Documents to Clear a Japanese Car at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam (2026)

To clear a Japanese car at Mombasa or Dar es Salaam you need two sets of papers: the documents that come from Japan (invoice, bill of lading, export certificate with English translation and the pre-export inspection certificate) and the ones you and your clearing agent prepare locally. In Kenya that means your KRA PIN and an Import Declaration Form through KenTrade; in Tanzania, your TIN and a declaration in TRA’s TANCIS system.

1. The documents that come from Autocom

For a car shipped to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, we provide four key documents. Your clearing agent needs all of them.

• Commercial invoice: shows the buyer, the car, the chassis number and the price paid.
• Bill of lading (B/L): issued by the shipping line when the car is loaded. It names the consignee and describes the car. The shipping line releases the car against it, so ask us whether you will get an original B/L or a surrendered (telex) release.
• Japanese export certificate with English translation: issued when the car is deregistered in Japan. It shows the first registration date, chassis number and other details. See our guide to the Japan Export Certificate.
• Pre-export inspection certificate: for Kenya, the Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR) from QISJ; for Tanzania, the Certificate of Roadworthiness from EAA Co., Ltd.

Ask our office when and how the originals will reach you or your clearing agent.

Looking for a car that meets Kenya’s rule? Start with our stock first registered in 2019 or later. For Tanzania, browse our full stock.

2. Kenya checklist: clearing at Mombasa

In Kenya, the Japanese documents plus your KRA PIN and an IDF are the core of the file. Your clearing agent lodges the customs entry.

From Autocom (Japan):

• Commercial invoice
• Bill of lading
• Export certificate with English translation
• QISJ Certificate of Roadworthiness (CoR)

From you or your clearing agent (Kenya):

• KRA PIN in the name of the importer
• Import Declaration Form (IDF) through the KenTrade single window
• Customs declaration, lodged by your clearing agent
• Any other documents your clearing agent asks for, such as a copy of your ID

Check the age rule first. From 1 January 2026, Kenya accepts only right-hand-drive vehicles whose year of first registration is 2019 or later (KEBS, KS 1515:2000). The cut-off for 2027 has not been announced as of 1 October 2026; KEBS usually announces it in mid-November. If your car will arrive in 2027, check again before you buy. Our Kenya age limit guide explains the rule.

QISJ (Quality Inspection Services Inc. Japan) is appointed by KEBS to inspect used vehicles in Japan. Read how it works in QISJ inspection for Kenya.

KRA values used cars using its Current Retail Selling Price (CRSP) list, and duty depends on the car’s value, engine and type. Check the latest figures with KRA or your clearing agent.

3. Tanzania checklist: clearing at Dar es Salaam

In Tanzania, the Japanese documents plus your TIN go to a licensed clearing agent, who files the declaration in TANCIS.

From Autocom (Japan):

• Commercial invoice
• Bill of lading
• Export certificate with English translation
• EAA Certificate of Roadworthiness

From you or your clearing agent (Tanzania):

• TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) from TRA
• Import declaration in TRA’s customs system (TANCIS), filed by a licensed clearing agent
• Any other documents your clearing agent asks for

Pre-shipment inspection is required by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS). In Japan it is done by EAA Co., Ltd., which TBS appointed for vehicles from Japan in July 2022.

Tanzania has no age ban, but older vehicles pay additional age-based excise duty. You can estimate the value TRA will use with the TRA used-vehicle valuation calculator. Our Tanzania import guide covers the full process.

4. What your clearing agent does

A licensed clearing agent turns your documents into a customs entry, pays the assessed duties with your money through official channels, and arranges release from the port.

Choose your agent before the ship arrives. Send them copies of all four Japanese documents as soon as you have them, together with your KRA PIN or TIN.

Ask your agent for a written estimate of duties, port charges and their own fees before you buy. Our landed cost checklist lists everything that adds up.

Pay duties only through the official payment channels your agent and the tax authority give you, and keep every receipt.

5. Common mistakes that hold a car at the port

Most delays are paperwork problems that could have been caught before the car left Japan.

• Names that don’t match. The consignee on the bill of lading, the name on the invoice and the KRA PIN or TIN holder should be the same person or company. Give us the exact name before documents are issued.
• Chassis number typos. The chassis number must be identical on every document. Check each one when you receive copies.
• Wrong or missing inspection. The inspection must be for the destination country. A car going on to Uganda needs a UNBS-appointed inspection (in Japan, EAA), not a Kenyan QISJ certificate. Tell us the final destination before inspection.
• Kenya age rule. A car first registered before 2019 cannot be imported into Kenya in 2026, whatever its papers say.
• Missing translation. Ask for the English translation of the export certificate together with the original.
• Paying the wrong account. Autocom’s bank accounts are all in Japan, and the beneficiary is always “Autocom Japan Inc.” Read how to avoid scams when buying cars from Japan.

6. How our offices in Kenya and Tanzania can help

Our local teams can answer questions about your documents and explain what each one shows.

• Mombasa: Kilindini Plaza 3F, Moi Avenue, Ganjoni. WhatsApp +254 757 271 007
• Nairobi: AppleWood Adams 6F, Ngong Road. WhatsApp +254 741 237 249
• Dar es Salaam sales office: off Mlimani City Mall, University Road. WhatsApp +255 745 655 555
• Dar es Salaam document centre: Benjamin William Mkapa Pension Towers

Our local offices do not accept cash or any payment, and staff cannot make transfers for you. All payments go by bank transfer to Autocom Japan Inc. in Japan.

For other countries, see our import documents checklist and the Kenya and Tanzania import rules hubs.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the original export certificate or is a copy enough?

Ask your clearing agent which originals they need. Keep the original export certificate and its English translation safe, and send copies until someone asks for the original.

Who gets the inspection certificate, Autocom or me?

The car is inspected in Japan before loading, and we send you the certificate with the other shipping documents. For Kenya it is the QISJ Certificate of Roadworthiness; for Tanzania, the EAA certificate.

Can I clear the car myself without an agent?

In practice, declarations at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam are filed by licensed clearing agents. Choose one before the ship arrives.

My car is going to Uganda through Mombasa. Which inspection does it need?

It needs the inspection for Uganda, done by a UNBS-appointed inspection company (in Japan, EAA). Tell us the final destination before the car is inspected.

When will the 2027 Kenya age rule be announced?

It has not been announced as of 1 October 2026. KEBS announced the last two cut-offs in November, so check again before you buy a car that will arrive in 2027.

Sources

• KEBS: Public notice on renewal of the QISJ contract (May 2026)
• People Daily: KEBS notice on used vehicles from January 2026 (17 Nov 2025)
• Kenya Revenue Authority (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• KenTrade: Kenya National Electronic Single Window (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• Tanzania Revenue Authority (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• TRA: Used motor vehicle valuation calculator (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• Tanzania Bureau of Standards (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• EAA Co., Ltd.: Inspection services (checked 1 Oct 2026)
• Autocom Japan: Kenya offices and Tanzania offices (checked 1 Oct 2026)