AskJapanCars

How do you import a car from Japan to Myanmar, and what does it cost? (2026)

Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)

Myanmar does not allow right-hand-drive cars to be imported. Under the Ministry of Commerce rules for 2026, only left-hand-drive vehicles can be imported, and passenger cars must be 2025 or 2026 models; commercial vehicles must be 2022 to 2026 models. Used Japanese domestic cars, which are right-hand drive, are therefore not eligible.

Japan's auction stock is right-hand drive. We do not convert steering. For Myanmar 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.

Myanmar drives on the right. A large share of its fleet is right-hand-drive Japanese cars imported before the rules changed, but the import of right-hand-drive vehicles has been banned since 2018, and each year the Ministry of Commerce repeats that only left-hand-drive vehicles may be imported. The ministry also sets the permitted production years every year. For 2026, passenger vehicles must be manufactured in 2025 or 2026, commercial vehicles such as trucks and passenger vans in 2022 to 2026, and fire engines, ambulances and machinery in 2017 to 2026. Off-road machinery not used on public roads may be up to 15 years old. The result is that the usual Japanese used-car trade does not reach Myanmar. Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive, and a 2025 or 2026 model is a near-new car. Imports also need an import licence from the Ministry of Commerce, and the rules change from year to year, so the current notification has to be checked before any purchase.

Can you import a used car from Japan to Myanmar?

Steering
Left-hand drive only

How do you import a car from Japan to Myanmar, step by step?

  1. Check the current year's notification

    The Ministry of Commerce publishes the permitted production years each December for the following year. For 2026, passenger cars must be 2025 or 2026 models.

  2. Confirm the vehicle is left-hand drive

    Only left-hand-drive vehicles may be imported. Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive and are refused.

  3. Obtain an import licence

    Vehicle imports require an import licence from the Ministry of Commerce under the Export and Import Law, issued only for vehicles that match the approved model years.

  4. Clear customs

    The importer lodges the customs declaration with the licence, invoice and bill of lading, and customs assesses duty on the declared value.

Documents checklist

  • Ministry of Commerce import licence
  • Commercial invoice
  • Bill of lading
  • Proof of model year and left-hand-drive specification
  • Customs import declaration

What import duties and taxes does Myanmar charge?

Duty on imported vehicles is assessed by the Myanmar Customs Department, and the import licence is issued by the Ministry of Commerce under Article 13(b) of the Export and Import Law. Because right-hand-drive vehicles cannot be imported at all, and passenger cars must be 2025 or 2026 models, no duty calculation applies to a used right-hand-drive car from Japan. Rates for eligible new left-hand-drive vehicles are set by the Myanmar authorities and are not published on this page. The permitted model years are reset every December, so any figure would only apply to vehicles that match the current notification.

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 car from Japan to Myanmar?
No. Myanmar allows only left-hand-drive vehicles to be imported, and the 2026 rules repeat that restriction. Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive.
How old can an imported car be in Myanmar?
For 2026, passenger cars must be 2025 or 2026 models. Trucks and passenger vans may be 2022 to 2026 models. The ministry resets these years every December.
When did Myanmar ban right-hand-drive car imports?
In 2018. Since then the Ministry of Commerce has allowed only left-hand-drive vehicles, apart from machinery that cannot be classed as either.
Can I import a used car to Myanmar at all?
Only within the approved model years, which for passenger cars in 2026 means 2025 or 2026 models. In practice that rules out used cars of normal age.
Who sets Myanmar's vehicle import rules?
The Ministry of Commerce, which issues an annual notification on permitted production years and requires an import licence for each vehicle.
Are there exceptions for heavy machinery?
Yes. Machinery not driven on public roads, such as excavators, cranes and forklifts, may be imported if it is no more than 15 years old.
Does Myanmar drive on the left or the right?
On the right. That is why the government restricts imports to left-hand-drive vehicles, even though many older right-hand-drive Japanese cars are still on the road.
Will Myanmar allow right-hand-drive imports again?
There is no sign of it. The 2025 and 2026 notifications both kept the left-hand-drive-only rule, so check each year's notification before planning a purchase.

Sources

Car import duty calculator for Myanmar

There is no instant calculator for Myanmar yet, because its tax model or freight route is not in the dataset. The rules and steps above still apply. Contact

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