Terms of Service

Last updated: 6 July 2026

These terms set out how Japan to Ireland (“we”, “us”) provides its car-import concierge service. By asking us to source, bid on or import a vehicle, you agree to these terms. If anything here is unclear, email japantoirelandimport@gmail.com before you proceed.

What we do

We are a concierge service. We source vehicles at Japanese auctions, bid on your behalf to a limit you set, and manage export, shipping, customs clearance, VRT and Irish registration so the car arrives road-ready and on Irish plates. We are not a dealer selling from stock, you approve every car, using its independent auction inspection sheet, before we bid.

Quotes and estimates

Any figure from our on-site cost estimator is indicative only. Taxes and statutory charges, including VRT and annual motor tax, are set by Revenue and the NCTS from the car’s Irish Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), CO₂ and NOₓ, not by us. Before you commit, we give you an exact, itemised quote. Auction and exchange-rate movements mean the final winning bid may differ from the estimate.

The NCT and EU-compliant tyres

Every imported car must pass the National Car Test (NCT) before it can be driven on Irish roads. You choose how this is handled:

• You do it yourself, €60. We deliver the car registered and Irish-plated, and you book and take it to an NCT centre yourself. The €60 test fee is paid by you directly to the test centre and is not included in our charges.
• We handle the test for you, €300. If you’d rather not, we book and present the car for its NCT and manage any re-test. This is a fixed €300 service charge and includes the test-centre fee.
• We handle it and fit EU-compliant tyres, from €800. Japanese-market cars frequently ship on tyres that lack the EU “E”-mark or the correct load, speed or tread rating and would fail the NCT. Where that is the case, this option covers the NCT handling plus a set of new EU-compliant tyres, from €800 depending on the tyre size the car takes.

New tyres are only fitted where the existing ones do not meet EU requirements, and we tell you the exact tyre cost for your car’s wheel size before we fit anything. Where remedial work beyond tyres is needed to pass the test, we quote you separately and only proceed with your approval.

Our concierge fee

Our fee is set from the value of the car and is quoted ex-VAT, with 23% Irish VAT added on top. It covers sourcing, bidding, export documentation, shipping coordination, customs clearance and registration. Third-party costs, auction price, export fees, freight, duty, VAT, VRT and the NCT, are passed through to you as itemised in your quote.

Payment

We take payment in stages agreed with you in writing before we bid. Nothing is bid without your sign-off and your maximum price. Third-party charges are payable as they fall due during the import.

Timing

A typical import runs 80–120 days from winning bid to Irish plates, subject to auction timing, sailing schedules and the NCTS. These are estimates, not guarantees, and we are not liable for delays outside our reasonable control.

Liability

Japanese auction grading is highly accurate and we deal only with reputable houses, but a used vehicle is sold as described on its inspection sheet. We inspect each car on arrival and stand behind the cars we import; nothing in these terms limits your statutory rights under Irish law.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The “last updated” date above shows when they last changed. The terms in force are those agreed with you at the time you instruct us.