- Car Shipping Japan From The Usa
- How Much Does It Cost & Time Examples For Shipping A Car To Japan
- Popular Destinations
- Temporary Import
- Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Japan
- Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Japan
- Your Overseas Shipping Options Through A1
- Related Information Car Shipping Japan
- Car Shipping Japan Related Information

Car Shipping Japan from the USA
How Much Does It Cost & Time Examples For Shipping a Car to Japan
To/From | Ground | Ocean | Days |
---|---|---|---|
New York, NY to(New York port) to Toyama | $275 | $3,300 | 5+29 |
Los Angeles to(California port) to Kobe | $350 | $2,000 | 5+34 |
Las Vegas, NV to(California port) to Okinawa | $450 | $2,500 | 5+23 |
Portland, OR to(California port) to Osaka | $475 | $2,100 | 6+25 |
Phoenix, AZ to(California port) to Okinawa | $550 | $2,500 | 6+23 |
Detroit, MI to(New York port) to Toyama | $575 | $3,300 | 6+29 |
Denver, CO to(California port) to Yokohama | $775 | $2,000 | 7+24 |
Memphis, TN to(New York port) to Toyama | $800 | $3,300 | 6+29 |
Miami, FL to(New York port) to Toyama | $925 | $3,300 | 7+29 |
Houston, TX to(New York port) to Toyama | $1,075 | $3,300 | 7+29 |
- *Prices and times are estimated. They can vary depending on the season and the type of vehicle.
- *Save the ground transport cost by delivering the vehicle to the nearest port.
- *Allow an additional 10 days to process the documents.
- *Prices are for 1 car in a dedicated 20ft container. This is the safest and most reliable way to transport a vehicle internationally. Other items may be included in the container to help save you money when moving.
- *Using the RoRo (roll on, roll off) method is less expensive and shipments can be completed in fewer days. Contact us now for a free RoRo quote.
Popular Destinations

Temporary Import
Before shipping your vehicle in on a temporary basis, you need to complete a Carnet de Passage en Douane (CPD) which is a customs document identifying the owner of the vehicle. You will need to fax the completed CPD to the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), along with a list of the people allowed to drive the vehicle while it is in Japan. Detailed information on completing this process can be found on the JAF website.
Once the CPD has been authenticated by the JAF, it will be returned to you and you will be able to ship your vehicle into Japan without being required to pay customs duties and taxes. It is REQUIRED that you keep the CPD in the vehicle at all times.
Get a Free, No Obligation to Buy, Auto Shipping Quote.
Get my free quote now or call us to do it for you:
Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Japan
If you intend to keep your vehicle in Japan for any longer than one year, you must import it permanently. This is a more involved process and requires slightly more paperwork than the aforementioned temporary procedure.

- Import Declaration Form.
- Commercial Invoice.
- Freight Account of Cargo.
- Statement of Premium Due.
- Bill of Lading.
- Passport.
- Registration.
- Proof of ownership
- Bill of lading.
- Insurance certificate.
- Customs declaration form.
While passing through customs, an automobile acquisition tax is assessed, in addition to any customs duties.
After clearing customs, the vehicle is then delivered to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for a preliminary inspection and emissions testing.
Finally, the vehicle is ready for registration at a Land Transport Bureau Office. At this point, vehicle taxes are due and the registration form is granted. Read more about Japan vehicle registration process here.
Because rules and regulations regarding the importation of vehicles are constantly changing, it is essential to consult the Japan Customs website prior to making the decision to ship your car. It is also extremely helpful to enlist the help of a trustworthy auto shipping company to aid you through the process.
Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Japan
In order to safely get heavy equipment or oversized cargo delivered to Japan from the U.S., it is in your best interest to hire dependable overseas transporters. A1 Auto Transport will make sure your cargo is delivered overseas by using high quality, name brand transporting equipment as well as the latest shipping technology. With all that we have access to, there is hardly any type of heavy or oversized equipment we can’t deliver. For examples, we can ship...
- Large Vehicles
- Heavy Machinery
- Motor Graders
- Harvesters
- Skidders
- Farm Equipment
- Mining Equipment
- Industrial Equipment
- Paving Equipment
- Hydraulic Machinery
- Forklifts
- Cranes
- Backhoes
- Tractors
- Engineering Equipment and more…
ARegardless of what type of cargo you have to ship to Japan, we are almost positive we can fulfill the delivery. As licensed and self assured transporters, we even provide insurance coverage to each of our shipping customers whether they’re making a delivery nationally or internationally.
Your Overseas Shipping Options Through A1
There are four shipping services we offer for those who need to ship large or heavy equipment to another nation. All of these methods are incredibly safe options yet what is available to you will depend on the type of equipment you’re transporting to Japan. After giving them some info regarding your cargo, our representatives will inform you of the methods you’re able to take advantage of. Here are the methods of shipping we have available…
- Container Transport
- Flat Rack Shipping
- Roll On/Roll Off Shipping
- Lift On/Lift Off Shipping
You can take advantage of container shipping, our enclosed transport technique, even if your cargo is heavy so long as it fits within a 40 foot shipping container. The most cost-effective means of open air transport is the roll on/roll off approach, which allows you to drive your car or equipment directly onto and off of the ship. Lift on/lift off transport is recommended for those moving crated freight or inoperable vehicles, whereas flat rack shipment attaches your cargo to a metal frame during its journey to prevent movement.

