1. SEVS compliance:
A compliance plate must be reserved with a certified RAWS company holding SEVS (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles) compliance plates before buying and importing a SEVS vehicle. Here is the official government site listing all certified RAWS companies to date. http://raws.dotars.gov.au/rawswebpublic/RAWPubSearch.asp#results

Also be sure to ask them the price and service they provide as this varies greatly from one RAWS company to another, and from one model to another. The general costing is between about $2K ~ $4K for full compliance.
Once you strike a deal with a RAWS company and put a hold on a compliance plate, then it’s time to search Japan for that particular model. Be sure to find out the exact model, chassis code etc. from the RAWS company as only certain models are eligible for import & compliance. Once you know exactly what you are looking for, then it's time to contact us. We will search high and low and send you examples that suit your criteria for your review. We personally inspect vehicles, translate engineer reports and place bids on your behalf. We also store the car on our wharf until your RAWS company receives the Import Approval. We make the purchase invoices, shipping instructions and book your car on next available vessel heading to your city upon your request.
Once you purchase a vehicle, your RAWS compliance company must apply to DOTARS (Department of Transport and Regional Services) in Canberra for an ‘Import Approval’. It is an offence to import anything before the application is “Approved” and in your possession. Just notify us as soon as you receive the Import Approval back from DOTARS and KobeCars will book your car on the next available vessel.
Once imported, your RAWS compliance company will change several parts and add a few parts to up-date your vehicle to ADR (Australian Design Rules) standards. Affix your car with an Australian compliance plate and a new 17-digit vin number. Then have your car inspected by the local authorities and prepared for registration.
Note: Cars being imported for SEVS compliance must be stock standard and have no serious accident history. Please consult your RAWS compliance company for specific details.

2. 1988 and older import scheme:
Any vehicle that is manufactured in 1988 or older is eligible for import to Australia for regular road use. Cars, trucks, busses, motorbikes whatever, as long as it is older than 1988. An ‘Import Approval’ application to DOTARS must be made and Import Approval returned and approved prior to shipping. Import Approval application forms can be down-loaded from here: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/general/Application.aspx
Once a car is purchased KobeCars can store it for free at our shipping agent’s compound on the Kobe wharf till you get the Import Approval and instruct us to export your car. The yard has 24-hour security guards and is insured against theft or any damage caused by staff negligence, however that’s as far as the insurance goes. You store your car in Japan at your own risk, deterioration may occur, and no insurance against natural disasters like earthquakes, hailstorms, or not so natural North Korean long-range missiles for instance.
It is also your problem should your government change the import laws in your country while the car is still in Japan. Obviously there is no refund once you’ve committed yourself to a car. However in any event, the car still belongs to you, and you can always ask us to take it back to the auctions and resell it on your behalf if necessary.
You must apply to DOTARS (Department of Transport and Regional Services) in Canberra for an ‘Import Approval’. It is an offence to import anything before the application is “Approved” and in your possession. Just notify us as soon as you receive the Import Approval back from DOTARS and KobeCars will book your car on the next available vessel heading to your nearest port.
Please read the details regarding 1988 and older import scheme from your government’s website.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/general/index.aspx
Before your car arrives, we strongly suggest you employ the services of a shipping agent in your town to handle the whole import procedure.
For a service fee of about $140 they will pay the import duties, shipping freight, GST and clear your car through customs on your behalf, then provide you with an itemized list of all the fees. You simply pay them off and go to pick up your car at the wharf.

Import fees are:

• 10% of the FOB price for import duty. (only 5% for commercial vehicles)
• US$85 per cubic meter for ocean freight. For ex: an R33 Skyline measures a little over 10 cubic meters.
• About $350 or so for wharf charges in Australia. (each wharf has different fees)
• 10% GST
• $140 for shipping agent’s fee

After you bring your car home, you simply apply for an inspection at your local road safety authorities and update your car to conform with Australian Design Rule standards. Some parts may have to be changed to pass the roadworthy inspection. For example: the driver’s door mirror must be replaced with a flat mirror instead of the Japanese convex one. Side door intrusion bars must be fitted for passenger vehicles. The parker lens must be clear or white lens instead of the Japanese amber ones. And child seat restraint anchorages need to be fitted to any vehicle with a back seat. An unleaded petrol restrictor will also have to be fitted if the vehicle runs on gasolene. The road safety department will post you a list of all that has to be changed according to the model you’ve imported.

FOB package Fee:
- Our buyer's fee
100,000 yen fee on top of the cost price at auction is necessary to make your vehicle Free On Board (FOB). The 100,000 yen covers the auction house fee, transportation to the wharf, handling, de-registration papers, invoicing, shipping instructions, wharf & custom clearance fees and our buyer’s fee. Everything to buy & export your car.
So the actual purchase price plus the 100,000 yen fee is called the full FOB price. For example: If cost price at auction were 300,000 yen, the full FOB price would be 400,000 yen FOB. No more to pay on the Japan side.
Divide this by the present exchange rate to work out the Australian dollar equivalent. So if the present exchange rate is 80 yen to the dollar: Divide 400,000 by 80 = A$5,000

- Exchange rates
As the exchange rate fluctuates daily, it’s a good idea to subscribe to the Universal Currency Converter to get the Aust. Dollar – Japanese yen exchange rate e-mailed to you daily.
Subscribe for free at: http://www.xe.com/cus
- Import duties
You must pay 10% of the full FOB price to the Aust. Government as an import duty, once the car has landed.
- Shipping freight
All shipping around the world is calculated in US dollars. The roll-on, roll-off shipping freight from Japan to all major cities in Australia is about US$65 per cubic meter. Length times by width times by height will give you the cubic meter measurement. For example a Nissan Skyline R33 coupe is 464cm x 172cm x 134cm = 10.694 meters. So 10.694 x US$65 = US$695
- GST
10% GST is also required.
- On road costs
ORC will vary from one model to another and from state to state. Please contact your local registration department for details.

3. Race & Rally import scheme:
If you have a CAMS license (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) you are able to import any car you wish for the purpose of racing or rallying. However the vehicle can never be registered for regular road use. For more information visit the CAMS website http://www.cams.com.au
You can even register your import with Race & Rally rego, but that only allows you to legally drive your car on the roads to & from rally events, promotions & places for repairs etc.