Duty follows the factory
A car built in Japan can enter at 0% with a statement on origin. A car built in Germany and bought in Japan pays 10%. Camber asks where the car was built and applies the right rate.
What will it cost to land a car in Ireland?
The purchase price, shipping, customs duty, VAT, VRT and NOx, line by line, with Revenue's own value for the car. Then whether buying the same car here would cost less. Free, with sources.
Work out my costBuy here or import?
- From Japan, Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the EU
- Revenue's values for over 25,000 versions
- No account needed
Worked example
Toyota Aqua 2019, bought in Japan for €6,000
Against an asking price of €15,000 for the same car on sale here. Revenue's own value for the version, worked out for October 2026.
Importing saves €3,874
- Import it yourselfCheaper
- €11,126
- range €11,020 to €11,230
- Buy here at the asking price
- €15,000
- the dealer's price, registered and ready
The dealer's price covers their margin, warranty and the work and risk of importing. The saving is what you keep for doing that yourself.
Where the €11,126 goes
- Car and shipping€7,500
- Customs, VAT and agent€1,875
- VRT and NOx€1,051
- Preparation€700
Work out my costEvery line, with its source, for your own car.
The import report, €9.99
The estimate on paper, for a lender, a partner or your own file
Three cost scenarios, with and without proof of origin; buy here or import; a dated timeline with both registration deadlines; the document checklist; every line to the cent, printed on A4 with the rules version it used. The calculator stays free. One payment, nothing renews.
The import file
From “should I buy this car?” to Irish plates
The calculator answers the first question. The import file stays with you for the rest: one place for the costs, the documents, the dates and what to do next.
1Decide
Is this car worth importing?
The landed cost line by line, its range, and the same car's price in Ireland beside it.
2Buy and ship
What do I need from the seller?
The documents to get before you pay and after, the ship, and the day it is due in.
3Arrive and register
What happens next, and by when?
Customs, the NCTS appointment within 7 days and registration within 30, with a reminder before each.
4Finish
What did it really cost?
The estimate set against what you paid, and what Revenue applied, kept as your record.
Open my importsFree. No account is needed to start. Sign in later for email reminders.
Why the figures hold up
Official figures, by engine
Choose the make, model, year and engine, and the fuel, CO2 and NOx are filled in from official figures. An older CO2 figure is recalculated the way Revenue does it.
What Revenue actually charged
Importers report the value Revenue applied and the VRT they paid, without names. Once a model has five reports, the figures are published beside the estimate.
Guides
- Importing a car from Japan to Ireland, step by step
- Import duty on cars from Japan to Ireland: which rate applies
- VRT explained: rates, bands and how the figure is built
- The NOx charge on imported cars
- Insurance for Japanese imports: get the quote before you buy
- Radio, tyres and what to fix when a Japanese import arrives
- Importing a car from the UK to Ireland: Northern Ireland and Great Britain
- Electric cars and VRT relief
- Kei cars and kei trucks in Ireland: what to check before importing
- The NCTS centre: booking the VRT appointment and what to bring
- Motor tax on an imported car: which table applies and what it costs
Questions
- Is this a VRT calculator?
- Yes, and more. It works the VRT out the way Revenue does: the CO2 band rate on Revenue's own value for the version, which it holds for over 25,000 versions, plus the NOx charge. Then it adds customs duty, import VAT, the agent's fee and preparation, so you see the whole cost of landing the car, not the tax alone. Revenue sets the final figure when the car is presented.
- What does it cost to import a car from Japan to Ireland?
- The landed cost is the purchase price, shipping and transit insurance, customs duty, import VAT at 23%, a customs agent's fee, VRT including the NOx charge, and preparation such as tyres and a radio conversion. The calculator shows every line and the total.
- Is customs duty on a car from Japan 0% or 10%?
- It depends on where the car was built, not where it was bought. A car built in Japan can enter at 0% with a statement on origin from the exporter. A car built elsewhere and bought in Japan, such as a Volkswagen built in Germany, pays 10%. Confirm the rate with a customs agent.
- How is VRT worked out?
- VRT is a percentage of the open market selling price, which is Revenue's opinion of the car's Irish retail value. The percentage runs from 7% to 41% depending on CO2 emissions, and a NOx charge is added. Revenue sets the figure when the car is presented.
- What if my car's documents have no NOx figure?
- Without evidence of the NOx figure the cap applies: €4,850 for diesel and €600 for other fuels. Japanese documents often lack a figure, so the calculator asks and uses the cap if you have none.
- Is this the amount Revenue will charge?
- No. Every figure is an estimate. Revenue sets the VRT when the car is presented, and Camber is an independent site with no connection to Revenue or NCTS.