Importing Cars from Japan to Kenya: A Comprehensive Guide

Dec 01, 2025 0

Importing second-hand vehicles from Japan to Kenya has become a popular choice for many car buyers due to the affordability, reliability, and high-quality condition of Japanese used cars. Whether you are looking for a fuel-efficient hatchback or a powerful SUV, Japan offers a wide variety of options at competitive prices. As a large and mature market, there is good transparency regarding the market price of Japanese cars, availability, and condition. Importing a car from Japan can be very cost-effective as Japanese cars are well priced and available in large quantities. And yet when you look around, Kenyan roads are filled with used Japanese cars.

This article will demystify the process of importing used cars from Japan, providing a step-by-step guide on how professional car dealers do it. Customers’ fear of being scammed is not an issue that car exporters take lightly. Several articles have been written on how to import used cars from Japan to Kenya safely. The bottom line is, the more you know about how to import used cars, the safer and smoother your experience will be. Besides, you can save as much as 200 000 KSH if you import by yourself. Note: Costs are estimates.

Importing a Japanese car to Kenya is the best way to sidestep the offering from local cars and buy the car your want with the specification you want. Many models are available at the cheapest price globally so you should get a great deal. Being clear on what the import costs are from the outset means you are well positioned to make a good purchase.

Japan is renowned for its automotive industry, boasting brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, and Mazda. Japanese owners typically maintain their cars meticulously, and due to strict roadworthiness tests (Shaken) and high taxes on older cars, many vehicles are sold while still in excellent condition.

By understanding the Japanese car import regulations in Kenya, estimating the cost of importing used cars from Japan to Kenya, and partnering with a reliable agency, you can drive home your dream car without unnecessary stress or hidden costs.

Read also: Ghana Car Market Overview

Step-by-Step Car Import Guide: Japan to Kenya Made Easy/ Car Importation Process from Japan to Kenya

Step-by-Step Guide to Importing a Car

Set Criteria for the Car Exporter: There are several great used car exporters in Japan. The company you end up with will determine how smooth your experience will be. After you’ve done your research and are confident that you may have found your company, go ahead and make contact. State your business and don’t hesitate to ask your questions.
Check Company Stocks: Company stocks are listed according to countries because each country has its own import regulations that are different from Kenya’s. Driver side - Kenya does NOT ALLOW any left-hand drive vehicle for importation and registration. When you click on any car, you can see several images of the car from different angles, important technical details about the car, and its FOB price. This price does not include shipping charges and surcharges, import duties, and all other extraneous fees.
Ask for a Sales Quote or Proforma: This is a document that your seller prepares which states the amount agreed upon by both of you for the unit you want to buy. A proforma invoice is a digital invoice/agreement that indicates the amount you must pay and a fine print on the conditions of the transaction that you entered with the exporter.
Payment Methods:
- Telegraphic Transfer (TT): Most Kenyans choose to pay by TT because it is the safest and most transparent. When you pay by telegraphic transfer, you must go to your bank to remit payment in person. Try to attach your invoice to the transfer form and inform the teller to include the main details about the car (car brand, engine, and reference number). You and the exporter will get a receipt for the transaction.
- PayPal: If going to a bank is inconvenient, you can choose to pay online through PayPal. Note that PayPal payments take longer to process.
- Local Office: You can also visit the company’s local office to pay for your purchase, if available in your location (e.g., Nairobi).
Generally, companies require payment to clear before your car is shipped.
Documentation: Your exporter will be responsible for three documents. Take note that these documents are only a part of all the documents required to clear your car from the Customs in Mombasa.
- Export Certificate: The Export Certificate proves that the car you bought was legitimately sold to and bought by the exporter. Therefore, the car is legally allowed to be resold and brought out of the country. To get this Export Certificate, the car’s owner must first personally deregister the car from his/her name at the local Japanese Transport Authority. The deregistration document is then converted into the Japanese Export Certificate at the Japanese Customs Office.
- Road Worthiness Inspection Certificate: As of publication, Kenyan regulations require that each car for Kenya be inspected by a representative of QISJ (Quality Inspection Services Japan) for road worthiness. The inspection must be done in Japan before your car is loaded in the ship. QIS is a strict vehicle safety inspection test. The inspection must be done in Japan before your car is loaded in the ship. The vehicle must comply with the Kenya Bureau of Standards requirements of Legal Notice No. 78 of 15th July 2005 (Verification of Conformity to Kenya Standards Imports Order, 2005) and KS1515:2000 Kenya Standard Code of Practice for Inspection of Road Vehicles. Pre-shipment inspection certificate.
- Bill of Lading (B/L): details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried. A bill of lading also serves as a shipment receipt when the carrier delivers the goods at a predetermined destination. A B/L requires a notify party (person or company that will be notified of the arrival of the shipment - a clearing agent or you) and a consignee party (you or whoever will claim the car from the port). In short, a B/L is THE receipt that shows and proves that the car you’re claiming in the port has been bought and paid for by you. The B/L contains your name and other identifying details, so you MUST BRING this document with you when claiming your car.
After your payment has been verified as cleared, the exporter will make sure that the three documents are readied as quickly as possible. Because each document is issued by different companies, each document will be received separately, and it may take time to collect all of them. car is definitely on its way to you, you can and should ask for a digital version of each document from your seller.
Shipping and Clearing: At best, it takes 3-4 weeks for your car to reach Mombasa port. You will be informed once your car has left Japan. Sometimes it may take longer than 4 weeks. When the ship arrives in Mombasa, you will be informed as well. The clearing process in the Customs is also beyond the control of your exporter. There will be fees, taxes and duties, and additional documents that Customs will require before your car is released. All these will be your responsibility. The clearing process is complicated and can only be accomplished by a licensed agent. Find you a competent agent and you can complete the clearing process in five working days.

