Importing a car from Japan can give UK buyers access to vehicles, specifications and conditions that simply aren’t readily available on the British used-car market.

Toyota Alphards and Vellfires. Honda Stepwgns. Nissan Elgrands. Subaru Foresters. Mitsubishi Delicas. High-specification Japanese versions of familiar cars.

The choice available in Japan is enormous.

But if you’ve never imported a vehicle before, the process can appear complicated.

Where do you buy the car? How do Japanese auctions work? What does FOB mean? How does it get to Britain? What happens at the port? What taxes are payable? And how does a Japanese vehicle eventually end up with UK number plates?

At FamilyWheels, Japanese vehicles are what we do.

So here’s our guide to the complete journey from Japan to your driveway.

Why Import a Car From Japan?

There isn’t one single reason.

For some buyers, it’s about finding a vehicle that was never officially sold here.

For others, it’s about specification.

And sometimes it’s simply about accessing a much larger selection of a particular vehicle.

Japan has an enormous domestic vehicle market and a well-established used-car auction system.

That means importing can give you access to different:

• Models
• Grades
• Engines
• Colours
• Seating configurations
• Factory options
• Mileage ranges
• Conditions
• Budgets

Instead of choosing whichever three suitable vehicles happen to be advertised in Britain, importing allows you to search a much larger marketplace.

What Cars Can You Import From Japan?

Potentially, an enormous range.

Some of the vehicles particularly well suited to importing include Japanese domestic-market models that were never officially offered—or weren’t widely available—in Britain.

Popular examples include:

Toyota Alphard
Luxury seven- and eight-seat MPV.

Toyota Vellfire
The Alphard’s more aggressively styled sister model.

Nissan Elgrand
Premium Nissan MPV available with specifications including the 3.5-litre V6.

Honda Stepwgn
Extremely practical family MPV, including the RK5 Spada we’ve recently covered in our Knowledge Centre.

Mitsubishi Delica D:5
A particularly interesting option for buyers wanting MPV practicality with a more adventurous character.

But importing isn’t limited to MPVs.

Japan also offers performance cars, SUVs, hybrids, kei cars, prestige vehicles and Japanese-market versions of cars that were sold in Britain.

How Does Importing a Car From Japan Actually Work?

At its simplest, the process looks something like this:

Decide what you want

↓

Find suitable vehicles in Japan

↓

Assess the vehicle and its history

↓

Buy the vehicle

↓

Transport it to the Japanese port

↓

Ship it to Britain

↓

Customs clearance and taxes

↓

UK compliance and preparation

↓

MOT / vehicle approval where required

↓

DVLA registration

↓

Number plates

↓

Your Japanese car is ready for UK roads.

There are quite a few moving parts within those stages, though.

Let’s go through them.

Step 1: Decide What You Actually Need

This is more important than immediately looking at cars.

Before FamilyWheels starts looking for a vehicle, we’d want to understand things such as:

• Budget
• Number of seats
• Vehicle size
• Intended use
• Petrol or hybrid
• 2WD or 4WD
• Preferred age
• Mileage
• Colour
• Essential equipment
• Nice-to-have equipment

If you’re looking for an Alphard, for example, do you need seven luxurious seats or eight practical seats?

If you’re considering a Stepwgn, is a Spada Z Cool Spirit important?

Do you actually need a 3.5-litre Elgrand, or would the 2.5 better suit your driving?

A good import starts with the right brief.

Step 2: Finding a Vehicle in Japan

There are different ways vehicles can be sourced in Japan.

One of the most important is the Japanese vehicle auction network.

Thousands of vehicles move through auctions across Japan, creating an enormous wholesale marketplace.

Rather than simply seeing a photograph and a price, auction vehicles can be accompanied by inspection information describing their condition.

This is one of the most useful parts of the Japanese system.

But it’s also where experience matters.

Step 3: Understanding the Japanese Auction Sheet

A Japanese auction sheet can provide a snapshot of the vehicle’s condition when inspected for auction.

Depending on the auction house, it may contain information about:

• Mileage
• Auction grade
• Interior grade
• Scratches
• Dents
• Paintwork
• Corrosion
• Previous repairs
• Modifications
• Mechanical observations
• Inspector comments

You’ll also commonly see a diagram of the vehicle with codes marking defects.

