Almost every expensive import mistake is one of ten, and almost every one is prevented by a check made before money moves. Most of them are not about the car at all. They are about a rule, a date or a document.
The short version
- The costliest mistakes are eligibility mistakes: age, steering, inspection and permits.
- The next are money mistakes: the wrong value, a missing line, a fraudulent account.
- The last are paper mistakes: one wrong character in a chassis number.
- Each one has a check, listed below.
The mistakes, in one paragraph
Dealers lose money on imports by buying cars their country will not admit, by pricing on a value customs will not use, by leaving costs out of the landed figure, by paying fraudsters, by trusting odometers, by under-insuring, and by shipping documents that disagree with each other. Every one of these is cheaper to prevent than to fix.
Ten mistakes, and the check that prevents each
1. Buying a car that will be over the age limit on arrival
The age rule is applied when the car arrives or clears, not when you bought it. A car on the line when bought can cross it at sea. The check: Buy with a buffer, and check the current cut-off date. See Vehicle import age limits by country.
2. Buying the wrong steering for the market
Some countries require right-hand drive for imported used cars. Others allow left-hand drive but buyers may not want it. The check: Confirm the legal rule, then the resale market. See Right-hand-drive import rules.
3. Missing a pre-shipment inspection
Where a country requires inspection in the exporting country, a car shipped without it can be held or sent for destination inspection. The check: Book the inspection before the sailing, and check its validity on arrival. See Pre-shipment inspection for used cars.
4. Applying for a permit after the car has sailed
Where a permit is required, it usually has to exist before the car arrives. The check: Make the permit part of the purchase, not the clearance. See Car import licences and permits.
5. Calculating duty on the wrong value
Duty is charged on the customs value — usually including freight and insurance — or on a schedule value, not on the price you paid. The check: Build the customs value the way your authority does. See How customs values an imported car.
6. Leaving a line out of the landed cost
Approval tests, preparation, port charges and the cost of capital are the lines most often missing. The check: Use a full line-by-line landed cost for every car. See Landed cost of an imported car.
7. Paying a changed bank account
Payment-diversion fraud uses a real deal and a fake email. International transfers are rarely recoverable. The check: Verify every account change by phone on a number you already hold. See Paying overseas car suppliers safely.
8. Trusting an odometer instead of a record
A reading on a dial is not a history. Several source markets publish official mileage records. The check: Match the reading to the official record before paying. See Checking mileage on imported cars.
9. Under-insuring the voyage
Minimum CIF cover insures only named major events, not ordinary handling damage. The check: Check the clauses, and insure on (A) terms where it matters. See Marine insurance for imported cars.
10. A chassis number that differs between documents
One wrong character between the invoice, the bill of lading and the export certificate can stop clearance and registration. The check: Check every document against the car before it sails. See Car import documents checklist.
The rules most often missed in your country
Mistakes one to four are your country's rules. Choose it to see them together, with the official sources.
| Country | Age limit |
|---|---|
| The UK sets no age limit on an imported car, but age decides whether the car needs vehicle approval. | |
| Ireland sets no age limit on an imported car; age affects the OMSP, and so the VRT, rather than whether the car may enter. | |
| Malta sets no age ban, but a used car from outside the EU that is over five years old pays at least the minimum registration tax. | |
| The Cyprus Customs guidance checked sets no age limit on an imported car. | |
| A used vehicle must be less than eight years old, counted from the year of first registration. | |
| Tanzania taxes older cars more heavily rather than banning them: the Finance Act 2026 excise bands run to vehicles over twenty years old. | |
| The Traffic and Road Safety Act prohibits importing a vehicle fifteen years old or more from its year of manufacture. | |
| MRA's customs page sets no age limit; confirm any age or permit condition for second-hand cars with the Mauritian authorities before you buy. | |
| Motor cars, station wagons and SUVs must be no more than six years old at import. | |
| The Trade Licence Unit's page states an eight-year limit from the year of manufacture for petrol, diesel and CNG vehicles. | |
| Eligibility turns on vehicle standards rather than a flat age limit: NZTA warns that a car registered and used overseas will not necessarily meet New Zealand's standards. | |
| Vehicle imports resumed on 1 February 2025, with an Import Control Licence required for a vehicle that exceeds the maximum age limit. |
Choose a country for its full rules and the official sources, checked 27 October 2026.
