How do you import a car from Japan to Greenland, and what does it cost? (2026)
Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)
Greenland has no VAT, but levies a heavy motor-vehicle import duty (indførselsafgift) on the invoice value: minimum DKK 50,000, equal to roughly 100% of the value in the DKK 50,000-150,000 band, plus 125% of the portion above DKK 150,000. A typical used Japanese car therefore carries an import charge of about 100-112% of its value — not zero.
Car import duty calculator for Greenland
Japan's auction stock is right-hand drive. We do not convert steering. For Greenland we can only source the limited left-hand-drive cars that come up at Japanese auctions, mostly European and American imports, so choice is narrow and prices are higher than for ordinary Japanese stock.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, but it sits outside the EU customs union and has its own import tax rules — it is not a standard EU VAT territory. Vehicle imports are charged according to Greenlandic vehicle tax rules based on vehicle type and price rather than a flat duty or standard VAT, so the total cost must be modelled individually. An important practical consideration: Greenland requires left-hand-drive vehicles for road registration, and Japanese stock is right-hand drive.
Can you import a used car from Japan to Greenland?
- Steering
- Left-hand drive only
- Age limit
- Greenland is outside the EU customs/VAT area. The decisive charge is the motor-vehicle import duty (indførselsafgift) on the invoice value; no VAT.
- Inspection
- Greenland customs (Skattestyrelsen) import-duty settlement, registration and local delivery
- Special rules
- Left-hand traffic (LHD market); RHD Japanese stock is impractical. Feeder shipping via Aalborg/Reykjavík adds cost and time.
- Entry ports
- Aalborg/Reykjavik feeder to Nuuk
How do you import a car from Japan to Greenland, step by step?
Check the import rules
Greenland is outside the EU customs/VAT area. The decisive charge is the motor-vehicle import duty (indførselsafgift) on the invoice value; no VAT. Greenland requires left-hand-drive vehicles, so ordinary right-hand-drive Japanese stock cannot be registered there.
Buy the car and obtain the export certificate
After purchase in Japan the car's registration is cancelled and an export certificate is issued. An English translation of it is needed for customs and registration in Greenland.
Complete the required inspection
Required for Greenland: Greenland customs (Skattestyrelsen) import-duty settlement, registration and local delivery.
Ship to Aalborg/Reykjavik feeder to Nuuk
Cars from Japan arrive at Aalborg/Reykjavik feeder to Nuuk. Sea transit is about 55–85 days. The shipping line issues the bill of lading, which customs needs for the entry.
Lodge the customs entry and pay the taxes
A licensed clearing agent lodges the import declaration with the invoice, bill of lading and export certificate. Customs assesses Motor-vehicle import duty; the rates are in the duty table on this page.
Register the car
After customs release and payment of port charges, the car is registered and plated by Greenland's vehicle registration authority.
What import duties and taxes does Greenland charge?
| Tax | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Motor-vehicle import duty (indførselsafgift) | 100% | CIF value |
Motor-vehicle import duty (indførselsafgift)
Rate: 100%. Charged on: CIF value.
Greenland is not part of the EU customs union and does not apply standard EU VAT. Vehicle import tax is based on vehicle type and price under Greenlandic rules rather than a percentage duty applied to CIF value. The exact tax must be assessed for your specific vehicle.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan to Greenland?
Worked examples are not shown for this market. Use the calculator below with your own car.
How long does shipping take, and which ports?
| Port | Method | Transit (days) | Freight from (sedan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aalborg/Reykjavik feeder to Nuuk | RoRo or container | 55–85 | US$4,500 |
Which cars from Japanese auctions can be registered in Greenland?
- Models and prices
Ford Explorer
Sold new in Japan with left-hand drive, so used Explorers turn up in Japanese stock from time to time.
- Models and prices
Porsche Cayenne
Some Cayennes were sold new in Japan with left-hand drive and resurface in Japanese used stock in small numbers.
- Models and prices
Cadillac SRX
An American SUV sold new in Japan with left-hand drive; examples appear in Japanese used stock occasionally.
- Models and prices
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Left-hand-drive S-Class cars sold new in Japan appear in Japanese used stock, mostly older examples.
How much is inland delivery to cities in Greenland?
| City | From port | Sedan | SUV / wagon | Extra days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuuk | nuuk | US$150 | US$190 | 1 |
| Sisimiut | nuuk | US$330 | US$410 | 2 |
| Ilulissat | nuuk | US$470 | US$590 | 3 |
| Qaqortoq | nuuk | US$420 | US$520 | 3 |
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
- Can I import a right-hand-drive Japanese car to Greenland?
- Greenland requires left-hand-drive vehicles for road registration, and Japanese domestic stock is right-hand drive. This makes a standard Japanese import to Greenland a specialised case.
- What taxes apply to importing a car to Greenland?
- Greenland is not a standard EU VAT territory and has its own vehicle import tax based on vehicle type and price rather than a flat duty. The exact amount must be assessed for your specific vehicle.
- How does the car reach Greenland from Japan?
- Vehicles travel from Japan to a European feeder port (typically Aalborg, Denmark or Reykjavik, Iceland) and then by coastal vessel to Nuuk. From Nuuk, onward delivery to other Greenlandic settlements requires additional coastal freight arrangements.
Car import duty calculator for Greenland
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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.