Key Regulations and Requirements

Age Restriction

When importing a used vehicle to Kenya, one must consider that the vehicle should not be older than 8 years. The manufacture date should be closest to 8 years old to the month of manufacture upon arrival in Mombasa for the lowest duties.

* Although the law still states 8 years, some importers have been told 7 years by customs. Please confirm with your local customs agent prior to purchase, thank you.*

Shipping Methods

Brand New or used cars imported to Kenya are shipped to the maritime port of Mombasa by either RORO or container.

RORO (Roll-on/Roll-off): RORO is one form of shipping cars to Kenya. Roll on roll off shipping service is the most cost effective and popular. Cars are stored above and below deck. We strongly advise your car is stored below deck.
Container Shipping: Cars are placed into 20 or 40 ft containers, and the containers are then placed on the ship.

The shipping journey from Japan to Kenya takes around 25-28 days. Be sure to allow 3-4 additional days for loading and unloading at each port for realistic timings for the entire journey

Understanding the Costs

But knowing the cost of your car is the starting point. This article explains the additional costs you should expect to cover to successfully import a Japanese car to Kenya. Most car export dealers will include the costs of exporting your car in your quote. This makes it easy to calculate the purchase cost. The most common types of quote are FOB and C&F.

Types of Quotes

FOB (Freight on Board): If you are given an FOB quote this is refers to ‘Freight on Board’ and includes all the costs to buy, transport it to the destination port. It does not include your shipping to Kenya.
C&F (Cost and Freight): C&F quotes refer to ‘Cost and Freight’. This means that the costs of shipping are also included. It’s important to note that the marine insurance is not automatically included.

Breakdown of FOB Costs:

Purchase cost of your car
Agents fees
Auction fees (if applicable)
De-registration from Japan
QISJ inspection fees
Transport costs to the destination port
Port charges
Road insurance in Japan
Courier of documents and loose items to Kenya

We advise that you check you have these costs included, so you can be confident you won’t experience any surprise charges as your car is exported.

