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Route rate sheet · Sea freight · Japan to UAE

Ship a car from Japan to the UAE

Yokohama to Jebel Ali Port 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

7,970 km great circle · 28-60 days

from $10,222
per car, port to port · incl. insurance
28-60 days
sea transit · Yokohama → Dubai
5% + 5%
UAE duty + VAT on CIF

Rates verified 8 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026

At a glance

Japan to UAE car shipping: cost, time and rules

Shipping a car from Japan to the UAE with IPAS Express costs from $10,222 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with live rates from our shipping desk. Duty and VAT in the UAE are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples below.

Cars from Japan are usually RHD; the UAE registers LHD vehicles as standard — check eligibility before shipping.

Ocean freight · 20ft
$8,000
Yokohama → Jebel Ali Port
Ocean freight · 40ft
$9,300–9,700
Two cars, or one large SUV plus parts
Port to port, 1 car
from $10,222
Ocean freight + export handling + insurance
Sea transit
28-60 days
Port to port
Import Duty
5%
Flat rate on CIF value for all 8703 and 8704 vehicles
VAT/GST
5%
Applied on CIF + customs duty; GCC-origin vehicles exempt from duty
Steering
LHD primary, RHD restricted
LHD preferred; RHD vehicles face registration limits across emirates
Age Limit
No federal limit for new; used vehicles generally under 10 years
Free-zone re-export has no age cap; mainland registration tightens for older vehicles

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Rate sheet · Port of Yokohama → Jebel Ali Port

What it costs, line by line

Insurance is figured on a declared value of $48,600 (reference vehicle: 2026 Ford Bronco). 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

    $10,222per car $10,222
    Ocean freight
    $8,000
    Export handling
    $2,105
    Insurance
    $117
    Destination est. (at port)
    $2,000

  • 2 cars · 40ft high-cube

    Two cars you ship together, or a group booking

    $12,734per car $6,367
    Ocean freight
    $9,700
    Export handling
    $2,815
    Insurance
    $219
    Destination est. (at port)
    $2,000

  • 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HC

    Compact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking

    Quoteper car from ~$3,400
    Ocean freight
    $9,700
    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 Jebel Ali Port 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 → Jebel Ali Port
  • 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 Jebel Ali Port on arrival)
  • Not included: UAE 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

Discharge ports · UAE

UAE

Jebel Ali Port

AEJEA

Landed-cost examples · the UAE

Cars worth importing to the UAE

Landed-cost examples for the UAE, from other origins.

All left-hand-drive cars Available offers

Available now in Japan

Export-ready units from Japan

Steering differs from UAE's standard: confirm registration eligibility or conversion before shipping

Importing to UAE

Registering a car from Japan in the UAE

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

Importing a vehicle to the UAE incurs a combined 10% tax burden: 5% customs duty on CIF value plus 5% VAT on the duty-inclusive price. The UAE accepts both LHD (primary) and RHD vehicles, though RHD registration faces emirate-specific restrictions and is rarely approved for passenger use.

Import Process: UAE

  1. 1

    Secure GCC-spec compliance certificate

    Obtain a MoIAT (Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology) conformity certificate confirming the vehicle meets Gulf Standards Organization specifications for climate, fuel, and safety.

  2. 2

    File customs declaration at port of entry

    Submit the Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, and MoIAT certificate to Dubai Customs or the relevant emirate authority; pay 5% duty plus 5% VAT against the CIF-based assessment.

  3. 3

    Clear the vehicle from port or free zone

    Collect the customs clearance certificate (Bayan) and arrange inland transport to an RTA-approved inspection center within the destination emirate.

  4. 4

    Pass RTA technical inspection

    Present the vehicle at Tasjeel, Shamil, or an equivalent RTA center for emissions, brake, and steering-compliance testing; imported vehicles face stricter scrutiny than domestic purchases.

  5. 5

    Obtain insurance and register with RTA

    Purchase mandatory third-party liability insurance, then register the vehicle with the Roads and Transport Authority in the emirate of residence to receive the vehicle license card.

  6. 6

    Receive license plates and Mulkiya

    RTA issues physical number plates and the Mulkiya (ownership certificate) once registration fees (AED 400-1,200) and insurance proof are filed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming RHD vehicles can register anywhere in the UAE

Fix

RHD passenger vehicles face heavy registration restrictions and are typically rejected for personal use across all seven emirates; confirm RTA eligibility in writing before shipping an RHD unit.

Treating free-zone storage as permanent duty avoidance

Fix

Free-zone parking (Jebel Ali, JAFZA) only defers duty while the vehicle stays inside the bonded zone; mainland registration triggers full 5% duty plus 5% VAT retroactively on CIF.

Skipping the MoIAT GCC-spec conformity certificate

Fix

Non-GCC-spec vehicles (e.g., USA, European, or Japanese domestic market models) require certified modifications or face registration denial; budget AED 3,000-8,000 for compliance retrofit if the original spec differs.

Read the full UAE import guide →

FAQ

Japan to UAE shipping questions

With IPAS Express, shipping one car from Japan to the UAE costs from $10,222 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 28-60 days. Import duty and VAT in the UAE are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples on this page.

Yes, the RTA requires a MoIAT conformity certificate confirming GCC-spec compliance for climate, fuel octane, and safety standards; non-spec vehicles need certified retrofitting before mainland registration is approved.

RHD passenger vehicles are heavily restricted across all seven emirates and are typically rejected for personal-use registration; limited exceptions exist for classic vehicles and commercial fleets subject to RTA approval.

Free-zone imports (Jebel Ali, JAFZA, KIZAD) keep the vehicle bonded indefinitely with no duty due, while mainland import triggers 5% customs duty plus 5% VAT immediately and requires full GCC-spec compliance for RTA registration.

VAT-registered businesses can reclaim the 5% import VAT if the vehicle is used exclusively for taxable business purposes such as transport, rental, or resale; personal-use vehicles and mixed-use fleets are not eligible for recovery.

Yes, vehicles produced in GCC member states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) with a valid GCC certificate of origin enter duty-free under the Common Market agreement, paying only the 5% VAT on CIF value.

Keep exploring

Related routes and guides

Other origins → UAE

Japan → other destinations

Guides

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