How to Import a Car from Japan to Australia — ROVER, SEVS & Costs

Australia regulates vehicle imports under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (RVSA), administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. Every imported road vehicle must be approved before it arrives. The Department operates ROVER (Road Vehicle Regulator), the mandatory online portal at rover.infrastructure.gov.au, where all applications must be submitted. There are three main pathways for a privately imported JDM vehicle:

ROVER is the Australian Government's mandatory application portal for all vehicle import approvals under the RVSA. Every import pathway uses it. The key constraint is timing: approval must be granted before the vehicle is shipped. Landing a car without a current approval creates a serious customs problem that is costly and slow to resolve.

To use ROVER, the applicant creates an account, verifies identity with 100 points of Australian Government Digital ID, and submits an application selecting the relevant pathway (25-year, SEVS, personal import, or other). The application requires proof of ownership, vehicle details (make, chassis number, manufacture date, mileage), the vehicle's manufacture date verified from the Japanese export/deregistration certificate, and digital photographs (exterior, interior, engine bay, VIN/chassis plate). The application fee is approximately AUD $50–$100, paid online at submission. The Department's published assessment time is up to 60 business days, though straightforward applications are typically decided sooner; industry sources commonly advise submitting 4–6 weeks before the intended shipping date as a minimum.

Once granted, the approval documentation is provided as a PDF. This document, along with the Japanese export certificate and shipping documents, accompanies the vehicle through Australian customs. The vehicle is also added to the RAV (Register of Approved Vehicles), the publicly searchable database of vehicles approved for road use under the RVSA.

The Japan-side steps for an Australian import are the same as for any JDM export. The vehicle must be deregistered from the Japanese vehicle register (massho touroku), which produces the export certificate — the document that confirms the chassis number, build date, and deregistration history. The build date on the export certificate is what the Department of Infrastructure uses to assess age-pathway eligibility and what Australian customs will examine on arrival. The exporter books the vehicle onto a vessel and issues a Bill of Lading.

Australia requires that import approval is in hand before the vehicle ships, so the timeline is: obtain ROVER approval first, then arrange shipping. Do not commit to a shipping slot or allow the car to be loaded before the approval PDF is in your possession.

Full detail on the Japan-side process — buying through an auction agent or export dealer, the auction inspection sheet, shipping options, and the export documents produced — is covered in the importing a car from Japan guide.

The main Australian vehicle entry ports for Japan shipments are Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle (Perth), and Adelaide. Japan-to-Australia voyages are typically 12–18 days at sea for major east-coast ports, somewhat longer for Fremantle on the west coast. Both Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) and container shipping are used; container is the more common method for privately imported classics and enthusiast vehicles because it offers better protection for a longer voyage.

As a rough freight range: Japan to Melbourne or Sydney runs approximately AUD $2,500–$4,000 for RoRo; container costs more. The import cost calculator includes Australia as a destination and estimates shipping, duty, and GST on a vehicle value you enter.

One requirement applies to every import pathway and every vehicle age: Australia prohibits the import of asbestos-containing materials under the Customs Act 1901 and Work Health and Safety legislation. There is no tolerance threshold — any detectable asbestos content is a prohibited import. The Australian Border Force (ABF) enforces this at the border and focuses particular attention on older vehicles, especially those manufactured before the 1990s, because asbestos was commonly used in automotive components up to that era.

The components most commonly found to contain asbestos in vehicles are gaskets (head gaskets, exhaust gaskets), brake pads, brake shoes, clutch facings/linings, and seals — all heat-resistant locations. An importer is legally responsible for ensuring the vehicle is asbestos-free before it ships; the ABF will not clear a vehicle it deems at risk without testing evidence, and the importer bears all costs of border detention, sampling, and laboratory analysis.

The ABF accepts only accredited laboratory testing using scientific microscopy (NATA-accredited laboratories in Australia, or equivalent internationally accredited laboratories). The proactive approach recommended by logistics providers for older vehicles — particularly pre-1989 JDM imports — is to have suspect components tested or replaced in Japan before shipping, and to obtain documentation confirming asbestos-free status. Replacement parts must themselves be confirmed asbestos-free with manufacturer specifications.

Penalties for importing asbestos-containing goods are severe: infringement penalties that can run to six figures, and potential criminal prosecution under section 233BAA of the Customs Act. Beyond the legal exposure, a vehicle seized for asbestos contamination may be destroyed, with all costs borne by the importer.

Practical guidance: if the vehicle is a pre-1990 JDM car with original brake and gasket components, arrange an asbestos assessment by a qualified professional before the car is shipped from Japan. Some Australian shipping agents offer pre-departure testing coordination.

Three taxes apply at the Australian border when a vehicle is imported. The calculation order matters because each tax is computed on the output of the previous one.

Federal import approval and customs clearance do not make a vehicle road-legal. Registration is handled separately by each Australian state and territory, and requirements vary. The universal minimum across all jurisdictions is that the vehicle must hold a current ROVER approval (or be on the RAV), that biosecurity and customs clearance paperwork must be in order, and that the vehicle must pass a roadworthiness inspection at an authorised inspector before registration can be granted.

