How importing works
A guided path from Japan to your driveway.
Importing a vehicle shouldn't feel complicated. Simply Floatin helps guide you through sourcing, shipping, paperwork, customs, and getting your vehicle home.
01
Tell Us What You're Looking For
Your search starts here.
Tell us what you're after — vehicle type, approximate budget, transmission, mileage, color, condition, and any must-haves.
We use this information to understand what kind of vehicle we should be looking for.
02
We Source Options in Japan
We help find the right match.
We search available vehicles that match your preferences and present promising options for you to review.
Where available: vehicle photos, mileage, condition, specifications, documentation, and expected pricing.
Nothing moves forward until you choose a vehicle.
03
Choose Your Vehicle
You make the final call.
Once we've found a vehicle you're interested in, we'll walk you through the available information and expected costs.
No pressure. No mystery purchase. You approve the vehicle first.
04
Purchase & Export Coordination
Japan-side preparation begins.
Once approved, the purchase and export process begins. We help coordinate with the appropriate exporters and partners while the vehicle is prepared for international shipment.
This can include collecting and coordinating required vehicle and export documentation.
05
Shipping From Japan
Your vehicle begins its journey.
The vehicle is booked with an ocean carrier and transported from Japan to the United States.
Once shipping information becomes available, you can be updated on milestones like vessel booking, departure, estimated arrival, and destination port.
06
Customs & Import Coordination
We help navigate the paperwork.
Before the vehicle can be released, the required U.S. import and customs process must be completed. Depending on the vehicle and shipment, this may involve customs entry, import duties, a customs bond, ISF filing, EPA/DOT documentation, and customs broker coordination.
Requirements and costs vary depending on the vehicle, shipment, destination, and applicable regulations.
07
Arrival at Port
Welcome to the USA.
Once the vehicle reaches its destination port, the final release process begins. We help coordinate the next steps around customs clearance, documentation, port/terminal requirements, and vehicle release.
Potential costs may include port charges, terminal charges, processing/documentation fees, customs-related charges, and transportation.
08
Pickup or Delivery
The final stretch.
Once the vehicle has been released, pickup or transportation can be coordinated to get the vehicle where it needs to go.
Keys in your hand.
Adventure ahead.
Your import journey is complete. It's time to enjoy the reason you started it in the first place.
Life is great when you're Simply Floatin.
What it costs
More than the price of the vehicle.
An international vehicle purchase involves several different costs. We'll help you understand the expected expenses before moving forward.
Vehicle
Purchase price of the vehicle in Japan.
Japan-Side Costs
Transportation, preparation, documentation, and applicable exporter costs.
Ocean Shipping
International transportation to the United States.
Marine Insurance
Coverage available/used for the vehicle during international transportation where applicable.
U.S. Customs
Import duties, bonds, broker costs, and applicable government requirements.
Port & Terminal
Charges associated with processing and releasing the vehicle after arrival.
Transportation
Pickup or delivery after the vehicle has been released.
Simply Floatin
Our service/coordination fee for helping guide the import.
No surprise mystery math.
Before you commit to a vehicle, we'll help you understand the expected costs and explain what each major charge is for.
Who does what
What we coordinate.
A clear split, so you always know what's on us and what's on you.
Simply Floatin
We help coordinate:
- Vehicle sourcing
- Exporter communication
- Shipping coordination
- Document collection
- Import paperwork guidance
- Customs/broker coordination
- Arrival guidance
- Port release coordination
- Transportation arrangements
You
You:
- Tell us what you're looking for
- Choose the vehicle
- Approve the purchase
- Provide requested information/signatures
- Make required payments
- Arrange insurance/registration where applicable
- Enjoy your vehicle
A real import
We've been through the process too.
Follow a real Honda Acty import from Japan all the way to Maryland.
FAQ
Common questions.
Timing varies based on vehicle sourcing, exporter preparation, vessel availability, ocean transit, customs, port processing, and final transportation. As a general rule, ocean shipping and customs/port processing tend to be the longest stretches — often longer than the paperwork itself. We can't promise an exact delivery date, but we'll keep you posted at each stage.
Yes. Tell us the make/model, budget, transmission, color, mileage, condition, and any other preferences, and we'll search for a matching vehicle. Tip: the more flexible you can be on secondary preferences (exact color, minor cosmetic wear), the faster we can usually find a good match.
Yes. We'll source any JDM vehicle you're after. Kei trucks (Acty, Sambar, and more) are our most popular request, with Kei vans close behind, but that's not the limit of what we do — cars and other Japanese vehicles are all fair game.
Total cost depends on the vehicle, shipping, duties, documentation, port costs, transportation, and other applicable fees. As a rough frame of reference, the vehicle price, ocean shipping, and duties/fees tend to be the largest line items. Start an inquiry and we'll walk you through an estimate for your situation.
Transportation options can be discussed once we know your destination and the arrival port. Being near a major port (we're positioned close to the Port of Baltimore) generally keeps this simpler and less costly.
Federal eligibility depends on the vehicle — Kei trucks and many JDM vehicles become eligible for U.S. import once they're 25 years old or older under the federal import exemption. Eligibility can vary by specific vehicle, so we'll help you understand where a given one stands before you commit.
This is worth being direct about: importing a vehicle and being road-legal to drive it are two different things. On-road registration is handled state by state and varies widely. In Maryland specifically, Kei trucks are not currently eligible for on-road registration — including historic tags — because Maryland's historic vehicle program requires the vehicle to have originally been manufactured to U.S. federal safety standards, which Kei trucks weren't. Off-road and private-property use (farm, personal land) is a separate, generally more straightforward matter handled through Maryland DNR rather than the MVA. These rules have shifted more than once recently and can change again, and requirements vary if you're located outside Maryland. Please confirm current requirements with the MVA (or your state's DMV) before committing to a purchase based on planned road use — we're glad to help you think it through, but we're not a substitute for checking directly with the agency that will actually title the vehicle.
Source: Maryland MVA — Historic vehicle registration requirements
Have questions before starting your import? Give us a quack at 443-96-QUACK.
Your next vehicle might be
an ocean away.
Tell us what you're looking for and let's see what's out there.