personal import laws

[Guest reggin]

just wondering if someone could give me a run down on how this works, all i know is that you must own the car for a minimum of 12mths before its qualifys, what other costs are involved and is it much cheaper than just importing a car from japan? cheers in advance

[wrxhoon]

It will cost just the same , the only diff is you dont have to comply it , so you save $ 3 -5 k depending on car .

All taxes are the same , the other thing is you can bring any car you like isf you owned it and it was registered in your name o/s fo 12 months but you must have been there as well for that period .

[raz0r$harP.UK]

http://www.dotars.gov.au/transreg/vsb/vsb_...ersonal_Imports

Shows all the required information for a Personal Import (note that extra requirements if the car is coming from Japan).

Vijay

[DaiOni]

it DOES have to be complied - but what is required is far less stringent. It'll be things like fuel filler thingy, child anchor point, tyres, and so on (but will vary depending on the complier - that's what I've noticed, anyway).

first thing you need to do is own the car for 12months - as I told you, that will actually need to be a little more than 12 months (so more than 12 months in-country is required). Make sure you get a car with plenty of shaken. Also, you can only leave the country for a certain # of weeks (maybe 6? but check with DOTARS. This info isn't listed on that site) - so be careful with holidays.

next, you download the form on the DOTARS site - fill it out, then send it to them (atm, $50 fee). Wait for the reply - it might take some time, so factor this into the plan

there is a lot of paperwork required for approval (it's a pain in the butt) - things like photocopies of your passport (all pages), parking permit, purchase contract, insurance forms, yearly tax certificate, etc etc etc (make sure you file and store all these things carefully). DOTARS asks for these things to be translated by a certified translator in oz (I got around this, and they let me use a translator here. evo_lee reckons he didn't translate anything - which would have suited me, but DOTARS specifically told me what they wanted).

the form also asks for the name of your freight forwarder (customs agent) - so you need to contact one of those, too

If you're bringing an older car in (maybe... pre-96?), you'll need to check that it's AC gas isn't on the banned list (it most likely is), then you need to contact the enviro department, who will tell you what you need to do. Your customs agent will do the rest. Make sure he knows what he is doing though - because, as a p.i you can get an exemption (which is a lot cheaper than getting the car de/re-gassed by a certifed company).

organise freight - container is expensive (probably 3x the roll on, roll off (RORO) price), but the safest method. Recent quotes I got, for RORO, to brisbane or sydney, varied quite a bit. Expect, on average, currently, about US$69 per cubic metre (as an example, my rx7 would have been just under 10 cubic metres). Some companies may charge an additional fee for freight insurance (there have been numerous discussions on here as to the worth of such insurance).

As well as having an agent in oz, you'll need one to process customs in japan. If you use kiwi - they can organise those people at both ends.

If you have organised the freight, hired agents, and received approval - then it's time to get the car to the port. If you're in the kanto or kansai regions to start with - then you can simply drive the car yourself. Otherwise, you'll need to get a company to put it on a truck.

Once the car is in port in oz, it needs to go through quarantine. There is a couple of good threads on here that outline this process. In general, it's an excuse for the govt to steal some money off you (and, sometimes, an opportunity for wharfies to steal things off your car). There are numerous little (and large) fees that need to be paid. Don't pack your car with personal goods - otherwise it will incur even more freight/quarantine fees, and take more time to process. Prices vary, but most I've seen will be around the $1k mark (including agent fees).

During this process, the government will steal lots of money off you. First you pay import duty (10% of the car's value), then you pay 10% GST on the car's value + import duty + freight (tax on tax on tax! it's criminal, especially as you've already paid japanese sales tax...). As the car is a personal import, they will probably get a private valuer to come and value the car (and charge you $300 (or more/less) for it). This is because 'the value of the car has changed, as it wasn't recently purchased'. I'd be very pissed off if the price came to more than what I paid in japan. They can up the price for mods (ridiculous - as you never get your money back, resale, on modifications).

