How do you import a car from Japan to Guyana, and what does it cost? (2026)
Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)
Guyana has no age limit on imported cars. A car 4 years old or more pays 0% customs duty and 0% VAT, only excise: a flat G$800,000 up to 1,500 cc, and (CIF + US$6,000) × 30% + US$6,000 from 1,501 to 1,800 cc (US$6,500 base to 2,000 cc). Cars must be right-hand drive in practice and pass an ATJ inspection in Japan.
Worked example: a 2018 Toyota Premio 1.5 L costs about 3,540,000 to 3,880,000 GYD (US$16,900 to US$18,500) delivered to New Amsterdam, at exchange rates of 14 October 2026.
Car import duty calculator for Guyana
Guyana drives on the left, so Japanese right-hand-drive cars fit the roads as they are. The old ban on vehicles 8 years and older was removed on 1 October 2020, so there is no maximum age. Age still matters for tax: the Guyana Revenue Authority splits cars into those under 4 years old and those 4 years and older, counted in calendar years before 1 January of the import year. Most auction stock falls in the 4-years-and-older group, which pays a flat-rate excise only, with no customs duty and no VAT. Cars under 4 years old pay customs duty, excise and 14% VAT instead, which costs far more for anything above 1,500 cc. Since 1 February 2025 every used vehicle must carry an inspection certificate from Autoterminal Japan, uploaded with the customs declaration in ASYCUDA World. Registration is handled by the GRA Licence Revenue Office.
Can you import a used car from Japan to Guyana?
- Steering
- Right-hand drive only
- Age limit
- Guyana drives on the left, so RHD Japanese stock fits. No hard age ban, but the tax regime splits at 4 years: cars 4 years and older pay a GRA excise ONLY (0% customs duty and 0% VAT), while cars under 4 years pay customs duty + excise + 14% VAT. The model below is for the 4-years-and-older regime that covers most auction stock.
- Inspection
- ATJ (age/technical) assessment
- Special rules
- Cars under 4 years old use a different duty+excise+VAT regime — confirm the exact figure for a near-new car.
- Entry ports
- Port of Georgetown
How do you import a car from Japan to Guyana, step by step?
Check age group and engine size
Work out whether the car is 4 years old or more under the GRA definition, and check its engine size and fuel. These decide which excise formula applies.
Obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number
The customs declaration needs the importer's TIN, so register with the GRA before the car arrives.
Buy the car and obtain the export certificate
After purchase the Japanese registration is cancelled and an export certificate is issued. It serves as the cancellation of registration for the customs file.
Pass the ATJ inspection
Autoterminal Japan is the GRA-authorised inspection agency. Its vehicle inspection certificate has been required for used vehicles since 1 February 2025.
Ship to Georgetown
Cars arrive at Georgetown. The waybill must show the VIN or chassis number, engine number, make, year, colour and whether the car is new or used.
Lodge the declaration and pay excise
A licensed customhouse broker lodges the declaration in ASYCUDA World with the bill of lading, invoice, TIN, cancellation of registration and inspection certificate. GRA then assesses the excise.
Register with the Licence Revenue Office
The GRA Licence Revenue Office in Georgetown registers the car and issues plates under the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.
Documents checklist
- Commercial invoice
- Japanese export certificate (cancellation of registration) with English translation
- Vehicle inspection certificate from Autoterminal Japan
- Original bill of lading with full vehicle particulars
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
- Customs declaration in ASYCUDA World, lodged by a licensed customhouse broker
- Registration application at the GRA Licence Revenue Office
What import duties and taxes does Guyana charge?
| Tax | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Excise — percentage component (4+ yr, engine cc) | 0%–100% by engine size | CIF value |
| Excise — base amount component (4+ yr) | US$3,825–US$29,000 by engine size | Engine size (fixed amount) |
Excise — percentage component (4+ yr, engine cc)
Rate: 0% up to 1,500 cc; 30% up to 1,800 cc; 30% up to 2,000 cc; 70% up to 3,000 cc; 100% above 3,000 cc. Charged on: CIF value. Source: GRA — Motor vehicle.
Excise — base amount component (4+ yr)
Rate: US$3,825 up to 1,500 cc; US$7,800 up to 1,800 cc; US$8,450 up to 2,000 cc; US$22,950 up to 3,000 cc; US$29,000 above 3,000 cc. Charged on: Engine size (fixed amount). Source: GRA — Motor vehicle.
