What this article covers
A step-by-step walkthrough of importing a car from Japan into Australia, written in the order the process actually happens rather than as a checklist of rules. The sequence runs from choosing a vehicle and confirming import eligibility, through SEVS and model-code eligibility, reading the auction sheet, budgeting the landed cost, the refundable auction deposit and bid approval, to Vehicle Import Approval, shipping, customs and biosecurity, compliance work, AVV inspection, RAV entry and finally state registration.
The section buyers tend to underestimate is the money and the waiting. The guide sets out GST at 10 percent of the value of the taxable importation, Luxury Car Tax at 33 percent above the threshold, and the 2025-26 LCT thresholds of $80,567 for most vehicles and $91,387 for fuel-efficient ones. Freight is quoted by cubic metre, roughly $2,500 to $3,000 for a car under 20 CBM. Vehicle Import Approval can take up to 60 business days, and the whole purchase-to-delivery process typically runs 6 to 10 weeks. The recurring warning is to confirm eligibility before paying for anything.
Who wrote this?
Jason Sildir is a Turkish-Australian automotive writer based in Lidcombe, New South Wales, publishing buying guides and vehicle comparisons for the Australian car market. His articles cover Japanese imports, used hybrids, electric vehicles, family cars and the process of importing a vehicle from Japan to Australia. Jason writes from inside the trade: he is a Car Sales Manager at Carbarn, a Sydney dealership handling used and imported vehicles, where he sees which models arrive in stock, what buyers ask before they commit, and where running costs and compliance paperwork actually land. His work appears on the Carbarn blog and in LUXUO, and he has been quoted on sales process and lead qualification in TechBullion.