Age limit · United Kingdom
The UK sets no age limit on an imported car, but age decides whether the car needs vehicle approval.
- A car under 10 years old needs vehicle approval — for most imports, an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test — before it can be registered.
- A car 10 years old or more is exempt from vehicle approval, but still needs an MOT if it is over three years old.
Steering · United Kingdom
GOV.UK's import guidance sets no right-hand-drive requirement, so a left-hand-drive car can be imported and registered once it passes approval and the MOT.
Inspection before or after shipping · United Kingdom
No pre-shipment inspection is required; the checks happen after the car lands.
- Vehicle approval (usually IVA) for a car under 10 years old, carried out by DVSA in the UK.
- An MOT for a car over three years old, before registration.
Licences and permits · United Kingdom
No import licence is needed for a car, but a business importing stock needs a GB EORI number.
- GOV.UK exempts only goods that are both uncontrolled and for personal use from the EORI requirement, so a dealer importing to sell needs one.
Sources for United Kingdom, checked 27 October 2026:
- Vehicle approval — GOV.UK (DVSA)
- Vehicle registration: new registrations — GOV.UK (DVLA)
- Importing vehicles into the UK — GOV.UK
- Get an EORI number — GOV.UK
Age limit · Ireland
Ireland sets no age limit on an imported car; age affects the OMSP, and so the VRT, rather than whether the car may enter.
Steering · Ireland
Revenue's import guidance sets no right-hand-drive requirement for registering a car.
Inspection before or after shipping · Ireland
No pre-shipment inspection is required; the car is examined at an NCTS centre when it is registered.
Licences and permits · Ireland
No import licence is needed for a car; the import is declared to Revenue and the car registered through the NCTS.
Sources for Ireland, checked 27 October 2026:
- Vehicle Registration Tax — Revenue
- Importing a vehicle into Ireland — Citizens Information
- Vehicle Registration Tax Manual, Section 1 Part A — Revenue
- National Car Testing Service — NCTS
- Importing vehicles and duty-free allowances — Revenue
Age limit · Malta
Malta sets no age ban, but a used car from outside the EU that is over five years old pays at least the minimum registration tax.
Steering · Malta
The Transport Malta documents checked set no right-hand-drive requirement; confirm with Transport Malta before buying left-hand-drive stock.
Inspection before or after shipping · Malta
A used car from outside the EU needs a Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) certificate confirming it can be registered in the EU and stating its CO₂ emissions.
Licences and permits · Malta
No separate import licence for a car was found in Transport Malta's guidance; the SVA certificate and customs clearance are the gates.
Sources for Malta, checked 27 October 2026:
Age limit · Cyprus
The Cyprus Customs guidance checked sets no age limit on an imported car.
Steering · Cyprus
A left-hand-drive car can be registered with an extra Single Vehicle Approval form (TOM 139B), according to the government's business portal.
Inspection before or after shipping · Cyprus
No pre-shipment inspection is required; the car passes an MOT and gets a CO₂ certificate from the Road Transport Department before registration.
Licences and permits · Cyprus
Customs recommends contacting the Road Transport Department before importing, to confirm the car can be registered in Cyprus.
Sources for Cyprus, checked 27 October 2026:
- Vehicles from countries outside the European Union — on payment of import duty and VAT — Cyprus Customs & Excise Department
- Running and growing your business — registering a vehicle — Business in Cyprus (Government of Cyprus)
- Road Transport Department — Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works
Age limit · Kenya
A used vehicle must be less than eight years old, counted from the year of first registration.
- KRA cites standard KS 1515 and Legal Notice No. 78 for the rule.
- KEBS's notice of 17 November 2025, as reported by Business Today, admits from 1 January 2026 only vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 2019. Read the KEBS notice for the current cut-off before you buy.
