Car import duty in Pakistan: how do you import a car from Japan, and what does it cost? (2026)
Last reviewed by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., licensed USS member dealer (card L-1525)
Car import duty in Pakistan on a used car from Japan is a fixed amount by engine size: USD 4,800 up to 800 cc, 6,000 to 1,000 cc, 13,200 to 1,300 cc, 18,590 to 1,500 cc, 22,550 to 1,600 cc and 27,940 to 1,800 cc, less 1% per month of age; hybrids up to 1,800 cc pay half. Cars must be right-hand drive, no more than 3 years old and imported by an overseas Pakistani.
Worked example: a 2024 Suzuki Alto 0.7 L costs about 4,170,000 to 4,430,000 PKR (US$15,000 to US$16,000) delivered to Lahore, at exchange rates of 14 October 2026.
Car import duty calculator for Pakistan
Pakistan drives on the left and accepts right-hand-drive cars only, so Japanese domestic stock fits. Used cars cannot be imported freely by any resident. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) allows Pakistani nationals living abroad, including dual nationals, to bring a car under the Personal Baggage, Gift or Transfer of Residence schemes. The rules and taxes are the same under all three. Cars must be no more than 3 years old; other vehicles up to 5 years. Duty is not a percentage of the car's value. FBR publishes a single US dollar amount for each engine band that covers all duties and taxes, and the amount falls by 1% for each month of the car's age. Hybrids get a large discount: 50% up to 1,800 cc and 25% from 1,800 to 2,500 cc. A person who has imported, gifted or received a car under these schemes in the past two years cannot use them again. Students receiving money from Pakistan and family members without their own foreign income are also excluded. A separate commercial import channel with percentage-based duties exists, but it is not covered here.
Can you import a used car from Japan to Pakistan?
- Steering
- Right-hand drive only
- Age limit
- ≤3 years for personal import (ToR/Gift Scheme). Commercial channel (SRO 1898/2025): ≤5 years. Personal Baggage scheme discontinued 2025. Only overseas Pakistani nationals qualify for ToR/Gift.
- Inspection
- Pre-shipment documents per Pakistan Customs; PSQCA/EDB compliance for the commercial channel.
- Permits
- Transfer of Residence (ToR) or Gift Scheme eligibility — overseas Pakistani nationals only. Vehicle non-transferable for 1 year after personal import.
- Restrictions
- LHD strictly prohibited. Accidented vehicles banned. General open-market import is not available — only the ToR/Gift schemes (diaspora) or the commercial channel.
- Special rules
- Personal import (ToR/Gift) uses a FLAT USD lump-sum duty by CC band — not a % of CIF. Hybrid EVs ≤1,800cc get 50% reduction; 1,800–2,500cc HEVs get 25%. 1% monthly depreciation applies to the flat duty.
- Entry ports
- Karachi Port (KICT/QICT)
How do you import a car from Japan to Pakistan, step by step?
Confirm eligibility for the scheme
The sender must be a Pakistani national living and earning abroad, and must not have used the schemes in the past two years. Choose Personal Baggage, Gift or Transfer of Residence.
Check age, steering and engine size
Cars must be right-hand drive and no more than 3 years old. Check the FBR duty band for the engine size, and whether a hybrid discount applies.
Buy the car and obtain the export certificate
After purchase in Japan the registration is cancelled and an export certificate is issued. It proves the date of first registration, which sets the age and the monthly depreciation.
Ship to Karachi
Cars from Japan arrive at Karachi port. The bill of lading is needed for the customs declaration.
File the goods declaration and pay the fixed duty
A customs agent files the goods declaration with Pakistan Customs. The duty and taxes are paid in US dollars or the equivalent in rupees, at the FBR amount for the engine band less depreciation.
Clear the port
After customs assessment and payment of port and terminal charges, the car is released at Karachi.
Register with the provincial Excise and Taxation department
The car is registered by the Excise and Taxation department of the province where the owner lives, which issues number plates.
Documents checklist
- Commercial invoice
- Japanese export certificate with English translation
- Bill of lading
- Passport and Pakistani identity documents of the overseas sender
- Proof of residence and income abroad
- Goods declaration filed by a customs agent
- Provincial Excise and Taxation registration application
What import duties and taxes does Pakistan charge?
| Tax | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| ToR / Gift Scheme — flat USD duty & taxes (Asian make, petrol) | US$4,800–US$45,000 by engine size | Engine size (fixed amount) |
ToR / Gift Scheme — flat USD duty & taxes (Asian make, petrol)
Rate: US$4,800 up to 800 cc; US$6,000 up to 1,000 cc; US$13,200 up to 1,300 cc; US$18,590 up to 1,500 cc; US$22,550 up to 1,600 cc; US$27,940 up to 1,800 cc; US$45,000 above 1,800 cc. Charged on: Engine size (fixed amount).
