Australia

Japan Used Car Import Duty / Regulation in Australia

  • Year Restrictions

    No Age Limit

  • Destination Port

    Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney

  • Time of Shipment

    RoRo (14-24 Days)

  • Vessel Schedule

    RoRo (Weekly)

  • Shipping Line

    Wilhelmsen Ships Service

  • Inspection

    No Inspection Required

Shipping Ports:

Used vehicles are mainly shipped to the ports of Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney. Generally RoRo (Roll-on Roll-off) shipping method is used for vehicle shipment, if requested a container shipment can be arranged.

Age Restriction:

No age restriction on used vehicles imported to Australia. Thus, Australians can import used vehicle of any age.”

Right Hand Drive vehicle:

Australia country allows the importation of right hand drive vehicles that are 15 years or above on the date the landing.


There are several steps to import a used vehicle in Australia:

  • Obtain a Vehicle Import Approval (VIA) from the Vehicle Safety Standards Branch of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
  • Pay customs duty, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and luxury car tax (LCT) where applicable and obtain customs clearance at the port of entry.
  • Obtain quarantine clearance from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) after the road vehicle has arrived at the port of entry.
  • To gain Customs clearance for an imported road vehicle you must hold a valid VIA for that road vehicle.
  • It is an offence under the MVSA to import, sell or present new or used imported road vehicles to the Australian market for the first time unless those road vehicles meet the National Standards.
  • If your road vehicle has a value below the import entry threshold (AUD1000) it may be cleared by Customs by lodging a self-assessed clearance (SAC) declaration. A VIA is required regardless of the value of the road vehicle.
  • Get a quote for shipping / customs clearance / quarantine / packing / depot / terminal handling fees / cleaning fees / duties / taxes.
  • Purchase the car in a controlled manner, via an agent, or by a letter of credit through you bank. The risks involved with loss of money is dependant on the relationship you have with the seller.
  • Make sure all documents are given to a customs broker in your port, or you can have a go at clearing yourself. Mistakes are costly and storage isn't cheap, so using a broker is a smart move.
  • They have methods of valuing the car less that what you expect to save on duties (usually 10 percent) and GST 10 percent. Also high price vehicles may attract luxury car tax.
  • Delivery of your road vehicle into home consumption will only be authorized where Customs and AQIS clearance requirements are met.

Eligibility for Importing a Vehicle:

  • You have owned and used the vehicle overseas for a period of not less than twelve continuous calendar months.
  • You are of driving age.
  • You must be an Australian citizen.
  • You are a migrant holding permanent residency in Australia.
  • Cars are required to be right hand drive
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