Import desk for US buyers of Japanese cars 輸入窓口

Rules checked · New guides every week

JDM Imports 101The import desk

FORM 01Eligibility check 適合確認

Is it US legal yet?

Enter the chassis code and the build month from the car's plate. You get the date it turns 25 for NHTSA and 21 for the EPA, and a straight answer.

On the plate in the engine bay or on the export certificate. For example JZX100, BNR34, EA11R.

2 Identified asToyota Supra MK4JZA80, built 1993–2002

Dates follow the NHTSA 25-year exemption (49 CFR 591.5(i)) and the EPA 21-year exemption. General information, not legal advice.

Three possible answersLegal nowLegal from Mar 2027Not yet: 4 years 2 months

Result 判定

Checked 2026-11-14
JZA80

Toyota Supra MK4Built April 2001, from the plate you entered

Turns 25 for NHTSA25 years from the date of manufacture, 49 CFR 591.5(i)
Apr 2026Passed
Turns 21 for the EPACounted by calendar year, original configuration only
2022Passed
Forms at the port Filed with the customs entry
HS-7 · 3520-1
Legal now輸入可2026.04

This car cleared both age lines by Apr 2026, 25 years from its date of manufacture. Confirm the build month on the chassis plate before you pay. The EPA exemption covers cars in original configuration only.

Estimate the landed cost →Read the Supra MK4 file →

Rules checked November 13, 2026. The three tools run in your browser; the guides explain the reasoning behind each one.

02

Turning 25 this month 今月で25年

Cars built in November 2001 clear the NHTSA 25-year line during November 2026. These chassis codes were in production that model year.

Check a specific car →

Next month: Dec 2001 builds of the same codes.Rebuilt with every weekly release.

Every chassis code in the register, with its production dates and sources, is in the JDM chassis code list.

03

Three questions before you buy

Each one gets a free tool. The guides explain the reasoning behind it.

04

The route, Japan to your driveway

Seven stages. Each one ends with a document, and each document feeds the next.

The full step-by-step guide →
  1. 01

    Check eligibility

    The build month decides it, not the model year.

    Chassis plate車台番号

  2. 02

    Budget the landed cost

    Price, fees, freight, duty and registration.

    Line-item quote見積書

  3. 03

    Buy and inspect

    At auction through a broker, or from a dealer.

    Auction sheetオークション評価表

  4. 04

    Export from Japan

    Deregistered in Japan and booked onto a ship.

    Export certificate輸出抹消仮登録証明書

  5. 05

    Ship it

    Roll-on/roll-off or container, insured.

    Bill of lading船荷証券

  6. 06

    Clear US customs

    Entry, duty and fees, plus the two age-exemption forms.

    CBP 7501 · EPA 3520-1 · DOT HS-7通関

  7. 07

    Title and register

    Your state agency wants the customs and export papers.

    State title登録

Departs JP Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe and other portsArrives US at the port of entry named on the bill of lading
05

Model files 車種

Eight cars US buyers ask about most, by chassis code. Status as of Nov 2026, by build date.

06

Latest guides 最新

From the latest release. Each guide cites NHTSA, the EPA, CBP or the US tariff schedule where a fact could change what you do.

All 11 guides →
Release of November 13, 2026
No.TopicGuideRead
G-01Models180SX Specs, Trims, and a US Buying Guide11 min
G-02ImportingHow Much to Import a Car from Japan to the US?13 min
G-03ImportingJapanese Auction Sheet Verification and Reading Guide12 min
G-04BasicsJDM Engines: What to Know Before Buying10 min
G-05BasicsJDM Meaning: Cars, Culture, and US Import Basics9 min

General information only — not legal, customs, tax or financial advice. Import rules can change. Confirm current requirements with US Customs and Border Protection, NHTSA, the EPA, and your state motor vehicle agency before you buy, ship or register a vehicle.