Considering importing a car from Japan to Cyprus? Understand the essential rules, duties, and required documentation to ensure a smooth import process
Key Import Guidelines
Vehicle Age Restrictions
Vehicles imported must be within 5 years of first registration
Steering Position
Only Right-Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles are permitted
Shipping and Port Details
Primary Ports: Limassol and Larnaca Seaport
Shipping Method
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
Duties and Taxes
Customs duties and taxes calculated based on Japanese Yellow Book Value
Required Documents for Customs Clearance
Registration Certificate (Country of Origin)
Confirms car registration status
Export Certificate
Issued by Japanese authorities, required for customs
Original Invoice
Provided by Carbarn.
Bill of Lading
Issued by the shipping company detailing shipment specifics
Condition Report
Detailed description of vehicle condition, including exterior, interior, and mechanical status
Buyers are responsible for paying all duties and taxes due to the Cyprus Customs & Excise Department, and for registering the vehicle with the Cyprus Department of Road Transport.
Considering importing a car from Japan to Cyprus? The rules below cover how old a car is allowed to be, the test it goes through when it arrives, what you pay in duty and tax, and the documents customs will ask for.
Cyprus accepts cars and vans up to 5 years old, counted from the date the vehicle was first registered. Carbarn checks age against the manufacture date instead. A car's manufacture date is always the same as or earlier than its first registration date, so measuring from it gives the stricter answer. A car older than five years is not listed for Cyprus.
Only right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles are accepted. Cyprus drives on the left, and Japanese cars are right-hand drive as standard, so nothing has to be converted.
Duty and tax are worked out on the CIF value, which is the vehicle price at the Japanese port (FOB) plus the ocean freight. They are paid in Cyprus and are quoted separately from the vehicle price.
A lower rate of customs duty can apply where Japanese origin documents are available for that specific car; quotes are prepared at the standard rate. Duty and VAT are assessed by the Cyprus Customs & Excise Department, and registration is completed with the Department of Road Transport.
Rates and procedures are set by the Cypriot authorities and can change; the figures above are the rates Carbarn applies when preparing a quote for a Cyprus car import.
