Japanese Car Auction Fee Calculator
Enter the hammer price and route to estimate every USS/TAA/JU fee — buyer's fee, transport, deregistration, customs, port handling, container stuffing, and agent fee — before you commit to a bid.
Bid details
Estimated Total
Hammer price plus every Japan-side fee, at the container yard.
- Buyer's fee (auto)
- ¥38,500
- Doc/inspection fee
- ¥4,950
- Transport to port
- ¥22,000
- Deregistration
- ¥11,500
- Export customs
- ¥8,250
- Port handling
- ¥16,500
- Container stuffing
- ¥12,650
- Agent fee
- ¥55,000
- Total Japan-side fees
- ¥169,350
A consumption tax refund of roughly 9% of the hammer price is generally reclaimable, but arrives 2-3 months later — it isn't subtracted from the total above.
Continue to full FOB total →Why bid limits need the full fee stack, not just the hammer price
The hammer price is the number everyone watches during the auction, but it's rarely more than 80-85% of what the vehicle actually costs by the time it reaches the container yard. Between the auction house's buyer's fee, transport from the auction site to the port, formal deregistration, export customs declaration, port handling, and — if the vehicle ships by container — a stuffing fee, a typical mid-range vehicle picks up 15-20% in Japan-side costs before a single freight invoice arrives.
The buyer's fee itself is banded, not flat — USS, TAA, and JU all scale it with the hammer price, so a ¥300,000 city car and a ¥4,000,000 SUV don't pay the same fee in yen or as a percentage. Route matters just as much: a vehicle bought at a Hokkaido auction house can pick up ¥30,000-50,000 in transport alone getting to Tomakomai, which can quietly turn an attractive low-margin unit into a loss once it's added in.
Building this stack into your maximum bid before the auction — not reconstructing it from invoices afterward — is what keeps a good hammer price from becoming a bad landed cost. Once you're happy with the Japan-side total here, run it through the FOB calculator to add the vehicle price and get your full FOB figure in the buyer's currency.
Auction fee calculator FAQ
What is the USS auction buyer's fee?
USS charges a buyer's fee (落札手数料) that scales with the hammer price. As a guide, fees range from approximately ¥33,000 for lower-value vehicles up to ¥66,000 or more for high-value lots, all subject to 10% consumption tax. The exact fee schedule is published by USS and reviewed periodically — always confirm the current schedule with your buying agent before bidding.
How much does transport from the auction site to the port cost?
Transport cost (陸送費) varies by distance from the auction site to the export port. Typical ranges: USS Tokyo to Yokohama ¥15,000-¥25,000; USS Osaka to Osaka/Kobe ¥10,000-¥20,000; USS Fukuoka to Hakata ¥10,000-¥18,000; Hokkaido auctions to Tomakomai ¥30,000-¥50,000. All figures include 10% consumption tax.
What is the deregistration fee for exported vehicles in Japan?
Formal deregistration (抹消登録) at Japan's Land Transport Office costs approximately ¥8,000-¥15,000 including official fees and handling, subject to 10% consumption tax. The resulting Jidosha Tsukan Certificate is mandatory for export customs clearance and required by the destination country's customs authority.
How much do Japan-side fees typically add to the hammer price?
For a typical mid-range vehicle with a full-service buying agent, expect to add approximately 15-20% to the hammer price to cover all Japan-side fees: auction buyer's fee, transport to port, deregistration, export customs, port handling, container stuffing, and agent fee. The consumption tax refund (roughly 9% of hammer price) partially offsets this but arrives 2-3 months later.
Go deeper on auction costs
FOB Calculator
Add the vehicle price to your fee total to get a full FOB quote in your buyer's currency.
GuideJapanese Car Auction Fees Explained
The complete fee breakdown this calculator is built from, with the consumption tax refund process explained.
GuideBidding at USS Tokyo/Yokohama
Bidding strategy for one of Japan's highest-volume auction networks.
Stop reverse-engineering fees from invoices
CarDeal365 tracks auction fees, logistics costs, and margin automatically for every vehicle you buy.