Steering · Kenya
An imported used vehicle must be right-hand drive.
Inspection before or after shipping · Kenya
Every used vehicle is inspected for roadworthiness by a KEBS-appointed agent in the country of export, and arrives with a Certificate of Roadworthiness.
Licences and permits · Kenya
No separate import licence is required; the importer needs a KRA PIN, or a certificate of incorporation for a company.
Sources for Kenya, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importation procedure for motor vehicles — Kenya Revenue Authority
- KEBS: only newer vehicles to be allowed (report of the KEBS notice of 17 November 2025) — Business Today (press report of the official notice)
Age limit · Tanzania
Tanzania taxes older cars more heavily rather than banning them: the Finance Act 2026 excise bands run to vehicles over twenty years old.
- A car under eight years old avoids the age excise altogether, which is why the age at import moves the landed cost so much.
Steering · Tanzania
Tanzania drives on the left; confirm the steering rule for your vehicle class with TRA and TBS before buying left-hand-drive stock.
Inspection before or after shipping · Tanzania
Used vehicles are checked against Tanzanian standards by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards — before shipment where TBS has an agent in the exporting country, or on arrival where it does not.
- TRA will not register the car until TBS has issued its roadworthiness certificate.
Licences and permits · Tanzania
No separate import licence for a car was found in TRA's guidance; the TBS certificate and TRA's assessment are the gates.
Sources for Tanzania, checked 27 October 2026:
- The Finance Act, 2026 — Tanzania Revenue Authority
- Tanzania Revenue Authority — TRA
- Tanzania Bureau of Standards — TBS
- Central Motor Vehicle Registration System — guide — Tanzania Revenue Authority
Age limit · Uganda
The Traffic and Road Safety Act prohibits importing a vehicle fifteen years old or more from its year of manufacture.
- A 2026 amendment bill proposes lowering the limit to thirteen years. Parliament's committee report describes it as a proposal, so check whether it has been enacted before you buy older stock.
Steering · Uganda
Uganda drives on the left; confirm the steering rule for your vehicle class with URA before buying left-hand-drive stock.
Inspection before or after shipping · Uganda
Every used vehicle needs a Certificate of Roadworthiness from the country of export under the UNBS pre-export verification programme.
- UNBS states that the certificate is valid for twelve months from issue; a vehicle with an expired one goes to destination inspection instead.
Licences and permits · Uganda
No separate import licence for a car was found; the UNBS certificate and URA's assessment are the gates.
Sources for Uganda, checked 27 October 2026:
- Report on the Traffic and Road Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — Parliament of Uganda
- Uganda Revenue Authority — URA
- The UNBS (Inspection and Clearance) Regulations, 2022 — Uganda National Bureau of Standards
- Notice on certificates of roadworthiness for used motor vehicles — Uganda National Bureau of Standards
Age limit · Mauritius
MRA's customs page sets no age limit; confirm any age or permit condition for second-hand cars with the Mauritian authorities before you buy.
Steering · Mauritius
Mauritius drives on the left; MRA's page sets no steering rule, so confirm it with the National Land Transport Authority before buying left-hand-drive stock.
Inspection before or after shipping · Mauritius
MRA's customs page sets no pre-shipment inspection; the car is examined for registration in Mauritius.
Licences and permits · Mauritius
MRA's motor-vehicles page does not cover import permits; confirm with the Mauritian authorities whether your vehicle needs one before it ships.
Sources for Mauritius, checked 27 October 2026:
- Customs — motor vehicles — Mauritius Revenue Authority
- National Land Transport Authority — NLTA
Age limit · Jamaica
Motor cars, station wagons and SUVs must be no more than six years old at import.
- Light commercial vehicles are allowed six to ten years depending on type.
- Returning residents may import a car up to ten years old if they have owned it for at least six months before applying.
Steering · Jamaica
Jamaica drives on the left; confirm the steering rule for your vehicle class with the Trade Board before buying left-hand-drive stock.