Additional Costs in Kenya

Port Charges: On arrival in Kenya, your car will incur port charges. These are estimated between 40,000 - 70,000 Ksh. This includes storage for your car at the CFS for 14-27 days, IDF fees, and radiation fees.
Clearing Agent Fees: You will need to employ a licensed clearing agent to complete your IDF for your car. This usually costs between 10,000-30,000 Ksh.
Excise Duty, Import Duty, VAT and Levies: Calculating import duties in Kenya is done using the Kenya Revenue Authority’s CRSP tables.
Registration Fees: Car registration fees will cost between 15,000 - 23,000 Ksh. Your clearing agent will manage this for you. If you have a special number plate then allow an additional 30,000 Ksh for it to be transferred to your new car. This can sometimes cause a delay to your registration.
Transportation to Nairobi: If your car is being transported to Nairobi for you, then you should allow 20,000 - 25,000 Ksh for a multi car carrier service and 50-000 - 75,000 Ksh for a single car carrier.

Calculating Import Duties

The calculation for Car Duty in Kenya is as follows:

KRA provides the current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) for your vehicle.
Customs Value is the CRSP value with depreciation applied.
Import Duty is 25% of the Customs Value.
Excise Duty is 20% of the Customs Value + Import Duty.
VAT is 16% of the Customs Value + Import Duty + Excise Duty.
IDF Fee 3.5% of the Customs Value.
RDL Fee is 2% of the Customs Value.

When calculating the import duties for your car, be sure that your are using the current CRSP tables. These have been changed a number of times over the past five years and are often updated to account for the new car launches such as electric and hybrid models. Not all calculators are kept up to date with these changes.

Marine Insurance

But Marine insurance is a vital part of your car’s export. Marine insurance is a very important part of your car’s export. The value of your marine insurance is based on 0.4% of the value of the car including duty in Kenya less the Kenyan VAT.

Kenyan law requires that marine insurance is provided by a local Kenyan company and not an overseas company. It’s advisable that you clearly understand the marine insurance provision for your car before your buy it. We are aware that not all companies provide marine insurance. It’s not uncommon to find that the insurance policy only covers the cost of the scrap metal and not the retail value of your car. Hopefully it won’t matter, but when it does, you will be relived to know you can recover your loss without issue.

Read also: Lagos Used Car Guide

Timeline for Importing a Car

Importing a car to Kenya takes around 41 days. Our short video shows the breakdown of the stages for the car export process.

Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

Get Clear on the CRSP Line: There can be ambiguity in the CRSP value of a car. This is less common for the popular makes and models. But if you are buying a prestige car or a new model or new engine variant such as a hybrid or electric car, you are well advised to have clear conversations with your clearing agent prior to buying your car. This ambiguity can sometimes go against you can incur much higher charges than initially anticipated. Car importers will be able to advise you and provide a robust estimate for your car before you buy it. Clearing agents will then be able to confirm their estimations too.
Condition Reports & Auction Sheets: Your car will have condition reports and auctions sheets available in Japan. These clearly state whether there is any damage or wear and tear to your car. It’s smart to ask for these if they aren’t readily available and if you they are not available, we would urge you to re-consider the car and find an alternative car to buy.
Mileage Certificate: It’s common sense to see the mileage certificate for your car before you buy it. As a general rule, if something appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Marine Insurance and Transport Insurance: Insurance is a cost which can easily be avoided, but when you are spending such a large amount of money on your car, you’ll want the peace of mind that your money is not lost should an accident occur. And know who much your insurance is going to reimburse you before you buy. The journey from Japan to Kenya is almost 2 months. The scuffs and grazes are not uncommon. But also the loss of loose items is a common issue when the vehicles are in transit. Insure your car properly and know your hard earnt money is going to be protected on the high seas.
Courier of Loose Items: Along with your key documents, ask that your remote controls, headphones and spare keys etc are couriered to you separately from your vehicle.

Compliance with Standards

The vehicle must comply with the Kenya Bureau of Standards requirements of Legal Notice No. 78 of 15th July 2005 (Verification of Conformity to Kenya Standards Imports Order, 2005) and KS1515:2000 Kenya Standard Code of Practice for Inspection of Road Vehicles.

Other vehicles, with spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, of a cylinder capacity exceeding 3,000 cc, assembled.

Other vehicles, with compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,500 cc, assembled.

Other vehicles, with compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), of a cylinder capacity exceeding 2,500 cc, assembled.