Key state variations:

• New South Wales — Requires an AUVIS inspection (identity, roadworthiness, and compliance check by Transport for NSW). A Blue Slip (HVIC inspection) is required for non-registered vehicles. Non-RAV vehicles may need additional engineer certification.
• Victoria — VicRoads commonly requires a VASS (Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme) approval certificate from a VASS signatory engineer for imported, modified, or individually constructed vehicles, in addition to a roadworthy certificate.
• Queensland — Department of Transport and Main Roads requires a Safety Certificate (roadworthy inspection) and may require engineering certification for vehicles with modifications or unusual specifications.
• Western Australia — Department of Transport requires a roadworthiness inspection at an Authorised Inspection Station (AIS). A temporary movement permit may be needed to drive the vehicle to an inspection site before it is registered.
• South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, Northern Territory — All require a roadworthiness inspection and identity verification; some require an Approved Vehicle Certifier (AVC) report for imported vehicles.

Kei trucks (keitora), kei vans such as the Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar, and Daihatsu HiJet, and kei passenger cars can all be imported into Australia and, once approved, registered for public road use. The federal situation is considerably simpler than in the United States: Australia imposes no blanket prohibition on kei vehicle road registration, and the same two pathways — 25-year concessional entry and SEVS — apply to kei vehicles as to any other JDM import.

For kei trucks and vans manufactured before 2001 (i.e., 25 years or older), the age-based pathway applies: a concessional RAV entry approval based on age, followed by a state roadworthy inspection and registration. Older kei trucks are routinely registered and driven on Australian public roads in all states and territories.

For kei trucks under 25 years old, a number of models appear on the SEVS Register. Examples confirmed as SEVS-listed include the Suzuki Carry Truck (DA16T, from 2013), Subaru Sambar Truck (S500s, from 2014), Daihatsu HiJet Truck (S500P/S510P, from 2014), and Honda Acty Truck (HA8/HA9, from 2009). These must be complied by a RAW workshop. Buyers should verify that the specific model variant and production year are currently listed on the SEVS Register in ROVER before purchasing, as register entries can expire.

At the state level, there are no kei-specific road-use prohibitions in Australia analogous to those in several US states. Right-hand drive (which all kei vehicles are) is the standard in Australia. Speed and road-class restrictions that some Australian states apply to specific vehicle classes — farm vehicles, non-standard vehicles — should be confirmed with the relevant state transport authority for any particular registration scenario.

A realistic cost estimate for a JDM import to Australia — using a mid-priced classic sports car as the reference — runs approximately AUD $8,000–$15,000 on top of the Japan purchase price before the car is on the road. The breakdown:

• Japan-side: Auction fees and agent commission ($300–$600 + 1–3% of hammer price), domestic transport to export port (¥20,000–¥50,000), export deregistration and Japan Customs clearance (agent-handled).
• Shipping: Ocean freight AUD $2,500–$4,000 (RoRo) or $3,200–$5,000 (container); marine insurance (approximately $350 or 1.5% of value, whichever is larger).
• Import approval (ROVER): Application fee approximately AUD $50–$100.
• Australian customs and taxes: Customs duty 0% for Japanese-built vehicles (JAEPA); GST 10% on CIF value; LCT at 33% above AUD $80,567 threshold if applicable.
• Port handling and quarantine: Port and wharf charges AUD $500–$1,000; biosecurity/quarantine inspection AUD $200–$600 (cleaning fees extra if contamination found).
• Customs broker fee: AUD $400–$800.
• Asbestos testing (pre-1990 vehicles): Variable; testing costs can run $200–$500+ depending on scope; proactive part-replacement in Japan may be more cost-effective.
• Compliance work: Engineer report and roadworthy inspection for 25-year imports AUD $1,800–$3,500; RAW compliance for SEVS imports AUD $3,000–$8,000+.
• State registration: Registration fee AUD $300–$900; stamp duty 3–5% of vehicle value (state-dependent); Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance AUD $400–$1,200.

The mistakes that cause the largest losses on an Australian JDM import are, in rough order of cost:

• Shipping before ROVER approval is granted. The vehicle cannot be cleared through Australian customs without it. Bonded storage at an Australian port while waiting for approval to be decided is expensive and slow.
• Asbestos in a pre-1990 vehicle. A vehicle detained at the border for asbestos testing bears all storage, sampling, and analysis costs. A vehicle confirmed positive may be ordered destroyed. Test or replace suspect components in Japan before shipping.
• Purchasing a sub-25-year vehicle without confirming SEVS Register listing. A model not on the SEVS Register cannot enter via that pathway, and there is no equivalent to a Registered Importer conversion as in the United States. The vehicle either qualifies under SEVS or it does not.
• Assuming the same tax rate as quoted elsewhere. The duty rate is 0% for Japanese-built vehicles under JAEPA — not 5% — but only with valid proof of origin. Without it, 5% applies. Confirm origin documentation with the exporter before the car ships.
• Not accounting for state-level costs. The stamp duty component — 3–5% of vehicle value at the state level — is often underestimated by first-time importers and can add AUD $1,500–$5,000 or more on a mid-priced import.
• SEVS Register entry expiry mid-application. As of February 2025, a SEVS entry must be valid when the Department makes its approval decision, not just when the application is lodged. An entry that expires during the assessment period can invalidate the application.
• For general import-scam risk and mileage verification — risks that apply on the Japan side — see the guides on avoiding import scams and verifying a JDM car's mileage.