/edit: content removed by Vijay

Then you have to pick up the car, put it on a trailer, and take it home. Then find a compliance workshop and take the car to them. As stated, the compliance cost will vary according to the dodginess/strictness of the engineer. The biggest cost you may incur is a new set of tyres. You will also need to purchase and have fitted, a 'yellow plate' (compliance plate, in the engine bay) - this is the magical 'out of jail free' card (a personal import only has to comply to safety regs - not ADRs - this is explicitly mentioned by DOTARS - thus, great for defect time). Of course, the other great advantage of p.i compliance is that you get to keep all your mods.

After this, you'll be needing to go to vicroads/rta/whatever and get it registered. And, beforehand, you'll need to be raped by an insurance company.

cheers - the car is now onroad and ready to go.

(disclaimer: I may have missed a few points - but that is the rough guide to p.i)

[r34_skyline]

its basically like the 15yo import rule cept u have to show evidence that u owned the car in jap for atleast 12 months.

[Guest]

You have to lived their for 12 months with VISA, Bills like Rent and Phone bills, have Rego, Insurance, servicing invoices, parking permits and Garage Space.

To be eligible for a personal import the following criteria must be satisfied:

1. the vehicle has been owned and used by the applicant for a continuous period of at least 12 months (3 months where ownership and use of the vehicle commenced before 8 May 2000);

2. at the time the vehicle is imported, the applicant is:

1. an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; or

2. a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident;

3. the applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a licence or a permit to drive a road vehicle of that type;

4. the applicant undertakes to comply with any requirements as to road safety that are imposed in respect of the vehicle by the Administrator; and

5. the applicant has not imported a road vehicle owned by him/her within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia.

The following documents must be provided to establish ownership and use of the vehicle overseas for twelve consecutive months, or more:

* every page of your passport including all blank pages

* statement of travel. This involves supplying any details of any absences from your main country of residence during the relevant qualifying period of ownership and use of the vehicle, if your travel was for business reasons you must supply a letter from your employer

* purchase documents

* overseas registration documents in your name

* Driver's Licence

A $50 application fee must also be provided.

Applicants importing from Japan must include the following additional documents:

* Overseas registration certificate, from time of purchase, to time of deregistration, in the applicant's name

* Overseas de-registration certificate, in the applicant's name, showing the date that the vehicle was deregistered in Japan if applicable

* A parking approval in the applicant's name showing that the applicant had permission to park the vehicle

* Compulsory Tax and Insurance

* The applicant's driver's licence - international or issued by Japanese authorities.

[SoarerGT-T Cruiser]

sorry to revive a massively old topic, however.... i have a mate who is living in japan, can he "purchase" a car, have it registered in his name, he keeps it for a year, then i can "buy" it from him, have it shipped over and voila. i have a car not needing to go through SEVS. Is this possible?

[Silver_GT]

sorry to revive a massively old topic, however.... i have a mate who is living in japan, can he "purchase" a car, have it registered in his name, he keeps it for a year, then i can "buy" it from him, have it shipped over and voila. i have a car not needing to go through SEVS. Is this possible?

you must live in japan and own the vehicle for it to be eligible for a personal import. So not, that wouldnt work.

[Brood]

sorry to revive a massively old topic, however.... i have a mate who is living in japan, can he "purchase" a car, have it registered in his name, he keeps it for a year, then i can "buy" it from him, have it shipped over and voila. i have a car not needing to go through SEVS. Is this possible?

That can work,  as long as you buy the car off him once he gets its landed and registered in Oz.   Just remember that after that he can't send another car for a least a year or more depending on how the law changes.

[Specul8or]

correct me if I'm wrong - for I'm not referencing the DoTARS website when saying this - but I would imagine that you also need to substantiate the fact that you are returning to Australia (travel documentation, etc). I'm not 100% on this, but I'd imagine that the owner of the car (i.e not you if you reside in Australia) overseas must actually return to Australia (or prove that they intend to), otherwise it defeats the whole purpose of the legislation.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Iron Chef]

^^That's correct.