The mistake beginners make is looking only at:

GRADE 4

and assuming that tells them everything.

It doesn’t.

Two vehicles with the same headline grade can have very different inspection notes and condition.

We’re creating a separate Japanese Auction Grades Explained guide because this subject deserves an article of its own.

Step 4: Check the Vehicle Before Bidding

This is arguably where the real work happens.

A vehicle may look fantastic in photographs but still have issues identified by the auction inspector.

We’d want to consider the complete picture:

Auction grade + inspector comments + body diagram + mileage + specification + history + price.

Sometimes the right decision is to bid.

Sometimes the right decision is to walk away and wait for another vehicle.

Japan has a huge market.

You don’t need to buy the wrong car just because it’s available today.

Step 5: Bidding at Auction

Once we’ve identified a suitable vehicle, a maximum bid can be established.

This is important.

Auctions are competitive environments, and it’s easy to become emotionally attached to a particular vehicle.

The sensible approach is to establish what the vehicle is worth before bidding starts.

If it sells within the agreed budget, great.

If somebody else pays considerably more:

Let them.

Another vehicle will come along.

What Does FOB Mean?

You’ll frequently encounter the term FOB when looking at Japanese vehicle prices.

FOB stands for:

Free On Board

In broad terms, an FOB price normally represents the cost of getting the vehicle to the point where it is loaded for export from Japan, according to the seller/exporter’s terms.

However, don’t assume an advertised FOB figure represents the final cost of having the car sitting on your driveway in Britain.

It generally isn’t.

You still need to consider the costs that occur after that stage.

Step 6: Getting the Vehicle to Port in Japan

Once purchased, the vehicle needs to move from the auction or supplier through the Japanese export process and to the departure port.

That can involve:

• Inland transport
• Export documentation
• Export processing
• Port handling
• Storage
• Shipping arrangements

This is normally handled through the Japanese exporter/import supply chain rather than the UK customer trying to coordinate each part individually.

Step 7: Shipping From Japan to the UK

Most normal passenger vehicles imported from Japan are shipped using RoRo — Roll-on/Roll-off shipping.

As the name suggests, vehicles are driven onto a specialist car carrier in Japan and driven off again when they reach their destination.

Container shipping can also be used in some circumstances.

Shipping isn’t instant.

There is the sailing itself, but also scheduling, port operations and onward processing to consider.

That’s why importing should never be presented as equivalent to ordering something online for next-day delivery.

Part of the process is waiting for the vehicle to physically travel halfway around the world.

Step 8: The Vehicle Arrives in Britain

This is the exciting bit.

The ship arrives and your vehicle is finally in the UK.

But it isn’t automatically ready to drive away on British roads.

There are still customs, tax, compliance, preparation and registration requirements to complete.

For a vehicle being shipped into Great Britain, the official process includes an import declaration, payment of applicable VAT/customs duty, notification to HMRC, vehicle approval where required, DVLA registration and insurance before normal road use. GOV.UK

What Taxes Do You Pay When Importing a Car From Japan?

This is one of the most common questions.

Vehicles imported into Great Britain from outside the UK can be liable for customs duty and VAT. The exact duty treatment depends on the vehicle and circumstances, so it isn’t sensible to apply one blanket percentage to every possible import. GOV.UK

Importantly, VAT isn’t necessarily calculated only on the amount you paid for the car.

HMRC states that VAT is charged on the vehicle cost plus relevant accessories, delivery/extra charges and customs duty. GOV.UK

That’s why looking at a Japanese auction sale price and simply converting yen into pounds does not tell you what the vehicle will ultimately cost in Britain.

Step 9: NOVA – Telling HMRC the Vehicle Has Arrived

You’ll often hear Japanese importers talking about NOVA.

That stands for:

Notification of Vehicle Arrivals

HMRC needs to know that the vehicle has permanently entered the country.

For imports into Great Britain, HMRC generally needs to be notified within 14 days of the vehicle arriving, and the vehicle cannot be registered until the NOVA process has been completed. GOV.UK

Depending on how the vehicle is imported and whether the importer is VAT registered, the notification may be dealt with differently.

This is one of those administrative jobs that isn’t particularly exciting—but getting it right matters.

Step 10: Preparing a Japanese Car for the UK

Now we move from importing to UK preparation.