Related Information : Car Shipping Japan
Car Shipping Japan : Related Information
- Overseas Moving Services to Japan
- Can I afford to ship a car to Japan?
- Can I ship a military car to Japan?
- What is the best shipping method to transport a car to Japan from the US?
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single answer to this because the precise sum is affected by a couple of factors, but you should expect to pay around $3,000 to $4,500 for the transport depending on the distance involved and other details.
You can, of course, save up money by using the roll-on, roll-off shipping option and delivering the car to the port yourself. Moreover, the make and model of the vehicle, the season, time of the year, and so on will also factor in when deciding the shipping cost.
But most of all, it is the combined over-land and over-sea distance that determines the actual cost. Of course, the sum mentioned above is excluding the taxes and duties that may apply in your specific cases or for insurance coverage (if you choose to get one).
Also, the shipping and receiving ports are important.
For instance, if you send the vehicle from the California port to Kobe, it will cost you less when compared with the shipping cost for sending the vehicle from the New York port to Toyama. In short, if you plan it well, you should be able to save a lot of money.
The less you handle things personally, i.e., driving the vehicle to the port or filing the paperwork, the more the cost will be (if you're busy, etc.)
In the modern era, tracking your shipment is no longer a challenge, not even half of what it was earlier on. You can use GPS trackers and tracking software on mobile phones and computers to check the live location of your shipment with just a tap on the screen or a click.
Also, we'll try our best to keep you constantly updated on our end as well through mobile phone alerts (texts and calls). But if you're really anxious about what's going on at the precise moment, never hesitate to call us.
Our staff will be more than pleased to alleviate any worries you might have because, for A1 Auto Transport, no other business value can substitute customer satisfaction!
The open-air shipping method refers to "roll-on, roll-off" shipment, in which case the vehicle is driven on board, fastened in place, securely, transported, and then driven off-board. For this option, you must ensure that there are no personal belongings of yours in the vehicle.
The other option is putting the vehicle inside a container, which, as you might've guessed, will be considered closed-air shipping. In this case, you can ensure extra safety for your vehicle for some extra bucks, but for most situations, it may be a bit too excessive.
Most people prefer open-air shipping because it is cost-effective, and it simply makes more sense if all that you want to do is to ship the vehicle. Of course, this can only work if the vehicle is drivable (1/4 of the tank must be filled with gas).
In both cases, the recipient has the option to pick their vehicle from the port and drive it to their place or just have it delivered to their doorstep.
If you're shipping a vehicle from Japan to the USA or vice versa, you'll first have to ensure that its tank is filled with gas up to a quarter, and no more than that. Simply put, ¼ of the tank is the top limit of how much you can fill it up.
Then, you'll have to make sure that none of your personal belongings are inside the vehicle.
Make sure that the interior is perfectly clean and nothing should be left behind. Apart from preparing the car, you should also go through all the relevant documents and see that they are ready to go and don't have any inaccuracies in them.
A1 Auto Transport is committed to helping you out here, but you'll have to do your part as well.

