Used vehicles from Japan

Evidence

You must provide evidence of:

• proof of ownership – evidence varies depending on vehicle type

  proof of ownership – evidence varies depending on vehicle type

• emissions standards ,  frontal impact standards and  overall standards 

  emissions standards ,  frontal impact standards and  overall standards – completion inspection certificate, export certificate or original Japanese deregistration certificate (with a type designation number (TDN)) issued by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) or a  statement of compliance

• fuel consumption – fuel consumption certificate

  fuel consumption – fuel consumption certificate

• heavy-vehicle brake standards .

  heavy-vehicle brake standards .

Proof of ownership

You need to provide evidence that you're the legal owner of the vehicle. This includes the original documents that prove previous registration and provide an ownership trail that goes back to the last registered owner in the country where the vehicle was last registered.

Motorcycles over 250cc:smaller than 125cc:You You need to provide the original certificatenotification of return vehicle inspection certificate issued by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)dismantlement.

All other vehicles: You can use an original completion inspection certificate, deregistration certificate or export certificate issued by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism (MLIT) or a completion inspection certificate.(MLIT).

Alternatively, for heavy vehicles, you need to provide:

• the original detailed registration history certificate issued by MLIT, which includes full history details of the previous owners in Japan, and

• original documents to establish an ownership trail, eg the detailed registration history certificate, bill of sale, purchase receipts.

In some cases certified English translations of documents not in English may be required.

Evidence of compliance with emissions standards

For both used and parallel-imported newall vehicles you can present an original Japanese export or completion inspection certificate showing oneimported from Japan, a statement of the applicable emissions code character sets (in the table below) at the beginning of the industry model code. See  examples of the certificates below (the industry model code including the emission codes are circled in red).compliance that includes an  approved emission standard is acceptable proof that your vehicle meets New Zealand requirements.

Examples of Japanese certificates

Evidence of compliance with frontal impact standards

If your vehicle is Class MA, MB or MC, you must prove that it was manufactured to meet an approved frontal impact standard. Depending on the date of manufacture you can provide proof of its compliance using

• an export certificate with a type designation number (TDN). A TDN has five digits, and is also referred to as a type approval number (see examples of certificates above, circled in blue) or
• a completion inspection certificate

These don't apply to your vehicle? You'll need to get a  statement of compliance as evidence.

For cars ( class MA )

• Some vehicles that comply are listed on our  frontal impact lists . These lists cover vehicles manufactured during 1994–1996 when frontal impact standards were being developed. They therefore apply mainly to used imports. If the list says your vehicle does not meet a frontal impact standard, then you cannot bring it into New Zealand.

• Mini-sized cars (under 660cc) from Japan comply if they were manufactured on or after 1 July 2000.

• Cars that are not mini-sized comply if they:

• were manufactured on or after 1 January 1996 in Japan, for the Japanese market or

• were manufactured outside Japan on or after 1 April 1999 and were accepted through Japan's vehicle approval process.

You may not have to prove your vehicle complies with frontal impact standards if:

• it is more than 20 years old

• it is a 'special interest' vehicle

• you're emigrating or returning to New Zealand and bringing your vehicle with you.

Find out more about these  exceptions .

For 4x4, SUV and forward control vans ( classes MB and MC )

If your class MB or class MC vehicle was manufactured after 1 October 2003 it must meet a frontal impact standard. The exception is if you're emigrating or returning to New Zealand and bringing your vehicle with you. Find out more about this  exception .

If the vehicle was made in Japan for the Japanese market on or after 1 October 2003, it will meet a frontal impact standard accepted in New Zealand.

Evidence of compliance with heavy-vehicle brakes standards

You must check for compliance with one of the approved brake standards if you want to import a heavy vehicle of class MD3, MD4, ME, NB or NC, no matter what date the vehicle was manufactured.

See the detailed information about how to prove compliance with an approved brake standard in the following sections of the  Vehicle inspection requirements manual – entry certification :

• Brakes: 8–1 Service brake and park brake

• Technical bulletin 31 – Brakes standard compliance .

Evidence of compliance with fuel consumption information requirements

You can use an  online tool to provide the fuel consumption compliance information, if:

• your vehicle was previously registered in Japan and

• you have an export certificate or completion inspection certificate.

To produce the compliance information, enter the vehicle's model code (shown circled in red). You'll then receive a fuel consumption certificate, which you take to the  entry certifier .

If your fuel consumption certificate says consumption is 'unknown' it is still acceptable as compliance evidence to give to the  entry certifier .