The exact work depends on the individual vehicle, age and specification.

Potential requirements or recommended preparation can include:

• Speedometer/MPH requirements
• Lighting or fog-light work
• Servicing
• Tyres
• Brakes
• Battery
• Mechanical repairs
• Diagnostics
• Infotainment changes
• Underbody protection
• MOT preparation
• Vehicle approval work where applicable

This stage matters enormously.

There is a major difference between:

“The car has arrived from Japan.”

and

“The car has been properly prepared for life in Britain.”

FamilyWheels focuses on the latter.

Why Undersealing Matters

Japan and Britain expose cars to different environments.

A Japanese vehicle can arrive with an extremely clean underside, but British winter road salt changes the equation.

For that reason, underbody protection is something we take seriously with Japanese imports.

The objective is to protect that good Japanese condition rather than waiting several British winters and dealing with corrosion afterwards.

What About the Japanese Radio and Head Unit?

Another common question.

Japanese-market infotainment systems were designed to operate in Japan.

That can create differences involving:

• Radio frequencies
• Japanese navigation
• Language
• Television
• Connected services

Depending on the vehicle, solutions can range from adapting certain functionality to replacing the head unit with a UK-friendly system.

Many owners use the opportunity to add:

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Step 11: Does a Japanese Import Need IVA?

This depends on the vehicle.

Imported vehicles need appropriate proof that they meet the relevant safety and environmental requirements before registration unless an exemption applies.

For a vehicle not registered in the EU, the relevant approval route can include Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). However, GOV.UK notes that vehicles first registered or manufactured more than 10 years ago might not require approval, depending on the circumstances. GOV.UK

This is therefore another area where you shouldn’t assume that the procedure for one Japanese vehicle automatically applies to another.

Step 12: MOT

Depending on the vehicle’s age and circumstances, an MOT will form part of getting the car properly prepared and road-ready.

This is also a useful opportunity to identify ordinary maintenance issues such as:

• Tyres
• Brakes
• Suspension
• Steering
• Lighting

At FamilyWheels, we’d rather identify and address those issues during preparation than have the new owner discover them afterwards.

Step 13: Registering the Vehicle With DVLA

Once the necessary HMRC and approval requirements have been dealt with, the vehicle can be registered with DVLA.

DVLA requires imported vehicles being permanently brought into the country to be registered. Before registration, the NOVA process must be complete, applicable VAT and duty dealt with and appropriate proof of vehicle approval obtained where required. GOV.UK

The current first-registration fee is £55, in addition to the vehicle tax due. GOV.UK

DVLA also requires supporting documentation for an imported vehicle, including the original foreign registration certificate and other relevant evidence. GOV.UK

Once registered, the vehicle receives its UK registration number.

Then the plates can be made.

And finally…

Your Japanese car is officially a UK-registered vehicle.

How Long Does It Take to Import a Car From Japan?

This is one where we’d avoid promising an exact number of weeks.

The overall timescale depends on:

• How quickly the right vehicle is found
• Auction timing
• Japanese transport
• Available shipping
• Vessel schedules
• Sailing time
• UK port processing
• Customs clearance
• Preparation work
• Approval requirements
• DVLA processing

DVLA itself advises that the V5C registration certificate can take up to six weeks once the registration stage is reached. GOV.UK

Sometimes everything lines up beautifully.

Sometimes a shipping schedule changes.

The important thing is having visibility of the process rather than being left wondering where your vehicle is.

How Much Does It Cost to Import a Car From Japan?

This is the question everyone wants answered.

And the correct answer isn’t:

“Take the Japanese price and add shipping.”

Your complete cost can include:

• Vehicle purchase price
• Auction/exporter costs
• Transport within Japan
• Shipping
• Marine insurance where applicable
• Customs duty
• VAT
• UK port/clearance charges
• Vehicle approval where required
• MOT
• Registration
• Vehicle tax
• Number plates
• Servicing
• Repairs/preparation
• Undersealing
• Infotainment conversion
• Importer/service fees

The precise amount varies significantly according to the vehicle.

That’s why FamilyWheels works from a total customer budget.

If you tell us:

“I have £15,000 to spend.”

the important question isn’t “What £15,000 car can we buy in Japan?”

It’s:

“What is the best vehicle we can source, import and properly prepare within that overall budget?”

