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Route rate sheet · Sea freight · Japan to New Zealand

Ship a car from Japan to New Zealand

Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe to Port of Auckland in a sealed container. One price covers ocean freight, export handling in Japan and marine insurance; destination port charges, duty and VAT are shown separately below.

Get the exact quote See the full rate sheet

8,820 km great circle · 22-46 days

from $5,656
per car, port to port · incl. insurance
22-46 days
sea transit · Yokohama → Auckland
0% + 15% GST
New Zealand duty + VAT on CIF

Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026

At a glance

Japan to New Zealand car shipping: cost, time and rules

Shipping a car from Japan to New Zealand with IPAS Express costs from $5,656 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with live rates from our shipping desk. Duty and VAT in New Zealand are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples below.

Ocean freight · 20ft
$2,600–2,950
Yokohama / Nagoya / Kobe → Port of Auckland
Ocean freight · 40ft
$3,600–4,050
Two cars, or one large SUV plus parts
Port to port, 1 car
from $5,656
Ocean freight + export handling + insurance
Sea transit
22-46 days
Port to port
Import Duty
0%
Zero customs duty on all passenger vehicles under HS 8703
VAT/GST
15% GST
Charged on CIF value plus any duty and landing charges
Steering
RHD only
Left-hand drive vehicles cannot be registered for normal road use
Age Limit
~2006+ practical cap
Frontal-impact standards block most pre-2006 imports; 20-year classic exemption applies

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Rate sheet · Port of Yokohama → Port of Auckland

What it costs, line by line

Insurance is figured on a declared value of $44,700 (reference vehicle: 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 250). Every line comes from the same tables the calculator reads, so the quote you get matches this sheet.

  • 1 car · own 20ft container

    Any car up to 5.6 m, sealed; door-to-door available

    $5,656per car $5,656
    Ocean freight
    $3,450
    Export handling
    $2,105
    Insurance
    $101
    Destination est. (at port)
    $1,880

  • 2 cars · 40ft high-cube

    Two cars you ship together, or a group booking

    $7,165per car $3,583
    Ocean freight
    $4,150
    Export handling
    $2,815
    Insurance
    $200
    Destination est. (at port)
    $1,880

  • 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HC

    Compact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking

    Quoteper car from ~$2,000
    Ocean freight
    $4,150
    Export handling
    on request
    Insurance
    per value
    Destination est. (at port)
    —

  • RoRo · per car

    Oversize vehicles only; not offered for passenger cars

    On requestper car —
    Ocean freight
    on request
    Export handling
    on request
    Insurance
    —
    Destination est. (at port)
    —

  • Air freight

    Fastest option, 3–7 days; quoted per aircraft load

    Quoteper car —
    Ocean freight
    on request
    Export handling
    on request
    Insurance
    per value
    Destination est. (at port)
    —

Door pick-up within the port's standard radius adds about $660 per car. Insurance is 0.2% of the declared vehicle value, with a per-car minimum. Destination charges are paid at Port of Auckland on arrival and are not part of the total. Duty and VAT are not in this table either: see the landed-cost examples below or run CarImport.AI. Ocean figures are our current route rates and update when the rate table changes.

Included in the IPAS price

  • Included: Export packaging, chocking and lashing inside the container
  • Included: Export customs clearance in Japan
  • Included: Terminal handling at Port of Yokohama
  • Included: Ocean freight Port of Yokohama → Port of Auckland
  • Included: Marine insurance at 0.2% of the declared value
  • Included: Bill of Lading, packing list and tracking

Not included

  • Not included: Destination port charges (shown per row; paid at Port of Auckland on arrival)
  • Not included: New Zealand customs duty and VAT
  • Not included: Conformity certification and registration inspection
  • Not included: Inland collection unless door pick-up is selected
  • Not included: Storage or demurrage after the port's free days
  • Not included: Personal effects: the car ships empty

Ports & inland reach

Where your car leaves and arrives

Load ports · Japan

Japan

Port of Yokohama

JPYOK

Port of Nagoya

JPNGO

Port of Kobe

JPUKB

Discharge ports · New Zealand

New Zealand

Port of Auckland

NZAKL

Port of Tauranga

NZTRG

Landed-cost examples · New Zealand

Cars worth importing to New Zealand

Each card is a full landed-cost worksheet computed against the destination's live duty rules. Expand one for the breakdown or open its calculator with the destination pre-selected.

All right-hand-drive cars Available offers

Here is the full landed cost of one car, a 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 250 shipped from Japan to New Zealand, worked out on 9 November 2026 with the customs rules in force that day. It lands at 111,075 NZD (about US$61,729), and duties and taxes come to 15% of its CIF value.