Evidence of overall standards compliance

You need to prove your vehicle meets  all applicable New Zealand standards , which depend on the date of manufacture. One way to do this is to get a  statement of compliance .

Evidence you can present

As an alternative to a statement of compliance, you can use:

• an export certificate issued by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
• completion inspection certificate.

Class MC vehicles entering New Zealand on or after 1 March 2016 must also be fitted with an electronic stability control (ESC) system.

Kai mark

Check the certificate for a kai mark like this   after the model code. This indicates that the vehicle has been modified and may no longer meet the required standards. We strongly recommend that you check with an  entry certifier to make sure that the vehicle complies with required standards. )

Your vehicle export certificate or completion inspection certificatemust contain a type designation number (TDN). If there's no TDN on the certificate, you'll need to get a  statement of compliance , or apply for a TDN exemption through the entry certifier.

Next step

You can move onto step three of the importing process –  preparing to import .

Japanese completion inspection certificate

Export certificate (Japan) – cars less than 660cc

Export certificate (Japan) – vehicles over 660cc excluding motorcycles

Evidence of compliance with frontal impact standards

If your vehicle is Class MA, MB or MC, you must prove that it was manufactured to meet an approved frontal impact standard. Depending on the date of manufacture you can provide proof of its compliance using

• a completion inspection certificate or

• a deregistration certificate or

• an export certificate with a type designation number (TDN). A TDN has four or five digits, and is also referred to as a type approval number.

These don't apply to your vehicle? You'll need to get a  statement of compliance as evidence.

For cars ( class MA )

• Some vehicles that comply are listed on our  frontal impact lists . These lists cover vehicles manufactured during 1994–1996 when frontal impact standards were being developed. They therefore apply mainly to used imports. If the list says your vehicle does not meet a frontal impact standard, then you cannot bring it into New Zealand.

• Mini-sized cars (under 660cc) from Japan comply if they were manufactured on or after 1 July 2000.

• Cars that are not mini-sized comply if they:

• were manufactured on or after 1 January 1996 in Japan, for the Japanese market or

• were manufactured outside Japan on or after 1 April 1999 and were accepted through Japan's vehicle approval process.

You may not have to prove your vehicle complies with frontal impact standards if:

• it is more than 20 years old

• it is a 'special interest' vehicle

• you're emigrating or returning to New Zealand and bringing your vehicle with you.

Find out more about these  exceptions .

For 4x4, SUV and forward control vans ( classes MB and MC )

If your class MB or class MC vehicle was manufactured after 1 October 2003 it must meet a frontal impact standard. The exception is if you're emigrating or returning to New Zealand and bringing your vehicle with you. Find out more about this  exception .

If the vehicle was made in Japan for the Japanese market on or after 1 October 2003, it will meet a frontal impact standard accepted in New Zealand.

Evidence of compliance with heavy-vehicle brakes standards

You must check for compliance with one of the approved brake standards if you want to import a heavy vehicle of class MD3, MD4, ME, NB or NC, no matter what date the vehicle was manufactured.

See the detailed information about how to prove compliance with an approved brake standard in the following sections of the  Vehicle inspection requirements manual – entry certification :

• Brakes: 8–1 Service brake and park brake

• Technical bulletin 31 – Brakes standard compliance .

Evidence of compliance with fuel consumption information requirements

You can use an  online tool to provide the fuel consumption compliance information, if:

• your vehicle was previously registered in Japan and

• you have a completion inspection certificate, deregistration certificate or export certificate.

To produce the compliance information, enter the vehicle's model code (shown circled in red). You'll then receive a fuel consumption certificate, which you take to the  entry certifier .

If your fuel consumption certificate says consumption is 'unknown' it is still acceptable as compliance evidence to give to the  entry certifier .

Evidence of overall standards compliance

You need to prove your vehicle meets  all applicable New Zealand standards , which depend on the date of manufacture. One way to do this is to get a  statement of compliance .

Evidence you can present

As an alternative to a statement of compliance, you can use:

• an original completion inspection certificate or

• a deregistration certificate or

• an export certificate issued by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT).

Kai mark

Check the certificate for a kai mark like this   after the model code. This indicates that the vehicle has been modified and may no longer meet the required standards. We strongly recommend that you check with an  entry certifier to make sure that the vehicle complies with required standards. )

Your vehicle completion inspection certificate, deregistration certificate or export certificate must contain a type designation number ( TDN). If there's no TDN on the certificate, you'll need to get a  statement of compliance , or apply to us for a TDN exemption.

Next step

You can move onto step three of the importing process –  preparing to import .