Inspection before or after shipping · Jamaica
A used vehicle from the USA, the UK, Japan, Singapore or the UAE needs a pre-shipment inspection certificate, and every used vehicle must be sanitised before shipment.
- The Trade Board rejects an import-permit application for a used vehicle without its pre-shipment inspection certificate.
Licences and permits · Jamaica
An import permit from the Trade Board is required, and it must be obtained before the vehicle arrives in Jamaica.
- Certified dealers have no quantity limit for vehicles imported for resale.
- Individuals and non-dealer companies are limited in how many vehicles they may import every three years.
Sources for Jamaica, checked 27 October 2026:
- Motor vehicle — general information — Trade Board Limited
- Motor vehicle import permit procedures for returning residents — Trade Board Limited
- Motor Vehicle Import Policy (Ministry Paper 36/14) — Trade Board Limited
- Pre-shipment inspection criteria (February 2023) — Trade Board Limited
Age limit · Trinidad and Tobago
The Trade Licence Unit's page states an eight-year limit from the year of manufacture for petrol, diesel and CNG vehicles.
- Older Ministry documents still in circulation give three or four years; read the Trade Licence Unit's current notice before you buy, because the documents disagree.
Steering · Trinidad and Tobago
Used right-hand-drive vehicles are imported under a licence from the Trade Licence Unit.
Inspection before or after shipping · Trinidad and Tobago
Confirm with the Trade Licence Unit whether your vehicle needs an inspection certificate before it ships.
Licences and permits · Trinidad and Tobago
A licence from the Trade Licence Unit is required to import a used right-hand-drive vehicle, and dealer volumes are governed by quota rules.
Sources for Trinidad and Tobago, checked 27 October 2026:
- Trade Licence Unit — Ministry of Trade, Investment & Tourism
- Declaration for licence to import a used right-hand-drive vehicle — Ministry of Trade, Investment & Tourism
Age limit · New Zealand
Eligibility turns on vehicle standards rather than a flat age limit: NZTA warns that a car registered and used overseas will not necessarily meet New Zealand's standards.
Steering · New Zealand
New Zealand drives on the left; NZTA's vehicle standards govern whether a left-hand-drive car can be certified, so check them before buying one.
Inspection before or after shipping · New Zealand
Every imported used car has a border inspection by an NZTA-approved organisation and must be cleared for biosecurity by MPI.
- Cars exported from Japan go through an MPI-approved biosecurity system in Japan, and the border inspection can be done there before shipping.
- From any other country, the border inspection is arranged in New Zealand before Customs clearance is given.
Licences and permits · New Zealand
No import licence is needed; the gates are border inspection, biosecurity clearance and entry certification.
Sources for New Zealand, checked 27 October 2026:
- Importing a used vehicle — NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
- Step 3: Border inspection — NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
- Importing vehicles, machinery, and parts — Ministry for Primary Industries
Age limit · Sri Lanka
Vehicle imports resumed on 1 February 2025, with an Import Control Licence required for a vehicle that exceeds the maximum age limit.
- Age also changes the tariff line a car is taxed under, so the year of manufacture moves the landed cost as well as the paperwork.
Steering · Sri Lanka
The Import and Export Control Department's licence guidelines require an imported vehicle to be right-hand drive.
Inspection before or after shipping · Sri Lanka
For a licensed import, the guidelines require an assessment report from an accepted institution in the exporting country and a certificate that the car is free of mud and soil.
Licences and permits · Sri Lanka
An Import Control Licence is needed for a vehicle over the maximum age limit, and for licensed imports the guidelines require a letter of credit.
Sources for Sri Lanka, checked 27 October 2026:
- Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2025 — Ministry of Finance, Sri Lanka
- National Imports Tariff Guide 2025 — Chapter 87 — Sri Lanka Customs
- Importation of a used motor vehicle under import control licence — Department of Import and Export Control
Once each of those is confirmed for the cars you want, you can send a dealer inquiry. The whole process, in the order the decisions have to be made, is in the dealer's guide to sourcing cars overseas.