Separate vehicle price, freight, inspection, insurance and destination costs. Use estimates for planning and a written vehicle-specific quote before payment.
A useful import budget separates the vehicle price, Japan-side services, ocean freight, insurance and destination costs. There is no reliable universal total: it depends on the actual car, booked route, written trade terms and destination assessment. Use the online estimator to plan a shortlist, then obtain an itemised quote before committing.
Updated 8 September 2026. We removed the earlier static freight and inspector-fee tables because they should not be treated as current carrier or authority quotations.
Build the budget in two parts
| Part | What to confirm | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle and Japan export scope | Exact car, currency, agreed price and included preparation or export services | Vehicle-specific WI quotation |
| Ocean freight | Port, shipping method, vehicle dimensions, surcharges and quote validity | Current route quotation |
| Inspection and insurance | Required certificate, appointed provider, fee, cover and exclusions | Destination rules and written service terms |
| Destination costs | Customs assessment, taxes, handling, storage, broker, registration and local delivery | Destination authority and licensed clearing agent |
Do not add a charge twice. If a service is included in the vehicle price or freight quote, mark it as included in your worksheet. If it is unknown, leave it unconfirmed instead of entering zero.
How to use the WI estimator
Open a car in Japan stock and select the destination and available options. The estimator uses configured pricing inputs; it is not a carrier booking or a customs decision. A missing route or rate needs a manual quotation. Currency conversion for display may differ from the settlement currency, rate and bank charges on the final invoice.
Keep the stock reference with your estimate. Ask for the price term, destination port, included services, exclusions, validity period and payment schedule in writing. A “CIF” label alone does not tell you that destination clearance, taxes or registration are included. Our FOB, C&F and CIF explainer covers the terminology.
An example of the arithmetic—not a market quote
Suppose a worksheet uses USD 10,000 for the vehicle, USD 1,200 for freight and USD 400 for separately quoted inspection and insurance. Those inputs total USD 11,600 before destination costs. These are invented round numbers to demonstrate addition, not actual WI prices, rates or a quote for any country.
Request the destination-cost assessment separately and check which charges are estimates. Allow for the consequences of a shipping delay or a changed assessment; a precise-looking spreadsheet cannot remove those uncertainties.
Which inspection provider and tax rate should I use?
Use the current authority requirements for the vehicle's destination, not an old exporter article. Kenya's KEBS PVoC manual, version 15 (19 February 2026), sets out its inspection framework and appointments. For mainland Tanzania, start with TBS import controls and TRA import procedures. Confirm the current rules and assessment with a licensed agent before purchase; these links are not a tax calculation.
Before paying
Match the beneficiary to the verified invoice and independently check any changed bank instructions. WI uses the manual bank-transfer workflow; an uploaded transfer record is not confirmation that funds have arrived. Read payment safety before making a transfer.
Request an itemised export quote with the stock reference, destination and port, or prepare the details using the import checklist.
