Exporting Your Car from Japan
You won the bid and wired the money. Now you wait — and your exporter works. This phase is mostly out of your hands, but knowing what should be happening (and when) lets you catch problems before they become expensive ones.
Japanese Deregistration
Before a car can leave Japan, it has to be officially deregistered. Your exporter files the paperwork with the Land Transportation Office (陸運局), surrenders the plates, and cancels the Japanese registration (shaken). Nothing you need to do — just be aware it's happening.
Expect this to take 3–7 business days from when your exporter collects the car. If it's been two weeks with no update, ask.
Export Certificate (ECS)
The Export Certificate (ECS — 輸出証明書) is issued by Japan's MLIT for every vehicle leaving the country. It's proof the car has been legally deregistered and is cleared for export — and it effectively serves as the vehicle's title when you go to register it in the US.
📋 Keep this document
The ECS is a critical document for US Customs. Your exporter will include it with the shipping paperwork. Make sure you receive a copy and store it safely.
Pre-Shipment Inspection
Before loading, a good exporter sends you a pre-shipment photo set. This is your last chance to verify the car matches the auction sheet — and that nothing happened to it between the auction lot and the port.
Ask for: odometer, chassis plate, all four corners, engine bay, interior, and undercarriage if they can get it. If anything looks off, raise it now — not after it's on a vessel in the middle of the Pacific.
Japanese Export Ports
Your exporter picks the port based on where the car is and what vessels are running. You don't choose this — but knowing the options helps you understand the timeline:
Timeline for This Step
Plan for 2–4 weeks from auction win to the car being on a vessel. It feels slow but it's normal — deregistration, port scheduling, and vessel availability all take time. If your exporter goes quiet for more than a week, follow up.
Important Paperwork — First Time You'll Need It
This is the first stage where real import paperwork enters the picture. Once your car is ready to ship, your exporter will provide two critical documents. Get these to your US customs broker immediately — they need them to file the ISF before the vessel departs.
📄 Draft Bill of Lading (B/L)
The Bill of Lading is the contract between the shipper and the carrier — it identifies your vehicle, the vessel, origin port, and destination port. You'll receive a draft first, then the original once the car is loaded. The B/L Number on this document is what your broker uses to file the ISF 10+2 with US Customs.
📄 Commercial Invoice
Issued by your exporter — this document states the purchase price of the vehicle, which US Customs uses to calculate the 2.5% duty. Make sure the value matches what you actually paid. Your broker needs this alongside the B/L to complete the entry.
The moment your exporter sends these — forward them to your US broker. The ISF 10+2 must be filed at least 24 hours before the vessel departs Japan. Missing that window is a $5,000 fine. Don't sit on paperwork.