US JDM Import Process — CBP Entry, Duty, and State Registration

This guide covers the United States side of a JDM vehicle import — from the vessel arriving at port through to a street-legal, registered car. It is structured as a linear process: federal customs entry first, then state registration. The federal layer is the same regardless of which state you are in; the state layer varies significantly.

This guide assumes the vehicle qualifies for import under the 25-year rule (49 CFR 571.7 and 49 CFR Part 591). If you are not certain whether a specific vehicle or chassis qualifies, check the US import eligibility calendar before committing to purchase — buying a vehicle that cannot legally enter the US is among the most expensive mistakes in this process.

Buyers importing for the first time are generally advised to use a licensed customs broker. The broker fee (approximately $250–$500) is usually smaller than the bonded-storage charges that follow a single documentation error.

The 25-year exemption is calculated from the vehicle's manufacture date — the month and year stamped on the door-jamb compliance plate — not the model year. A car manufactured in August 2000 becomes importable in August 2025. A car manufactured in February 2001 is not importable until February 2026, even if the model year is listed as 2001.

Confirm the manufacture date on the Japanese export deregistration certificate (抹消登録証明書), issued when the car is de-registered from the Japanese vehicle register. If this document does not clearly state the manufacture date, request a JEVIC export inspection before the car ships — JEVIC certificates record manufacture date alongside condition and mileage data and are the most reliable pre-export verification available.

Eligibility by chassis code and production year is detailed in the US import eligibility calendar, which lists every major JDM chassis and its 2026 eligibility status.

When the vessel arrives, the importer (or their customs broker) submits an entry package to US Customs and Border Protection. For a 25-year-exempt personal import, the package consists of three required federal forms and the supporting export documentation from Japan.

CBP calculates duty on the commercial invoice price (or their independent appraisal if the declared value is considered unreasonably low). The 2.5% duty on passenger cars is paid at time of entry on CBP Form 7501. After payment, CBP issues a release. Some vehicles are selected for a physical inspection — officers verify the VIN against HS-7 and the export certificate, and confirm the vehicle matches its declared description.

Bonded storage accrues daily from the moment the vehicle is unloaded from the vessel until CBP releases it. A date inconsistency between HS-7 and the export certificate, an incorrectly checked box, or a missing signature holds the vehicle in bond while CBP requests corrections. At typical US port storage rates of $25–$75 per day, a one-week hold adds $175–$525 to the landed cost, and two weeks on a busy port can exceed $1,000. A licensed customs broker's fee of $250–$500 is the most cost-effective protection against this outcome.

After port release, the vehicle is available for pickup by an inland carrier. It cannot legally be driven on public roads until it has a state title and registration.

State registration requirements are layered on top of federal clearance and vary significantly. The four variables that differ most between states: who performs the VIN inspection; whether the state issues a new state-assigned VIN for Japanese-format VINs; which emissions testing scheme applies (OBD, tailpipe, visual-only, or age-based exemption); and what odometer-disclosure documentation is required.

Five states account for a disproportionate share of US JDM import registrations — California, Florida, Texas, Washington, and New York. Their processes are covered in the per-state guides linked in the subsections below. If your state is not listed, contact your state DMV directly and ask specifically about titling a Japanese-domestic-market vehicle with a Japanese VIN — the process often differs from a standard title transfer and may not be documented in standard DMV guides.

• Using the model year instead of the build date — Eligibility is calculated from the manufacture date on the door-jamb plate. A vehicle built in late 2001 does not become eligible on January 1, 2026.
• Incorrect checkbox on HS-7 or EPA 3520-1 — A single wrong box holds the vehicle in bond. The broker fee to prepare these forms correctly is typically less than one week of bonded storage.
• Declaring a value below the actual purchase price — CBP may appraise independently. If the declared value is materially below market, CBP uses the appraised value for duty, and undervaluation penalties may apply.
• Importing to a state that will not register the vehicle — Confirm your state's VIN inspection and emissions requirements before purchasing. A California buyer who imports a car that fails the BAR referee process has a vehicle they cannot register.
• Assuming port release means road-legal — Federal clearance is not registration. The vehicle cannot legally be driven on public roads until the state title and registration is complete.
• Skipping marine cargo insurance — Standard carrier liability caps are low relative to vehicle values. Marine cargo insurance for a JDM import typically costs $100–$250 and covers total loss, theft, and transport damage.