How to import Japanese used cars to Tanzania
Due to the continuous expansion of used car export from Japan, these exported used cars are becoming the big market in East African countries. In this article we will focus on the 5 steps to import quality used cars to Tanzania from Japan.
1. Find a reliable supplier.
Recently, the Internet can make you find a large number of used car exporters in Japan. The moment you select the company, look at its track record and reliability which is popular and ranked higher on the website. There are some companies that show unbelievably cheap prices or not real photos of the cars, be sure to check the reliability and condition of the cars against the terms and conditions of sale. To avoid internet fraud, contact them closely by phone to find out who they are, or inquire about this selected company at your local Japanese embassy. The best way to find a reliable used car exporter is to meet any customer who has purchased the cars from that company.
2. Choose the right car
There is an import regulation for all cars that are imported into Tanzania. These used cars must have a JAAI (Japan Automotive Appraisal Institute) road suitability certificate and if this certificate does not belong to the car, you must pay the fine on each of the cars you import. In addition, there is a model year regulation. Cars that are more than 10 years old from the date of manufacture must pay the penalized excise tax, which is 20% of the total value, including import duty. This is due to the control protection for the standard vehicle condition in the country. Therefore, make sure you know the exact model year and if the price is included in the JAAI rate in your purchase before you start your deal with that company.
3. Payment
Once you have decided to buy the vehicle, you can receive the Invoice from the supplier. The majority of the company prefers that the client manages the payment through bank remittances. Once you receive the invoice, you can print it out and take it to your local main bank to transfer money to your bank account. Make sure you have your payment receipt at your bank, as it is proof of your money transfer and you can send it to your provider for faster confirmation.
4. Shipment delivery
Once the vendor acknowledges your payment, the shipping procedure can be started. It depends on the payment condition between you and the provider. But, in most cases, the supplier required to have full payment before delivery of the shipment. Delivery usually takes 4-6 weeks on a Ro-Ro vessel, which is a specialized vehicle transport vessel to the port of Dar-es Salaam. You can make sure to ask your supplier about the estimated date of arrival in Dar-es salaam and receive all the necessary documents by air courier before the vehicle arrives, as you can start preparing the port cleaning process to avoid any possible delay in cleaning the port.
5 Port clearance and custom clearance
Before the car arrives, you need to find the local port clearing agent that is a specialized port clearing company to handle your car from the port and custom clearing. You can follow their instructions and arrange the port clearing fee and customs duties with all the necessary documents.