For a petrol car 4 years old or more, customs duty and VAT are both 0%, and the only tax is excise. Up to 1,500 cc the excise is a flat G$800,000, shown in the table at about US$3,825. Above 1,500 cc the GRA uses a compound formula on the CIF value: (CIF + base) × rate + base. From 1,501 to 1,800 cc the base is US$6,000 and the rate 30%; from 1,801 to 2,000 cc the base is US$6,500 and the rate 30%. The table splits this into a percentage part (30% of CIF) and a fixed part (US$7,800 or US$8,450). From 2,001 to 3,000 cc the base is US$13,500 and the rate 70%; above 3,000 cc the base is US$14,500 and the rate 100%. Diesel cars use a separate table. Cars under 4 years old pay duty, excise and 14% VAT instead. The rates come from Table A-22 of the Excise Tax Regulations and the GRA motor vehicle calculation guide.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan to Guyana?
| Car (year, engine) | FOB Japan | CIF Georgetown (Guyana) | Duties & taxes | Door-to-door, low to high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Toyota Premio 1.5 L | US$9,920 | US$12,900 | US$3,83030% of CIF | GYD 3,540,000 – 3,880,000US$16,900 – US$18,500 |
| 2018 Toyota Noah 2.0 L | US$13,700 | US$17,300 | US$13,60079% of CIF | GYD 6,510,000 – 6,880,000US$31,100 – US$32,900 |
| 2018 Mazda CX-5 2.0 L | US$15,600 | US$19,200 | US$14,20074% of CIF | GYD 7,020,000 – 7,390,000US$33,600 – US$35,300 |
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 New Amsterdam. Customs assesses the final duty, sometimes on its own valuation.
This market taxes by engine size, age or fuel. Enter all three for a tighter figure.
How long does shipping take, and which ports?
| Port | Method | Transit (days) | Freight from (sedan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown (Guyana) | RoRo or container | 40–50 | US$2,950 |
Which Japanese cars are popular in Guyana?
- Models and prices
Toyota Premio
A 1.5-litre petrol sedan. At 4 years or older it pays the flat G$800,000 excise, the lowest band.
- Models and prices
Toyota Corolla Fielder
A 1.5-litre estate in the flat excise band, with simple running gear and wide parts supply.
- Models and prices
Toyota Noah
A 2.0-litre people carrier. It falls in the 1,801–2,000 cc band, with a US$6,500 base plus 30%.
- Models and prices
Honda Vezel
A compact SUV with a 1.5 engine, so it stays in the flat excise band when 4 years or older.
- Models and prices
Mazda CX-5
The 2.0 petrol version sits in the 1,801–2,000 cc band. The 2.5 petrol and 2.2 diesel versions fall under higher bands.
How much is inland delivery to cities in Guyana?
| City | From port | Sedan | SUV / wagon | Extra days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Amsterdam | Georgetown (Guyana) | US$200 | US$250 | 2 |
| Linden | Georgetown (Guyana) | US$200 | US$250 | 2 |
| Georgetown | Georgetown (Guyana) | US$100 | US$120 | 1 |
| Lethem | Georgetown (Guyana) | 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
- Is there an age limit on cars imported into Guyana?
- No. The ban on vehicles 8 years and older was removed on 1 October 2020. Age still changes the tax, with a split at 4 years.
- How much is tax on a car from Japan to Guyana?
- For a car 4 years or older: a flat G$800,000 excise up to 1,500 cc, or (CIF + US$6,000 or US$6,500) × 30% + the same base from 1,501 to 2,000 cc. No duty or VAT.
- Why are cars under 4 years old taxed more in Guyana?
- They pay customs duty, excise and 14% VAT instead of the flat-rate excise. Above 1,500 cc that combination usually costs far more.
- How does GRA decide if a car is 4 years old?
- Section 209 of the Customs Regulations counts 48 months, or 4 calendar years, before 1 January of the import year.
- Do used cars for Guyana need an inspection in Japan?
- Yes. Since 1 February 2025 used vehicles need an inspection certificate from Autoterminal Japan, uploaded with the customs declaration.
- Do diesel cars pay the same tax in Guyana?
- No. Diesel cars use a separate GRA table with higher base amounts, for example US$15,400 from 1,501 to 2,000 cc.
- Do I need a customs broker to import a car to Guyana?
- GRA advises using a licensed customhouse broker registered in ASYCUDA World to lodge the declaration.
- How long does shipping from Japan to Georgetown take?
- Around 40 to 50 days at sea, longer than to most Caribbean ports. Clearance and registration follow arrival.
- Where do I register an imported car in Guyana?
- At the GRA Licence Revenue Office in Georgetown, the only agency authorised to register motor vehicles.
Sources
- Guyana Revenue Authority — Motor Vehicle Duty/Tax Calculation Guide — checked 15 October 2026
- Guyana Revenue Authority — Excise Tax Regulations (revised March 2025) — checked 15 October 2026
- Guyana Revenue Authority — Inspection Certificate Requirement — checked 15 October 2026
- Guyana Revenue Authority — Vehicles 8 Years Old and Used Tyres — checked 15 October 2026
- Guyana Revenue Authority — Motor Vehicle registration — checked 15 October 2026
Car import duty calculator for Guyana
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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.