Under the Personal Baggage, Gift and Transfer of Residence schemes, FBR charges one fixed amount in US dollars for each engine band of a used Asian-make car. It already includes all duties and taxes, so no percentage duty is added. The amounts are USD 4,800 up to 800 cc, USD 6,000 from 801 to 1,000 cc, USD 13,200 from 1,001 to 1,300 cc, USD 18,590 from 1,301 to 1,500 cc, USD 22,550 from 1,501 to 1,600 cc and USD 27,940 from 1,601 to 1,800 cc. The amount falls by 1% for each month of the car's age. Hybrid electric vehicles up to 1,800 cc pay 50% of the amount, and those from 1,800 to 2,500 cc pay 75%. The FBR table for cars stops at 1,800 cc, so the table figure for larger engines is an estimate. Payment is made in US dollars or the rupee equivalent.
How much does it cost to import a car from Japan to Pakistan?
| Car (year, engine) | FOB Japan | CIF Karachi | Duties & taxes | Door-to-door, low to high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Suzuki Alto 0.7 L | US$8,020 | US$9,600 | US$4,80050% of CIF | PKR 4,170,000 – 4,430,000US$15,000 – US$16,000 |
| 2024 Toyota Yaris 1.5 L | US$14,200 | US$15,800 | US$18,600118% of CIF | PKR 9,700,000 – 9,960,000US$35,000 – US$35,900 |
| 2024 Honda Vezel 1.5 L | US$24,100 | US$26,000 | US$18,60071% of CIF | PKR 12,570,000 – 12,860,000US$45,400 – 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 Lahore. 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi | RoRo or container | 14–26 | US$1,550 |
Which Japanese cars are popular in Pakistan?
- Models and prices
Toyota Aqua
A 1.5-litre hybrid. As a hybrid up to 1,800 cc it pays 50% of the fixed amount, which makes it one of the cheapest recent cars to bring in.
- Models and prices
Suzuki Alto
A 660 cc car in the lowest band (USD 4,800), the cheapest fixed amount in the FBR table.
- Models and prices
Daihatsu Mira
A 660 cc car in the USD 4,800 band, with very low running costs for city use.
- Models and prices
Honda Vezel
A 1.5-litre crossover. The hybrid version pays half the fixed amount; the petrol version pays the full USD 18,590.
- Models and prices
Toyota Prius
A 1.8-litre hybrid that falls in the 50% hybrid discount, so it pays half of the USD 27,940 band.
How much is inland delivery to cities in Pakistan?
| City | From port | Sedan | SUV / wagon | Extra days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | Karachi | US$600 | US$750 | 5 |
| Islamabad | Karachi | US$660 | US$820 | 5 |
| Karachi | Karachi | US$100 | US$120 | 1 |
| Faisalabad | Karachi | US$560 | US$700 | 5 |
| Rawalpindi | Karachi | US$650 | US$810 | 5 |
| Multan | Karachi | US$460 | US$580 | 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
- Who can import a used car from Japan to Pakistan?
- Pakistani nationals living abroad, including dual nationals, under the Personal Baggage, Gift or Transfer of Residence schemes. Residents cannot import a used car for themselves outside these schemes.
- How old can an imported car be in Pakistan?
- No more than 3 years old for cars under the overseas Pakistani schemes. Other vehicles may be up to 5 years old.
- How much is duty on a 660 cc car from Japan to Pakistan?
- USD 4,800, the fixed amount for Asian-make cars up to 800 cc. It falls by 1% for each month of the car's age.
- How much is duty on a 1,500 cc car in Pakistan?
- USD 18,590 for a petrol Asian-make car from 1,301 to 1,500 cc, less 1% per month of age. A hybrid of the same size pays half.
- Do hybrid cars pay less duty in Pakistan?
- Yes. Hybrids up to 1,800 cc pay 50% of the fixed amount, and hybrids from 1,800 to 2,500 cc pay 75%.
- Is car duty in Pakistan based on the car's price?
- No. Under the overseas Pakistani schemes FBR charges a fixed US dollar amount by engine size, reduced by 1% per month of age. The purchase price does not change it.
- Can I use the Gift scheme twice in two years?
- No. Anyone who has imported, gifted or received a vehicle under these schemes in the past two years is not eligible.
- Can I import a left-hand-drive car to Pakistan?
- No. Pakistan accepts right-hand-drive cars only. Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive.
- How long does shipping from Japan to Karachi take?
- Around 14 to 26 days at sea, depending on the vessel and its stops. Customs clearance at Karachi adds several days.
Sources
- Federal Board of Revenue — Import of vehicles by overseas Pakistanis — checked 15 October 2026
- Federal Board of Revenue — checked 15 October 2026
- Karachi Port Trust — checked 15 October 2026
Car import duty calculator for Pakistan
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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.