Japanese automobile industry is one of the well-known and largest industries in the world. Large numbers of new and used vehicles are imported from Japan. The industry has attained this stature due to their impressive specifications, good condition and high quality. With Japanese vehicles comes trust and reliability. Along with new vehicles, popularity of used vehicles is also increasing at faster pace. Japanese used car market is the obvious place to visit if one wants to purchase a used vehicle. Fiji is a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific. Like other countries, Fijians are also enthusiasts for Japanese vehicles.
With online used cars portals, the import of used vehicles from Japan is an easy process now. These portals provide thousands of used car stocks of most reliable and experienced used vehicle exporters in Japan. Importation of used vehicle in Fiji requires little documentation. For smooth clearance of customs it is good to abide by the rules. Here are few guidelines need to follow in order to import a Japanese used vehicle.
Age Restriction/Requirements:-
Importer, while importing a used vehicle should follow the used motor vehicle importation criteria for Fiji.
- The age criteria for used vehicle importation:
- Used cars, road tractor chiefly designed for the transport of persons, should not be more than five years from the date of manufacture.
- Used Special Purpose vehicles that perform certain non-transport function consuming any type of fuel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Solar road tractors designed for the transport of persons, should be less than eight years from the date of manufacture.
- The year of manufacture should be the production or the manufactured date of the vehicle and not the first registration date
- An application should be made to General Manager Customs, together with the relevant documents as follows:
- Export Certificate (Japanese Original).
- Export Certificate (English version and certified by relevant authority and not by the importer).
- Other evidences to confirm the year of manufacture of the used vehicle from the Road Transport Authority (Japan), signed by the authorized signatory.
Inspection:-
Used vehicles imported to Fiji are subjected to carry foreign pests and diseases that possess great threat to country’s biodiversity and environment. Thus, it is mandatory to inspect the used vehicle imported Fiji. Importation of only those vehicles is allowed in Fiji, which are free from unwanted pests.
Clearance Procedures:-
Generally, relevant vehicle documents are provided to importers at the time the vehicle is imported. Sometimes Customs brokers assist importers for clearance of vehicles. In case, importers are doing the clearance by themselves, it is advised to make an appointment with local customs office.
Requirements at the time of vehicle delivery:-
- Arrange an agricultural clearance for the vehicle through the Quarantine Section of Biosecurity Authority of Fiji.
- Arrange for a Customs clearance.
Documents required for Customs clearance:-
- The quarantine/agriculture clearance.
- Passport
- Invoice receipt showing total price paid and date of purchase.
- De-registration Certificate.
- Invoice showing export costs.
- Invoice showing freight costs and insurance to Fiji.
- Bill of Lading (BoL)
- Odometer reading at time of sale for export to Fiji.
- Odometer reading at time of importation into Fiji.
Customs Duty and Taxes:-
- Vehicles exceeding 2500 cc but not exceeding 3000 cc are levied $7500 per vehicle.
- Vehicles exceeding 3000 cc are levied $20,000 per vehicle.
- Duty rate- 32% of the invoice value
- Excise Duty- 15%
- VAT- 15%
- $7 for permission for each trip with an unregistered vehicle to importer’s residence or LTA office.
Note: No concession on duty is provided on importation of used vehicles, unless the used vehicle is imported by diplomats, personnel or other persons or bodies who are entitled to duty concessions.
Vehicle registration:-
The imported vehicle after Customs clearance should be taken to Lands Transport Authority (LTA) agent for inspection and a compliance audit for certification for registration.
Documents required for vehicle registration-
- Copy of the Bill of Lading
- Paid and certified copy of the Single Administration Document (SAD green copy)
- De-registration certificate
Shipping Port:-
Destination port where imported vehicles are shipped is port Suva. There are two ways for vehicle shipping; one can import a vehicle using RoRo (Roll-on Roll-off) method, which is an economical and most popular method, or can go for an expensive shipping method, container method.
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