How to Buy a Car from a Japanese Auction

You cannot bid at a Japanese car auction yourself. The auctions are closed to the public and only registered member dealers in Japan can bid, so buyers overseas buy through a Japanese exporter. The exporter bids for you, pays the auction, exports the car and ships it to your port.

1. Understand who can bid

Only member businesses can bid. Auction groups such as USS run sites all over Japan, and each auction accepts only registered members. Members bid in the hall or online through the auction’s own system.

To join, a company usually has to be a licensed used-car business in Japan. That means a secondhand goods dealer licence from the prefectural Public Safety Commission, business premises and other checks by the auction. A private person cannot meet these conditions. A dealer licence from your own country does not count either.

This is why you work through an exporter. For example, Autocom Japan holds secondhand goods dealer licence No. 451360009398 from the Kanagawa Prefectural Public Safety Commission.

2. Choose an exporter you can check

Your exporter holds your money and your car, so check it before anything else. A real Japanese exporter is a registered company that you can look up by name. It also has an official website and bank accounts in Japan in the company’s own name.

Our guide on how to verify a Japanese car exporter before you pay shows each check step by step. For more on what good service looks like, see how to find a reliable Japanese car exporter.

If you do not want to wait for an auction, you can start from cars that are already bought and ready. Browse our current stock to see photos, specifications and prices before you order.

3. Check your country’s import rules first

Choose the car only after you know what your country accepts. A car you cannot register is a total loss, however good the auction grade is.

• Age limits: for example, in 2026 Kenya accepts cars first registered on or after 1 January 2019. The cut-off for 2027 has not been announced yet (as of 1 October 2026). Uganda bans vehicles 15 years or older from the year of manufacture. Zimbabwe bans used vehicles aged 10 years or more from the date of manufacture.
• Steering and standards: most of our buyers’ countries drive on the left and expect right-hand-drive cars.
• Inspection: many countries require an inspection in Japan before the car is shipped (see step 7).

Use our import age checker and the country guides in import rules before you pick a car.

4. Pick a car and read the auction sheet

Every auction car comes with an auction sheet. It is an inspection report written by the auction’s own inspectors, and it is your main guide to the car’s condition.

The sheet shows:

• An overall grade, such as 5, 4.5, 4 or 3.5. R means the car has a repair history.
• Interior and exterior grades, usually letters where A is the best.
• A damage map with codes such as A (scratch), U (dent), W (repair mark) and XX (replaced panel).
• Mileage, equipment and the inspector’s notes in Japanese.

Codes and grade rules vary slightly between auction houses, so ask your exporter to translate the notes. Our auction sheet guide explains every section. You can also look up a code in the auction sheet decoder or compare grades 3.5, 4 and 4.5.

Remember what the inspection does not cover. Inspectors check the body, interior and basic running quickly. They do not strip the engine or test the car on the road for long, so a good grade lowers the risk but does not remove it.

5. Agree your maximum bid and let the exporter bid

You decide the highest price you will pay for the car, and the exporter bids up to that limit and no higher. Bidding on each car is very fast, so this decision has to be made before the car comes up.

A few things to know:

• Your limit is the car price only. The auction fee, the exporter’s service, transport inside Japan and shipping come on top. Ask for these separately so you can see the full price to your port.
• You may not win. If another member bids more, you do not get the car and nothing is bought. You simply choose another car.
• The seller can set a reserve. If bidding does not reach the seller’s minimum price, the car is not sold.
• Deposits: some exporters ask for a deposit before they bid. Ask how it works and how it is returned or used if you do not win.

To understand what a price includes, read FOB, C&F and CIF explained and our landed cost checklist.

6. Pay in full by bank transfer to Japan

When you win, the exporter sends an invoice and you pay the full amount by bank transfer (T/T) to the exporter’s company account in Japan. Pay quickly, because the auction expects its member to pay soon after the sale. Ask your exporter for the payment deadline.

At Autocom Japan, all our bank accounts are in Japan and the beneficiary is always “Autocom Japan Inc”. The official list is on our bank account page. Our local offices and agents do not accept cash or any payment. We sell for full payment only, with no instalments or financing.

If an invoice names any other beneficiary, do not pay it. Read how to avoid scams when buying cars from Japan.

7. Pre-export inspection, if your country requires it

After payment, the car is trucked from the auction to the port area. If your country requires a pre-export inspection, it is done there, in Japan.

• Kenya: QISJ issues a Certificate of Roadworthiness. See how the QISJ inspection works.
• Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia: EAA Co., Ltd. inspects in Japan for the national standards bodies.
• Zimbabwe: a Certificate of Conformity under the CBCA programme is required.
• Jamaica and Guyana: Auto Terminal Japan (ATJ) inspects.

8. Export certificate and shipping documents

Before export, the car’s Japanese registration is cancelled and an export certificate is issued. It shows the chassis number and the date of first registration, and your customs office will ask for it.

You should receive:

• The export certificate, often with an English translation
• The commercial invoice
• The bill of lading
• The inspection certificate, if your country needs one

See what the export certificate shows and the documents checklist for your country.

9. Shipping and clearing at your port

The car goes by Ro-Ro ship or in a container. Our comparison of Ro-Ro and container shipping explains the choice. For timing, ask our office for the current schedule for your port.

When the ship arrives, you pay your government’s duty and taxes and clear the car with a licensed clearing agent. Then you register it. If you import through Kenya or Tanzania, see the documents to clear a car at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.

Buying for Australia

Australia is different: you must get an import approval before the car is shipped. You apply online through the government’s ROVER system, and the approval may come with conditions you must meet after arrival.

The car must also be cleaned for biosecurity and be free of asbestos. It then goes through customs and quarantine before you register it in your state or territory. Our guide to importing a used car from Japan to Australia has the details.

Auction or stock: which suits you?

Buying at auction gives you the widest choice and lets you hunt for an exact model, colour or grade. But you may lose several bids, and you have to decide quickly from a sheet and photos.

Buying from stock means the exporter has already bought the car. The price is fixed, you can ask for more photos and you do not have to wait for an auction day. Many first-time buyers start with stock.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bid at a Japanese car auction myself?

No. Only registered member businesses in Japan can bid. You buy through a Japanese exporter who bids for you.

Can I see the auction sheet before I pay?

Yes. Ask your exporter for the auction sheet and an English explanation of the grade, damage codes and inspector’s notes before you agree a bid.

What happens if my bid does not win?

Nothing is bought and you choose another car. If you paid a deposit, ask your exporter to confirm in writing how it is returned or kept for your next purchase.

Is a grade 4.5 car guaranteed to be perfect?

No. A high grade means the inspectors found little wrong on a quick check. It is not a mechanical warranty, so plan a service when the car arrives.

Can I pay part now and the rest when the car arrives?

No. Autocom Japan sells for full payment only, by bank transfer to our company account in Japan, before the car is shipped.

Sources

• Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure: 8 steps to importing a vehicle (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• People Daily: KEBS to stop importation of specific used vehicles from January 2026 (17 Nov 2025)
• KEBS: Public notice on renewal of the QISJ contract (May 2026)
• Parliament of Uganda: Importation of old cars banned
• Zimbabwe SI 59 of 2026 (via Veritas) (25 Mar 2026)
• USS: auction sites and membership (checked 1 Oct 2026)