How do you import a car from Japan to Kazakhstan, and what does it cost? (2026)
Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)
Kazakhstan applies the EAEU Unified Customs Tariff (duty by engine size and vehicle age, often with a euro-per-cc minimum), an excise on engines over 3000cc, and VAT that is 12% in 2025 and rises to 16% from 1 January 2026. The single biggest cost is usually the recycling fee (utilsbor), a large fixed charge that can run from roughly 500,000 to 3,500,000 tenge (about USD 1,000-7,000) depending on engine size and age. RHD is allowed in practice, but the recycling fee makes importing an ordinary used car expensive.
Car import duty calculator for Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan does not register right-hand-drive vehicles. Japan's auction stock is right-hand drive and we do not convert steering, so only the few left-hand-drive cars that come up at Japanese auctions can be sourced for Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia and one of the region's more active used-car import markets. It operates within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) customs framework, which means duty rates follow the EAEU Unified Tariff — typically around 15% for passenger cars based on engine size and age — plus 16% VAT (which rose from 12% in January 2026). The single biggest cost surprise for many buyers is the recycling fee (utilsbor): a large fixed charge levied by engine size and vehicle age that can run from roughly USD 1,000 to USD 7,000, and which applies on top of all other taxes. Kazakhstan has no blanket age ban, but duty and the recycling fee rise sharply with age, making newer cars with smaller engines significantly cheaper to import. Because Kazakhstan is landlocked, there is no direct sea route from Japan. The most common transit path runs ocean freight from Japan to a Russian Far East port, then overland into Kazakhstan, or alternatively through Aktau port on the Caspian Sea via a ferry crossing.
Can you import a used car from Japan to Kazakhstan?
- Steering
- Right- and left-hand drive
- Age limit
- No outright age ban for individuals, but duty and the recycling fee rise sharply with age and engine size, and vehicles under 3 years generally need type approval (WVTA/OTTC) for commercial import. Most Japanese used cars arrive overland from Russian Far East ports; Aktau (Caspian) is the nominal seaport.
- Inspection
- OTTC / type-approval (WVTA) certificate and conformity assessment required for registration.
- Permits
- EAEU customs declaration; recycling fee (utilsbor) payment; OTTC registration.
- Special rules
- Kazakhstan tightened the personal-use import "backdoor" in 2025; commercial imports face the full EAEU tariff plus a large recycling fee.
- Entry ports
- Aktau + inland
How do you import a car from Japan to Kazakhstan, step by step?
Check the import rules
No outright age ban for individuals, but duty and the recycling fee rise sharply with age and engine size, and vehicles under 3 years generally need type approval (WVTA/OTTC) for commercial import. Most Japanese used cars arrive overland from Russian Far East ports; Aktau (Caspian) is the nominal seaport. Kazakhstan does not register right-hand-drive vehicles.
Obtain the import permit
EAEU customs declaration; recycling fee (utilsbor) payment; OTTC registration.
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 Kazakhstan.
Complete the required inspection
Required for Kazakhstan: OTTC / type-approval (WVTA) certificate and conformity assessment required for registration.
Ship to Aktau + inland
Cars from Japan arrive at Aktau + inland. Sea transit is about 20–40 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 Customs Duty, Excise and VAT; 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 Kazakhstan's vehicle registration authority.
What import duties and taxes does Kazakhstan charge?
| Tax | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Customs Duty (EAEU Unified Tariff) | 15% | CIF value |
| Excise (engines >3000cc) | 0% | CIF value |
| VAT | 16% | CIF + import duty |
Customs Duty (EAEU Unified Tariff)
Rate: 15%. Charged on: CIF value.
Excise (engines >3000cc)
Rate: 0%. Charged on: CIF value.
VAT
Rate: 16%. Charged on: CIF + import duty.
Kazakhstan uses the EAEU Unified Customs Tariff, which applies duty at approximately 15% for passenger cars, calculated on the customs value and often with a minimum floor per cc of engine displacement. On top of duty, VAT at 16% applies (raised from 12% as of 1 January 2026). The largest single charge for most buyers is the recycling fee (utilsbor) — a mandatory fixed levy by engine size and vehicle age that can range from roughly USD 1,000 to USD 7,000 and is not a percentage but a flat charge. Engines over 3000cc attract an additional excise.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan to Kazakhstan?
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aktau + inland | RoRo or container | 20–40 | US$2,250 |
Which Japanese cars are popular in Kazakhstan?
- 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 Kazakhstan?
| City | From port | Sedan | SUV / wagon | Extra days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almaty | aktau | US$1,560 | US$1,950 | 12 |
| Astana | aktau | US$1,350 | US$1,690 | 12 |
| Shymkent | aktau | US$1,210 | US$1,510 | 12 |
| Aktobe | aktau | US$830 | US$1,040 | 10 |
| Karaganda | aktau | US$1,390 | US$1,740 | 12 |
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
- What is the recycling fee (utilsbor) in Kazakhstan?
- The recycling fee is a flat charge — not a percentage — levied on imported vehicles by engine size and age. It can range from roughly USD 1,000 for a small, newer car to USD 7,000 or more for an older, large-engined vehicle, and is paid on top of customs duty and VAT.
- How does the car reach landlocked Kazakhstan from Japan?
- Kazakhstan has no seaport on the Pacific or Indian Ocean. The standard routes run ocean freight from Japan to a transit port, then overland — either via Aktau on the Caspian Sea or through Central Asian road corridors.
Car import duty calculator for Kazakhstan
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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.