposes, you must follow a few essential steps to do it successfully. First, any duties will need to be paid depending on its original cost or blue book value. It may also result in custom fees.

Before driving your car in the US, you must complete any payments due as this could potentially lead to large fines or legal complications should law enforcement officers encounter you without having made these payments and met their associated requirements first.

Failure could mean facing large fines or legal issues later down the line if encountered without meeting their requirements.

Check that your vehicle meets all licensing requirements before filing the paperwork necessary for driving to have peace of mind that every possible measure was taken when transporting your personal automobile.

To Finish

Witnessing the complex process of shipping cars from Japan to various locations worldwide is fascinating. From careful loading onto massive cargo ships to comprehensive inspection and customs processes, all the measures will ensure every car arrives in good condition.

You, too, can import a car from Japan to the US. With our help at A1 Auto Transport, you can have a smooth import-export experience.

As one of the premier auto transport providers, we know exactly how to protect delicate cargo while safely transporting it across international boundaries.

By applying various shipping techniques specifically tailored for classic or sports car delivery, our expert team understands which steps you must take for the safe transport of your respective cargo to its final destinations.

Discover our services and quickly locate what you're after. Then, get your free cost shipping estimate instantly.