Yes, you can import a used car from Japan to Cyprus. Cyprus drives on the left, so right-hand-drive Japanese cars suit its roads, but the car must clear Cyprus Customs (import duty and VAT) and then be registered by the Department of Road Transport, which Customs advises you to contact before you import.
Key takeaways
- Check with the Department of Road Transport (RTD) before you buy. Customs says the RTD applies certain restrictions to cars from outside the EU.
- A car from Japan pays import duty and VAT, declared on an SAD form. Duty is based on the customs value: purchase cost plus transport and insurance. Since 22 March 2019, Cyprus charges no excise duty on motor vehicles.
- Customs needs the purchase invoice and the original registration document from Japan. Our invoices are final once issued and must show the real price.
1. Check with the Road Transport Department first
The most important step happens before you pay for a car. The Department of Road Transport is the authority for registering cars and allowing them on the road in Cyprus.
Cyprus Customs says the RTD applies certain restrictions to vehicles imported from outside the EU. It advises importers to contact the RTD before importing a vehicle, to find out whether it can be registered. The contact email Customs gives is roadtransport@rtd.mcw.gov.cy.
Send the RTD the details of the car you want: make, model, chassis number, date of first registration and engine. Ask about any age rules, the inspection the car will need and the documents they want. We could not confirm a fixed age limit from an official source, so don’t rely on what other websites say. Get the answer from the RTD.
It is also sensible to ask whether the car has any open manufacturer recalls, for example on airbags, and whether the RTD needs proof that recall work was done.
You can browse cars in Japan on our used car stock page. Autocom has no office in Cyprus, so you deal directly with our head office in Yokohama (sales@autocj.co.jp, +81-45-227-7095). Ask us to confirm the exact date of first registration and the chassis number before you contact the RTD. Our Cyprus import rules hub collects related guides.
2. Clear Cyprus Customs
A car from Japan comes from outside the EU, so it pays import duty and VAT.
To pay them, an SAD (Single Administrative Document) customs form is completed, usually by a customs agent. The import duty is calculated on the customs value, which is the purchase cost plus the cost of transport and insurance. Our guide to FOB, C&F and CIF prices explains which of these costs our price already includes.
Customs asks for:
- The purchase invoice, as evidence for the customs value
- The original registration certificate from the country the car comes from; for a car exported from Japan, this is the original Japan export certificate
- The bill of lading, freight receipts and insurance policy
Since 22 March 2019, Cyprus has charged no excise duty on motor vehicles. Duty and VAT still apply, and we don’t quote amounts because they depend on the car and can change. Ask Cyprus Customs or your customs agent before you buy, and use our landed cost checklist to see every part of the final price.
The EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) can give preferential duty treatment to goods that meet its origin rules. Origin is proved either by a statement on origin made by the exporter on the invoice or another commercial document, or by the importer’s own knowledge. Your customs agent can tell you whether your car can qualify.
3. Invoices and customs compliance
Customs in Cyprus and Japan both rely on the invoice. It must be correct from the start.
- Invoices are final once issued. We do not change an invoice after it has been issued.
- No statement on origin can be added afterwards. If your customs agent needs origin wording, tell us before we issue the invoice. We cannot add a “statement on origin” to an invoice that has already been issued.
- The invoice must show the real price. Changing an invoice to show a lower value (undervaluing) breaks customs rules and can lead to penalties for the importer.
Be careful with anyone who offers you a “reduced” invoice to lower your duty. That is not a service; it is a customs offence, and the risk falls on you.
4. Register and license the car
After Customs releases the car, it must be registered before it can be licensed for road tax. The RTD is the authority for both registration and road use.
The RTD will tell you which examination the car needs and which documents to bring, so ask them when you first check whether the car can be registered. Keep all customs papers and the original export certificate together until registration is complete.
5. Pay safely
Pay only into a bank account in Japan whose beneficiary is “Autocom Japan Inc.” The official list is on our bank accounts page. We do not use services such as Western Union, and any request to pay another account is fraud. Read how to avoid scams when buying cars from Japan.
Before you pay, ask for the auction sheet and photos so you know the car’s condition and history.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit for importing a car from Japan to Cyprus?
We could not confirm a fixed age limit from an official source. Customs says the RTD applies certain restrictions to cars from outside the EU, so ask the RTD about your exact car before you buy.
Do I still pay excise duty on a car in Cyprus?
No. Cyprus Customs says no excise duty has been imposed on motor vehicles since 22 March 2019. Import duty and VAT still apply to cars from Japan.
Can you change the invoice after it is issued?
No. Invoices are final once issued, and we cannot add a statement on origin afterwards. Tell us what your customs agent needs before we issue it.
Which document from Japan does Customs need?
The original registration certificate from the country of export. For a car exported from Japan, that is the original export certificate. Ask us how and when the original will reach you.
Does Autocom have an office in Cyprus?
No. Buyers in Cyprus deal directly with our head office in Yokohama, and payments go only to Autocom Japan Inc. bank accounts in Japan.
Sources
- Cyprus Customs and Excise Department: Motor vehicles imported from countries outside the EU (updated 14 May 2021, checked 1 Oct 2026)
- European Commission, Access2Markets: EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (proof of origin) (version 31 Jul 2026)
- Autocom Japan: Official bank accounts (checked 1 Oct 2026)
