How importing with us works

Consultation and budget

We talk. You tell us the model you want, the year range, the mileage ceiling and — most importantly — the total figure you are prepared to land the car for, not the auction price you have in mind.

If your budget and your shortlist do not meet, we say so immediately. It is far cheaper to hear that on a phone call than after a deposit.

Day 1 · No cost

Sourcing and verification

We search live stock across Japan, the UK, Singapore, the UAE, Thailand and South Africa, and come back with a shortlist of real units — with photographs, auction sheets and honest commentary on each.

Every candidate is screened against the 8-year first-registration rule and its auction grade translated. If a car has a repaired panel, a rust score or a suspicious odometer, you hear it from us before you fall in love with it.

Days 2–7

Purchase and pre-shipment inspection

You approve a unit and a ceiling. We bid or buy in your name and secure the vehicle. It is then presented for the mandatory pre-shipment inspection in the country of export.

The inspection covers roadworthiness, mechanical condition and mileage verification. On passing, the certificate is issued — and we take custody of the original, because Mombasa will not accept a copy.

Week 2

Loading and ocean freight

The vehicle is booked onto a scheduled sailing for Mombasa — RoRo for most units, container for high-value or low-clearance cars. Marine insurance is arranged before departure.

You receive the vessel name, the sailing date and the bill of lading. From Japan, expect roughly 25 to 30 days at sea. We send you the tracking and tell you if the schedule slips.

Weeks 3–6

Documents to the clearing agent

While the vessel is at sea, the paperwork moves ahead of it. Our clearing agent receives:

• Original inspection certificate
• Original 1st and 2nd copies of the bill of lading
• Original certificate of export
• Commercial invoice
• Your national ID and KRA PIN copies

Getting these in place before the vessel berths is what keeps customs warehouse charges at zero.

Before berthing

Duty, port charges and release

The entry is lodged and the money falls due: customs duties and levies, port handling charges, clearing agent fees, and customs warehouse charges if any have accrued.

You see every receipt. Once settled, the unit is released and moved off the yard — the same week it berths, in a well-run import.

3–7 days at port

Registration and handover

NTSA registration goes through in your name, number plates are issued and fitted, and the logbook follows. We service the vehicle, valet it, road test it, and deliver it to you in Nairobi or drive it to your county.

You get the keys, the logbook, the full document file and every receipt from the entire import.

Final week