How do you import a car from Japan to Botswana, and what does it cost? (2026)
Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)
Botswana charges 27% import duty on the CIF value and 14% VAT on CIF plus duty, which together add about 45% to the CIF value. BURS imposes no age limit or import restriction on motor vehicles. Botswana drives on the left, so right-hand-drive Japanese cars suit its roads, and every imported car needs police clearance before registration.
Worked example: a 2017 Honda Fit 1.3 L costs about 215,000 to 229,000 BWP (US$15,200 to US$16,200) delivered to Gaborone, at exchange rates of 14 October 2026.
Car import duty calculator for Botswana
Botswana is landlocked, so cars from Japan are shipped to Durban in South Africa and travel the rest of the way by road. Botswana drives on the left, and Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive, so they suit local roads without changes. The Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) states that Botswana currently imposes no restriction on the importation of motor vehicles, so there is no age limit and no import permit for a used car. A car brought in for home consumption must be cleared with BURS within 14 days of entering the country, even if it will not be registered straight away. Before registration, the Botswana Police Service inspects the car and issues a motor vehicle clearance for registration (form BP17B). For a car from Japan the police ask for the invoice and the bill of lading. Taxes are a flat 27% import duty and 14% VAT, so the main cost drivers are the price of the car, sea freight to Durban and the road leg to Gaborone or another town.
Can you import a used car from Japan to Botswana?
- Steering
- Right-hand drive only
- Age limit
- BURS states no current restriction on import/export of motor vehicles; duties/VAT apply.
- Inspection
- Police clearance/registration docs; customs clearance
- Entry ports
- Durban + inland to Gaborone
How do you import a car from Japan to Botswana, step by step?
Check the car and the tax
No age limit or import permit applies, so the checks are condition, price and the tax on CIF. Duty is 27% and VAT 14% whatever the engine size or fuel.
Buy the car and obtain the export certificate
After purchase in Japan the registration is cancelled and an export certificate is issued. Keep it with an English translation for customs and registration.
Ship to Durban
The car travels by sea to Durban in South Africa, usually on a RoRo vessel. The shipping line issues the bill of lading.
Move the car by road to Botswana
From Durban the car crosses South Africa by road to a Botswana border post. A clearing agent handles the transit paperwork.
Clear customs with BURS
Within 14 days of entry, lodge the SAD 500 customs declaration with the invoice or a local dealer valuation certificate and the export-country customs documents. BURS assesses duty and VAT.
Obtain police clearance
Take the car to a designated police clearing station for physical inspection with your ID, the invoice and the bill of lading. The Botswana Police Service issues form BP17B, clearance for registration.
Register with the Department of Road Transport and Safety
The Department of Road Transport and Safety registers the car and issues number plates once the customs and police clearances are presented.
Documents checklist
- Commercial invoice, or a valuation certificate from a local vehicle retailer
- Japanese export certificate (cancelled registration) with English translation
- Bill of lading
- Customs clearance documents from the export country
- SAD 500 customs declaration lodged with BURS
- Valid ID (Omang, residence permit or passport)
- Police clearance for registration (Botswana Police form BP17B)
- Registration application to the Department of Road Transport and Safety
What import duties and taxes does Botswana charge?
| Tax | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Import duty | 27% | CIF value |
| VAT / GST | 14% | CIF + duty + earlier taxes |
Import duty
Rate: 27%. Charged on: CIF value.
VAT / GST
Rate: 14%. Charged on: CIF + duty + earlier taxes.
The calculation has two lines. Import duty is 27% of the CIF value (cost, insurance and freight). VAT of 14% is then charged on CIF plus import duty, so VAT works out at about 17.8% of CIF and the two lines together at about 44.8%. Neither rate changes with engine size or fuel, so a small hatchback and a pickup pay the same percentage of their value. BURS accepts an invoice or a valuation certificate from a local vehicle retail store or garage as the basis for the declaration, which is lodged on form SAD 500. Duty and VAT are due when the car is cleared for home consumption, which must happen within 14 days of entry. Botswana is a member of the Southern African Customs Union, so goods moving between Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini pay no further customs duty; a car from Japan is taxed when it is cleared in Botswana.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan to Botswana?
| Car (year, engine) | FOB Japan | CIF Durban + inland to Gaborone | Duties & taxes | Door-to-door, low to high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Honda Fit 1.3 L | US$7,080 | US$9,410 | US$4,21045% of CIF | BWP 215,000 – 229,000US$15,200 – US$16,200 |
| 2018 Toyota Corolla Fielder 1.5 L hybrid | US$7,550 | US$10,400 | US$4,68045% of CIF | BWP 237,000 – 254,000US$16,700 – US$17,900 |
| 2018 Toyota Hilux 2.4 L diesel | US$26,500 | US$29,900 | US$13,40045% of CIF | BWP 638,000 – 656,000US$45,000 – US$46,400 |
Assumptions: typical auction price for the model and year plus ¥70,000 export costs (FOB), route freight from −12% to +15%, port and clearing charges from the dataset, inland delivery to Gaborone. Customs assesses the final duty, sometimes on its own valuation.