That’s a very different calculation.

Is Importing From Japan Cheaper Than Buying in the UK?

Sometimes.

But we’d argue that “cheaper” is the wrong reason to import.

The real advantage is often choice.

Imagine you want:

Toyota Alphard → 30-series → 2.5 petrol → seven seats → specific grade → black → low mileage → good auction condition.

There may only be a handful for sale in Britain.

Japan gives us access to a much larger pool of potential vehicles.

The objective isn’t necessarily to find the cheapest Alphard.

It’s to find the right Alphard.

Can I Import a Japanese Car Myself?

Yes.

There’s no requirement that every private buyer must purchase through a specialist importer.

But you need to be comfortable handling—or arranging—the various stages involving sourcing, auction/export arrangements, shipping, customs, tax, NOVA, compliance, registration and preparation.

The UK government publishes the official process for importing vehicles, so anybody considering doing it themselves should understand those requirements first. GOV.UK

Official GOV.UK vehicle importing guide

For some enthusiasts, doing everything themselves is part of the experience.

For other customers, they’d rather say:

“This is the vehicle I want and this is my budget. Please handle it.”

That’s where an importer earns its keep.

Why Use FamilyWheels to Import From Japan?

We’re not simply trying to get a vehicle from a Japanese auction to a British port.

We look at the whole ownership journey.

Before purchase

We help establish what vehicle actually suits your needs.

In Japan

We help identify suitable vehicles and assess the available condition and auction information.

During import

The vehicle moves through export, shipping and UK arrival.

In Britain

We manage the preparation required to turn an imported Japanese vehicle into something suitable for UK ownership.

After purchase

And importantly, FamilyWheels doesn’t disappear once you have the keys.

We also provide Japanese vehicle:

Servicing • Maintenance • Diagnostics • Repairs • Auto-electrical work • Undersealing & rust protection • MOT preparation

That’s the difference between simply shipping cars and building a Japanese vehicle specialist.

What Should You Look For in a Japanese Importer?

Whether you use FamilyWheels or somebody else, we’d ask questions.

Can they explain the auction sheet?

Can they explain the total expected cost?

Do they understand UK preparation?

What happens if the vehicle needs mechanical work?

Who prepares it?

Is the mileage supported?

What condition was it in at auction?

What happens after you buy it?

A good importer should make the process more transparent, not more mysterious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to import a car from Japan to the UK?

Yes. Vehicles can be imported from Japan provided the applicable customs, tax, approval, registration and road-use requirements are met. GOV.UK

Do I pay VAT on a Japanese import?

VAT and customs duty can be payable when importing a vehicle into Great Britain from outside the UK. The exact treatment depends on the circumstances and vehicle. GOV.UK

What is NOVA?

NOVA stands for Notification of Vehicle Arrivals. HMRC generally needs to be notified when a vehicle is permanently imported, and the process must be completed before DVLA registration. GOV.UK

Does a Japanese car need an IVA?

Some imported vehicles require vehicle approval such as IVA, while exemptions can apply—for example, depending on vehicle age and circumstances. GOV.UK

Can I insure a Japanese import?

Yes. Japanese imports can be insured in Britain, although it’s sensible to use an insurer or broker comfortable dealing with imported vehicles.

Do Japanese imports need undersealing?

We strongly recommend considering appropriate underbody protection for Japanese vehicles that will be exposed to British winter conditions.

Can FamilyWheels import a specific vehicle for me?

Yes. Rather than simply buying whatever is already available in Britain, we can work around requirements including vehicle type, age, grade, mileage, colour, seating, specification and overall budget.

Thinking About Importing a Car From Japan?

You don’t need to understand every auction code, shipping document and registration form before talking to us.

Start with something much simpler:

Tell us what you’re looking for.

It might be:

“I need an eight-seater for my family.”

“I want a black 30-series Vellfire.”

“I’ve got a £15,000 total budget.”

“I want a Subaru Forester with very low mileage.”

“I don’t know what I want—I just need seven seats and sliding doors.”

That’s enough to start the conversation.

FamilyWheels can help you identify the right vehicle, source it from Japan, bring it to Britain, prepare it for UK use and support you once you’re driving it.

Source. Import. Prepare. Maintain.

FamilyWheels — Japanese Vehicle Specialists

From our family to yours. 🧡