JDM Imports
We import Japanese Domestic Market cars into the United States and hand you the keys and the title. Not a to-port "shipped" quote with the hard part left to you — one price, everything included.
What a JDM import actually is
A JDM car is a vehicle originally built for sale inside Japan — right-hand drive, Japanese-market trim, and very often a model or engine that was never sold in the US at all. Skyline GT-Rs, Silvias, Chasers, kei trucks, JZX Mark IIs, RX-7s, Pajero Minis. Under US law, any vehicle 25 model years or older can be imported without meeting FMVSS or EPA conformity requirements. That's the whole reason this market exists, and it's why a fresh crop of cars becomes legal every single year.
Japan is where you buy them. Millions of used cars move through Japanese auction houses every year — USS, TAA, JU, Arai and dozens more — with independently graded condition sheets and mileage that's typically a fraction of a comparable US car. Getting one out of that system and onto a US road is the part people underestimate.
Two ways to buy from us
1. Bid at Japanese auction
You get access to live auction listings, we translate and read the auction sheet, we inspect where possible, and we bid on your behalf up to your maximum. This is how you find the rare stuff and how you get the best price — but it takes patience, because you're waiting for the right car to run.
2. Buy from dealer stock
Thousands of cars sitting in Japanese dealer inventory right now, available immediately at a fixed price. No bidding, no waiting for an auction date. If you want a specific chassis and you want it now, this is the faster path.
Either way, the car is inspected in person before money moves — real photos and video, not just a grade on a sheet.
What's included in our price
This is the part that separates importers, so read it carefully. Most exporters advertise a shipped price. That price gets the car onto a boat and off at a US port, and then it stops. What's left over is yours to solve:
- Finding and hiring a licensed US customs broker
- Filing the entry and paying US import duty (about 2.5% of the vehicle's value for passenger cars — more for trucks)
- Port clearance, terminal handling, and demurrage if you're slow
- Getting a US title issued from Japanese export paperwork
We do all of it. We act as your customs broker — you never hire a third party, never get a surprise invoice from the port, and never have to figure out what an ISF filing is. The number we quote you is the number that lands the car in your hands, titled.
Watch for hidden JCT. Vehicles exported out of Japan are exempt from Japan's 10% Consumption Tax. Some exporters quietly build it into the vehicle price anyway. On a $20,000 car that's $2,000 of pure padding.
What it costs
On top of the car itself, budget roughly $3,000–$5,000 to get it landed and titled. The range moves with two things: the body type (a kei truck ships cheaper than a one-box van) and the value of the car, because US import duty is billed as a percentage of what you paid.
| Cost | Typical |
|---|---|
| Ocean freight (varies by body type) | $1,390 – $3,700 |
| Standard fixed fees (inland transport in Japan, export, service, import, terminal handling, US title) | ~$2,378 |
| US import duty | ~2.5% of vehicle value (light trucks are higher) |
Full breakdown, including the freight table by body type: what it costs to import a car from Japan.
How long it takes
About 45–60 days from purchase to delivery. Ocean transit alone is usually 3–5 weeks; the rest is Japanese export processing on the front end and customs clearance plus titling on the back end. If the car you want isn't 25 years old yet, we can hold it in Japan until it becomes eligible.
Where your car lands
We deliver to the US port nearest you, and we can arrange door delivery from there. Ports we ship into: Baltimore, Brunswick, Freeport (TX), Galveston, Guam, Honolulu, Newark, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Port Hueneme, Saipan, San Diego, and Tacoma.
What we have available right now
Live counts from Japanese dealer stock and auction listings we can source today:
| Make | Vehicles available |
|---|---|
| Toyota | 4,047 |
| Nissan | 2,915 |
| Suzuki | 1,920 |
| Honda | 1,269 |
| Daihatsu | 1,220 |
| Mitsubishi | 863 |
| Subaru | 726 |
| Mazda | 561 |
| Isuzu | 289 |
| Mitsuoka | 69 |
| Lexus | 4 |
| Infiniti | 1 |
Browse all dealer stock or see cars we already have in the US.
Local to the DC metro?
We're headquartered in Vienna, Virginia and import for buyers across the mid-Atlantic: JDM imports in Virginia · JDM imports in Washington, DC · JDM imports in Maryland.
Frequently asked questions
What does JDM import mean?
A JDM import is a car built for the Japanese Domestic Market and brought into another country. In the US, any vehicle 25 model years or older can be imported legally without meeting FMVSS or EPA conformity rules, which is why JDM imports are almost always 25+ years old.
Do I need a customs broker to import a JDM car?
Someone has to file the customs entry, and most exporters make that your problem — you find and pay a broker yourself. We act as your customs broker, so it is handled and already included in your price.
How much does it cost to import a JDM car to the USA?
Beyond the price of the car, budget about $3,000 to $5,000. That covers ocean freight (roughly $1,390 to $3,700 depending on body type), about $2,378 in standard fixed fees, and US import duty of around 2.5% of the vehicle value — light trucks are higher.
How long does it take to import a car from Japan?
Typically 45 to 60 days from purchase to delivery. Ocean transit is 3 to 5 weeks of that, with Japanese export processing before and US customs clearance and titling after.
Can I import a car that is not 25 years old yet?
Not into the US for road use, but you can still buy it. We will store the car in Japan until it hits its 25-year eligibility date and then import it for you, which locks in today’s price on a car that usually appreciates.
Do you ship anywhere in the USA?
Yes. We deliver to your nearest US port — including Baltimore, Newark, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Tacoma, Houston, San Diego, and Honolulu — and can arrange door delivery from there.
Will the car come with a US title?
Yes. US title service is part of our standard fees, so the car arrives with the paperwork needed to register it in your state.
Start your import
Tell us the make, model, and year. We'll source it, inspect it in person, and quote one all-in landed price.
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