2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 250 (RHD)
JapanNew Zealand
Calculated 9 November 2026
Toyota Land Cruiser 250
Landed cost of a 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 250 imported from Japan to New Zealand, in NZD with US dollars
ItemShare of CIFAmount
Vehicle priceIPAS price for a car sourced in Japan80,433 NZDUS$44,700
Shipping and insuranceJapan to New Zealand10,528 NZDUS$5,851
CIF valueCost, insurance and freight: the customs value90,961 NZDUS$50,551
Customs duties and taxes
Basic customs duty (0%)0% of CIF0 NZDUS$0
GST/VAT (15%)15% of CIF13,645 NZDUS$7,583
Total duties and taxes15% of CIF13,645 NZDUS$7,583
Service and handling
Premium Import ServiceOptional end-to-end import management by IPAS3,086 NZDUS$1,715
Destination handlingPort terminal and customs clearance handling3,383 NZDUS$1,880
Total landed cost111,075 NZDUS$61,729
Exchange rate used: 1 USD = 1.7994 NZD. These are the figures for this exact car. Yours will change with the price, engine, fuel, age, origin and port, and the Premium Import Service is optional.
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Available now in Japan

Export-ready units from Japan

Importing to New Zealand

Registering a car from Japan in New Zealand

What buyers shipping from Japan need to know about New Zealand's import duties, steering rules and registration.

New Zealand applies 0% import duty on passenger vehicles and a flat 15% GST on CIF value plus duty, one of the simplest tax structures globally. Imports must be right-hand drive and pass entry certification at a VINZ or VTNZ inspection station. Every vehicle also requires an MPI biosecurity cleaning certificate before release from the wharf.

Import Process: New Zealand

  1. 1

    Pre-shipment biosecurity clean

    Steam-clean the vehicle underbody, engine bay, and interior to remove soil, seeds, and organic matter; obtain an MPI-accepted cleaning certificate from the origin port.

  2. 2

    NZ Customs entry and GST payment

    Lodge an import entry with NZ Customs, pay 15% GST on CIF plus duty, and clear the vehicle at the port of arrival (Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, or Lyttelton).

  3. 3

    MPI Frontline biosecurity inspection

    MPI inspects the vehicle at the wharf; if contamination is found the vehicle is sent for re-cleaning at owner cost before release.

  4. 4

    Entry certification (VINZ or VTNZ)

    Book an inspection at a NZTA-approved entry certifier (VINZ, VTNZ, or AA) to verify frontal-impact compliance, odometer accuracy, and safety standards.

  5. 5

    LTA compliance plate and WoF

    Once certified, the vehicle is issued a low-volume or compliance plate and a Warrant of Fitness, confirming it meets New Zealand in-service standards.

  6. 6

    First registration and plates

    Register the vehicle with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, pay the first-registration fee and RUC (diesel), and receive number plates.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Shipping without a proper biosecurity clean

Fix

Professional steam-clean at origin and obtain a compliant cleaning certificate; MPI failure means re-export, destruction, or expensive onshore re-cleaning.

Buying a left-hand drive vehicle

Fix

Only right-hand drive vehicles can be registered for normal road use in New Zealand; LHD conversions or import permits apply only to narrow exemptions.

Importing a pre-2006 vehicle without checking frontal-impact rules

Fix

Verify the vehicle meets NZTA frontal-impact standards or qualifies for the 20-year classic exemption before purchasing overseas.

Read the full New Zealand import guide →

FAQ

Japan to New Zealand shipping questions

With IPAS Express, shipping one car from Japan to New Zealand costs from $5,656 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 22-46 days. Import duty and VAT in New Zealand are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples on this page.

MPI requires every imported vehicle to be free of soil, seeds, and organic matter to protect New Zealand agriculture; contaminated vehicles are held at the port until re-cleaned at owner cost.

Passenger cars face 0% import duty and 15% GST on CIF value plus duty; there is no excise, environmental levy, or luxury tax on the import itself.

Entry certification is a safety and compliance inspection required before registration, performed by NZTA-approved providers including VINZ, VTNZ, and AA stations.

No. Only right-hand drive vehicles can be registered for normal road use; LHD is permitted only for specific classics over 20 years old or special-interest exemptions.

The import tax is identical at 15% GST, but battery electric vehicles are exempt from Road User Charges until June 30, 2027, cutting ongoing running costs significantly.

Keep exploring

Related routes and guides

Other origins → New Zealand

Japan → other destinations

Guides

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