How long does shipping take, and which ports?
| Port | Method | Transit (days) | Freight from (sedan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durban + inland to Gaborone | RoRo or container | 32–52 | US$2,300 |
Cars for Botswana are landed at Durban, South Africa and continue overland.
Botswana has no seaport, so cars cross South Africa by road from Durban to a Botswana border post.
Which Japanese cars are popular in Botswana?
- Models and prices
Toyota Corolla Fielder
A 1.5-litre petrol or hybrid estate with room for luggage on long drives. Because duty is a flat rate, a hybrid pays no more than a petrol car of the same value.
- Models and prices
Honda Fit
A compact hatchback with 1.3 and 1.5 engines and a low purchase price, which keeps the 27% duty bill small.
- Models and prices
Toyota Hilux
Pickups are common for farm and gravel-road use. The Japanese-market Hilux double cab sold from 2017 has a 2.4-litre diesel engine.
- Models and prices
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
A body-on-frame SUV suited to long distances and rough roads. Its higher value means a larger duty and VAT bill in absolute terms.
- Models and prices
Nissan X-Trail
A mid-size SUV with 2.0 and 2.5 petrol engines and four-wheel-drive versions, at a lower price than a Prado.
How much is inland delivery to cities in Botswana?
| City | From port | Sedan | SUV / wagon | Extra days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaborone | durban | US$650 | US$810 | 7 |
| Francistown | durban | US$790 | US$990 | 7 |
| Maun | durban | US$950 | US$1,190 | 9 |
| Kasane | durban | US$1,010 | US$1,260 | 9 |
| Serowe | durban | US$740 | US$920 | 7 |
How do you avoid scams when buying a car from Japan?
- Check that the exporter is a registered Japanese company: look up its corporate number and address, and prefer members of the Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporters Association.
- Ask for the original auction sheet and, after purchase, the export certificate. Both name the chassis number, which should match the invoice.
- Pay only to a company bank account in the exporter's name, never to a personal account or a money-transfer agent.
AVON INTERNATIONAL company and licence details are on the About page, and the JUMVEA member list is public. JUMVEA (exporters association) · About AVON INTERNATIONAL · Is buying a car from Japan safe?
Frequently asked questions
- Is there an age limit for importing a used car to Botswana?
- No. BURS states that Botswana currently imposes no restriction on the importation of motor vehicles. Duty and VAT still apply, and the car must pass police clearance before registration.
- How much is import duty on a car from Japan to Botswana?
- 27% of the CIF value, followed by 14% VAT on CIF plus duty. Together they add about 45% to the CIF value.
- Do I need an import permit to bring a used car into Botswana?
- No. BURS lists no permit for a car imported for home consumption. You lodge a SAD 500 customs declaration and pay duty and VAT within 14 days of entry.
- Which port do cars from Japan to Botswana arrive at?
- Durban in South Africa. Botswana is landlocked, so the car continues by road from Durban to the border and on to Gaborone or another town.
- How long does shipping from Japan to Botswana take?
- Roughly 32 to 52 days from Japan via Durban, including the road leg. Customs clearance and police inspection add time after arrival.
- What does police clearance involve for an imported car in Botswana?
- The car is inspected at a designated police clearing station. For a car from Japan, bring ID, the invoice and the bill of lading; the Botswana Police Service then issues form BP17B, clearance for registration.
- How long do I have to clear an imported car with BURS?
- 14 days from the date it enters Botswana. Clearance is required even if the car will not be registered yet or is still owned by a bank.
- Does engine size change the tax on a car imported to Botswana?
- No. Import duty (27%) and VAT (14%) are flat rates, so the tax is the same share of the CIF value whatever the engine size or fuel.
- Who registers an imported car in Botswana?
- The Department of Road Transport and Safety, after BURS has cleared the car and the police have issued clearance for registration.
Sources
- Botswana Unified Revenue Service — Clearance of Motor Vehicles — checked 15 October 2026
- Government of Botswana — Vehicle Import/Export Clearance (Botswana Police Service) — checked 15 October 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Botswana, other taxes — checked 15 October 2026
Car import duty calculator for Botswana
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Estimate only. Duties are assessed by customs on arrival, freight rates move, and rules change. Check current figures before you buy.