Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Yokohama to Santo Domingo

Shipping a car from Japan to the US generally costs $2,000 to $5,000+ for just ocean freight, depending on the vessel (shared container vs. RORO), plus substantial import fees, duties (2.5% for cars, 25% for trucks), customs, EPA/DOT compliance (often requiring older cars), and domestic transport, bringing the total landed cost to potentially $4,000 to $10,000 or more for a typical older JDM vehicle. Key factors include vehicle size, shipping method (RORO is safer but pricier, shared container cheaper), origin/destination ports, and ensuring your car meets US import regulations (especially for cars under 25 years old).

Budget: The shorter the distance, the more cost-effective it is to drive instead of ship your car. Regardless of the total distance, look at your total moving budget and how much you can afford to spend on car shipping services compared to a cross-country drive.

Three years after purchase, every new car has to go through an expensive inspection process, and once every two years after that. Furthermore, vehicles older than 10 years have to pass the inspection every year. As a result, most car owners in Japan write off their cars after 10 years and buy new ones.