FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Image: Hendrik Schuette | Unsplash
How long does it take to import a car from Japan?
Typically 6–10 weeks total.
Breakdown:
- Auction purchase: 1–7 days
- Transport to Japanese port & export paperwork: 1–2 weeks
- Shipping to UK: 4–6 weeks
Do you handle the whole process?
Yes, we offer end-to-end importing, including:
- Auction sourcing
- Bidding
- Export paperwork
- Shipping
- UK customs clearance
- IVA / MOT
- DVLA registration
- Organising Delivery of the Vehicle (if requested)
How does the process of importing a car from Japan work?
- We buy the vehicles through the auction system in Japan
- Once the vehicle has been purchased, we organise the shipping and the necessary shipping documents for that vehicle and book a space on the ship (Typically RoRo)
- Once the vehicle has been loaded on the ship we get confirmation through a document called the Bill of Lading that accounts for that vehicle being loaded onto the ship.
- Once the ship arrives at Southampton Port, we pay the necessary custom charges and the vehicle is then cleared to be offloaded the ship.
- Once offloaded, we organise the IVA test for the vehicle
- Once the IVA test is done we receive the IVA certificate in which we use to register the car officially in the UK.
- Once registered the car is free to drive on UK roads.
What is an IVA test?
The IVA test for Japanese imports in the UK stands for Individual Vehicle Approval. It’s a government inspection to ensure a vehicle that wasn’t originally built for the UK/EU market meets UK safety and environmental standards before it can be registered and driven on UK roads.
What is the payment process?
If you find yourself interested in one of our vehicles that is currently in transit from Japan to the UK and you would like to secure the vehicle in the meantime, then the process would work as follows:
- To secure the car you would put down a small deposit while the vehicle is in transit.
- Once all the necessary custom fees have been paid i.e. VAT, Duty etc then the vehicle will be released to us.
- Once we receive the vehicle we will send you a condition report in form of a video which includes a full walk through and showing of the condition of the vehicle as well as a copy of the NOVA certificate which states we have paid all the necessary fees to the HMRC.
- Once that is sent to you and you are happy with the condition of your vehicle we will require full payment of the balance of the car.
What happens after I put a deposit on a car?
Once we confirm receipts of your deposit, we will send you:
- Export Certificate: A Japanese Export Certificate (often called “Export Certificate” or “Deregistration Certificate”) is an official document issued in Japan when a car is deregistered for export. When importing a vehicle from Japan to the UK, this document proves the car’s identity, history, and that it has been legally removed from Japan’s registration system. When you import a car from Japan to the UK, the DVLA uses this certificate to verify the vehicle when registering it.
- Bill of Lading: The Bill of Lading (B/L) confirms that the shipping company received the vehicle and loaded it onto the ship. The Bill of Lading acts as a document of title. Whoever holds the original B/L can claim the vehicle when it arrives in the UK. This prevents someone else from collecting the car. In simple terms- Bill of Lading → proves it was shipped and who owns the shipment.
- Tracking Link from the shipping Line
- Chassis/VIN number
Do you offer a warranty on imported vehicles?
Yes, we offer different warranty packages for all our vehicles.
How long will it take for the car to be ready to drive on UK roads?
We advise 4/5 weeks from the date it arrives at Southampton Port worst case scenario to have the IVA test done and have the registration completed with number plates ready to drive out our yard.
Do you offer delivery of the vehicle?
Yes, we organise delivery directly to your house or a designated address of your choice if requested.
Can you import rare cars or other brand cars that you can’t typically find in the UK?
Yes, you can get in contact with us discuss what exactly you are looking for and give us a ballpark budget in which we will try and source the car in Japan to import for you into the UK. We would take care of all the importing processes for you and deliver your dream car to your door.
Still have questions?
Contact us via telephone or Whatsapp or send us an email.
We’re here to help!