Importing a car from Japan sounds exciting — and it is — but let’s be real, the timeline? It’s not exact. Some cars arrive fast. Others, not so much. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but I’ll walk you through what really affects how long the whole process takes.
It Depends What You Want
This is the big one when you import a car from Japan. If you’re after a common model, in a standard colour, with no mods — easy. You might find it at auction in the first week.
But if you’re chasing something specific — maybe a rare spec, manual only, certain colour, low kms, or factory turbo — it’s gonna take time. Good importers won’t just grab the first car that shows up. They’ll go through every auction house in Japan to find something clean. Some even check Japanese dealerships if your budget can stretch a bit.
If you’re fussy about colour or want a car with mods already done, that can stretch things out too. These cars exist, but finding one that ticks all your boxes can take weeks or even months.
Sourcing Takes Time — And It Should
A good importer won’t rush you into buying something dodgy. They’ll be patient — checking the Japan car auctions sheets properly, looking for rust, accident damage, dodgy repairs. Only cars in decent condition should even be considered, unless you specifically want a project.
They’ll also stay within your budget. If the right car doesn’t show up one week, they wait. Prices in Japan jump around all the time. One month something’s affordable — the next, it’s $4k more. Timing matters. We rather have a customer upset about how long it takes to find a vehicle than have them pay for something that is not what they want.
Winning the Car and Getting It Ready to Ship
After the right car is found and bought (usually through auction), it doesn’t get shipped immediately. It goes first to the port. That takes time. Then it gets cleaned and prepped for export. You’re looking at 1 to 2 weeks here, minimum. There are times where it can be held up at the port for some time, especially if there is a queue. A lot of cars get shipped out from Japan. If the ship gets filled up to capacity or the weather turns unfavorable, your car waits until the next ship is ready to go.
Shipping Times
Transporting goods from Japan to Australia typically takes three to five weeks. On occasion, shipments can arrive in as little as two weeks or take as long as eight weeks. Variations in time and distance are influenced by the mode of transport, the size and weight of the goods, and whether they are sent as surface or air freight.
If port congestion happens, which is common now in Australia, your car could be stuck waiting to be loaded even longer. It’s bound to happen sometimes, not the importer’s fault, just how international freight works.
Customs, Quarantine, and Delays
Once your cartouches down in Australia, it clears customs and quarantine. Australia has very strict rules, as we all know. If you are arriving into Australia as a tourist or returning home on a plane you would be familiar with the incoming passenger cards and the videos they make you watch, threatening you if you bring in something that you shouldn’t. This is similar for your car. The quarantine people make sure not a single bug, a single blade of grass, or a single speck of dirt gets past. They check the wheel arches, the cabin, and the space under the hood of the car. If they find anything — and they often do — the car has to be cleaned. Sometimes very thoroughly. And if the car doesn’t pass the clean-test, it goes into quarantine too.
Moreover, if there are numerous vehicles awaiting clearance, your own can be left in the queue. This can extend the time to another 1 to 3 weeks, contingent on the ports’ busyness.
Compliance and Registration
Once the car is out of quarantine, it is sent to a compliance workshop for its vehicle complaince. There, they check the vehicle and fit any parts necessary to ensure it complies with Australian standards; for instance, if it needs child seat anchors, that’s where they’ll be installed. After the workshop, the car is ready roadworthy and registration.
Compliance can take 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the car and how busy the workshop is. Some shops are quick. Others have a backlog. You just wait for your turn. We generally check which compliance centre is the least busy and have the car towed there directly from the port.
After compliance is complete, you receive your paperwork and can register the car in your state after the roadworthiness test. Now the car is 100% yours, enjoy!
Realistic Timeframes When Importing a Car From Japan to Australia
Here’s what you’re looking at, roughly:
- Sourcing the car: 1–8 weeks
- Auction win & export prep: 1–2 weeks
- Shipping to Australia: 3–5 weeks
- Customs & quarantine: 1–3 weeks
- Compliance & registration: 1–2 weeks
Total: 6 to 20 weeks is normal.
Could be less, could be more — depends on your car and a bit of luck.
What Slows It Down?
A few things can blow out the timeline:
- You want rare colours or models
- You’re on a tight budget during a price spike
- Port congestion in Japan or Australia
- Quarantine delays due to bugs or dirt
- Compliance workshops are running behind
- Holidays or shipping slowdowns (especially around Christmas/New Year)
So yeah, importing a car from Japan isn’t instant. But if you’re patient, work with the right importer, and stay flexible, it’s totally worth it. You’ll end up with something special, probably cheaper than buying the same thing locally, and you’ll know exactly what you’re getting.
Just don’t expect to be driving it next week. Set your expectations at 2–4 months, and anything quicker is a bonus.