Japanese Vehicles to Chile
Chile is one of the most open vehicle markets in South America, with no age limit on imports and lower tariffs than most of its neighbours. It drives on the right, so vehicles must be left-hand drive — and Japan does register left-hand drive vehicles, which is what we source for Chilean buyers.
Destination Port
San Antonio, Valparaíso
Shipping Time
30–40 days
Shipping Method
RoRo / Container
Chile Import Rules at a Glance
Drive side
Left-hand drive — required; right-hand drive cannot be registered
Age / mileage rules
No age limit for imported vehicles, provided they meet emissions and technical standards
Inspection & compliance
Pre-export inspection in Japan, then a technical and emissions review for Chilean homologation
Duties & taxes
Customs duty of around 6% plus 19% VAT on the CIF value
Import rules and duty rates do change. Confirm the current position with your customs broker or clearing agent before you commit, and we will match the vehicle to the rules you tell us.
How an Import to Chile Works
- 1
Choose a left-hand drive vehicle — confirm with us that the specific unit is left-hand drive before purchase.
- 2
We complete the pre-export inspection and the Japanese export documents in the importer's name.
- 3
The vehicle ships to San Antonio or Valparaíso, the two gateways for central Chile.
- 4
Your agent files the import entry; customs duty and 19% VAT are assessed on the CIF value.
- 5
The vehicle completes its technical and emissions review and is then registered locally.
Left-Hand Drive Is Compulsory
Chile drives on the right, so a right-hand drive vehicle cannot be registered there. Japan's domestic fleet is largely right-hand drive, but left-hand drive vehicles are also registered in the country, and our auction access lets us search for them specifically. We confirm the steering position and the full specification of each candidate vehicle with you before any payment is made.
A Relatively Open Import Market
Unlike many markets in Asia and Africa, Chile applies no age limit to imported vehicles and its tariff is low, at roughly 6% customs duty with 19% VAT on the CIF value. What does matter is technical compliance: the vehicle has to satisfy Chilean emissions and technical requirements at the time of registration. We can advise on which models and years clear most easily.
Shipping to San Antonio and Valparaíso
Transit from Japan to Chile runs around 30 to 40 days, with San Antonio and Valparaíso handling the bulk of vehicle imports for the Santiago region. Because the sailing is long, we book well ahead and keep you informed of the vessel schedule, and we issue the Bill of Lading and export certificate promptly so your agent can pre-file.
What Chilean Buyers Choose
Pickups and SUVs dominate Chilean demand, driven by mining, agriculture and long-distance travel: the Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi L200 are the most requested, with the Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Swift covering family and city use. Availability in left-hand drive is the deciding factor on any given model, so we check that before proposing vehicles.