The cost of shipping vehicles from one country to another is never fixed. Here are some of the variables that introduce differences in the cost:
- The make and model of the car being shipped is the first important detail.
- The car's age, i.e., its manufacturing batch/date, is also important (for some, a more accurate measure of a car's age – when it comes to monetary value – is how much it has been driven).
- The current condition of the car and its value.
- The distance, both over-land and by sea that needs to be covered by the transport company, i.e. in this case, the California port to Kobe route is cheaper.
- The cost will also depend on your preferred shipping option, i.e. roll-on, roll-off option is much cheaper than container shipping.
- Duties and taxes, if applicable, will add to the costs.
- You might have to pay an additional sum for your insurance coverage if you chose to get one for the vehicle.
- You'll also have to pay for the equipment and materials used in the shipment process.
- The purpose of entry of the car into the recipient's country will also affect the cost.
Yes, at A1 Auto Transport, we believe in facilitating our customers as much as we can but there are some limitations to when you can reschedule and when not. Your safest bet is to tell us as soon as possible if you have a change of plan because once the vehicle has been boarded and shipped, nothing can be done.
Ideally, you should inform us at least a day or two before the shipping date so that we can act in time and facilitate you here.
If you want to minimize your shipping costs, your best bet would be the roll-on, roll-off option, or open-air shipment. This is the most preferred choice anyways and it allows you to save a lot of money, especially if all that you want to do is to ship the car only.
The container shipment option is only viable in rare cases, and it costs more.
While we can't give you an exact cost frame because of the variance introduced by several factors, we assure you that you will be saving money this way.
You can save up even further if you decide to pick up the car from the port directly instead of having it delivered to your place.
If you plan on importing a vehicle from the USA, you'll need to present the following documents and records before the concerned authorities in Japan:
- Import Declaration Form
- A bill/invoice of the purchased vehicle, detailing its specifications and cost
- An account for the cargo shipping
- Premium Due statement
- Vehicle registration documents
- Ownership evidence
- Lading bill
- Passport
- Certificate of insurance
- Customs declaration form
If you have them all, then it should not be any trouble for you!

After passing through the customs office in Japan, the vehicle is taxed and then sent to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Here the vehicle is tested for dangerous emissions and safety features.
Once it passes these tests, it is forwarded to the Land Transport Bureau Office for registration, and it is here that you'll pay the taxes in return for the registration form, and that's it. Of course, these rules and protocols are subject to change so be sure to stay up to date by logging into the Japan Customs site.
Plus if you get A1 Auto Transport involved in the process, you can expect to be more streamlined and smoother than otherwise.
First of all, if the customs department puts your vehicle on hold it does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with it. It could be a routine inspection. However, if your documents are either missing or inaccurate, then you have a reason to worry.
The customs department will ensure that the value/cost of the vehicle has been listed accurately so that it can be taxed properly. This inspection process may drag on for a couple of days, and the delay won't be the only thing that'll cost you; you'll have to pay a fee too.
If you get A1 Auto Transport involved, you can rest assured that things will run smoothly for you, and there won't be any trouble with the customs officials.
Importing a vehicle to Japan temporarily is possible and perfectly legal, plus you can skip all the customs duties and taxes. This is applicable for people who have to relocate often for their jobs and need to get their vehicles transported as they move to wherever their job takes them.
However, you'll first need to acquire a customs document for temporary import, called the Carnet de Passage en Douane (CPD). Once you've filled out this document, send it to the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) for authentication.
You will also have to provide a list of people who will be driving the car during this period (i.e. yourself, your spouse, etc.) When the JAF sends over the authenticated CPD document, you must keep it with you at all times while driving.
There will be no customs duties or taxes for importing your car this way.

Absolutely! If you're here temporarily and need to bring in your vehicle, you can do so with a one-year limit. But this is only possible once you've reached out to the Environment Protection Agency and acquired permission to import your vehicle.
Yes, you can! Classic JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars have a huge fan base in the USA, and owning such a model would be a matter of prestige and pride.
According to the federal regulations of the USA, you can import any vehicle that is more than 25 years old without a worry of the world about the federal regulations, and even otherwise but only if the vehicle falls onto the certain environment- and automobile-safety standards dictated by the Environment Protection Agency and the Department of Transport.
You are open to importing some of the most legendary classic JDM vehicles ever, such as:
- Honda CR-X
- Nissan Fairlady Z
- Nissan 180SX
- Nissan Silvia S13
- Nissan Skyline R32
- Toyota Soarer Z20
- Toyota Sera, Toyota MR2
- Toyota Supra A70
- Toyota Land Cruiser
And almost 70 additional classic Japan-made classics!
The opportunity will soon encompass even more world-famous JDM vehicles. While the list is limited for the time being, although pretty much stuffed with famous titles even now, you will find your perfect match in there soon enough if you haven't already.
No, it is not, but only under one condition, and that is the car should be 25 years old at the very least. This makes the process easier since you don't have to worry about compliance with federal regulations, and the paperwork is also minimal.
But of course, this is not the case with all vehicles, so be sure you import only the ones that fall into this list of exemptions.
Well, yes in theory, but it will be a tough ride because California places very strict regulations on imported vehicles. To register an imported vehicle in California, you'll have to assure the concerned authorities that the said vehicle complies with the passenger- and environment-safety standards dictated by them.
The process is a bit complicated but doable.
If you pull through, you can most certainly import a classic JDM vehicle to California.