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Help centre · shipping and regulations

Know the route. Check the rules.

Choose your destination to review import guidance, then understand shipping methods, documents and the costs that still need confirmation.

Shipping and import regulations

Choose your destination.

Check shipping routes, typical import costs and the most important vehicle restrictions for your destination.

United Kingdom flag

Destination guide

United Kingdom

Route overview

Shipping & Logistics

  • ETA: Ocean transit is approximately 5–6 weeks. Allow about 1 additional week for HMRC clearance. Total ETA: approximately 6–7 weeks.
  • Ports: Southampton, Newcastle, Tilbury, Liverpool, Immingham, Sheerness and Bristol.

Arrival costs

Customs & Costs

  • Standard cars under 30 years: Duty is 10% and VAT is 20%. Commercial pickups may attract a higher duty rate.
  • Classic cars 30 years and older: qualifying vehicles may receive 0% duty and 5% VAT treatment.
  • Other costs may include broker and port handling, DVLA registration and road tax.

Check before buying

Age & Import Restrictions

  • Vehicles 10 years or older avoid the stricter Individual Vehicle Approval process that may apply to younger vehicles.
  • Vehicles 10 years or older normally still require an MOT and any necessary UK modifications, such as a rear fog light and MPH speed display.

Important guidance

The import regulations, taxes and age restrictions shown here are gathered from public internet sources for general guidance only. NTC does not accept legal responsibility for their accuracy. It is your responsibility to confirm customs clearance, vehicle approval and registration requirements in your country. NTC is responsible only for shipping the vehicle to the port confirmed in your quotation.

Shipping methods

RoRo or container?

Neither method is automatically better. Vehicle condition, dimensions, carrier rules, route availability and destination handling decide what is suitable.

Roll-on / roll-off

RoRo

Best suited to
Operational vehicles on a supported RoRo route
How it moves
The vehicle is driven onto and off a purpose-built vessel.
Confirm first
The vehicle must meet the carrier and port rules; personal items are usually not accepted inside it.

Container shipment

Container

Best suited to
Routes without RoRo or shipments needing container handling
How it moves
The vehicle is secured inside a container and handled through container terminals.
Confirm first
Loading, securing, unloading and container charges need to be included in the route quotation.

Read the quotation

FOB is not the landed cost.

Under an FOB sale, delivery and risk transfer when the vehicle is on board the vessel at the named Japanese port. Your written quotation controls the exact commercial scope.

Vehicle / FOBVehicle and agreed Japan-side FOB scopeQuotation
Ocean freightCarrier cost to the named destination portConfirm per route
InspectionDestination-required pre-export inspection, if anyCountry dependent
Marine insuranceOptional or agreed cargo coverConfirm separately
Destination chargesPort, clearing, storage, duty, tax and registrationUsually buyer pays locally

Document pack

What the main documents are for.

The exact pack depends on the route and destination. Confirm names, addresses and chassis number early—document corrections can delay clearance.

Commercial invoice

Identifies the buyer, seller, vehicle and agreed value.

Export certificate

The Japanese deregistration or planned-export record used for a used vehicle export.

Bill of lading

Carrier document showing the shipment, vessel/route and consignee details.

Inspection evidence

Supplied only where the destination or agreed service requires a pre-export inspection.

Insurance certificate

Relevant only when marine cover is arranged as part of the confirmed shipment.

English translation

May accompany Japanese vehicle documents where available or required for destination use.

At destination

Plan clearance before the vessel arrives.

Import eligibility, taxes and registration are set by your destination authorities—not by Japanese export approval.

  1. 1Watch for the carrier or agent arrival notice.
  2. 2Give the clearing agent the bill of lading, invoice and vehicle/export documents.
  3. 3Pay destination port, customs, duty and tax amounts when assessed.
  4. 4Arrange collection before free storage time expires to reduce demurrage or storage risk.
  5. 5Complete local inspection, compliance and registration before road use.

Check a shipping route

Ask with the vehicle and destination ready.

NTC can then confirm a suitable method, current route availability and the costs included in the quotation.

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