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Car Tax Calculator

Enter engine displacement, usage and the first registration year to instantly estimate Japan's annual vehicle tax (shubetsu-wari). Supports the over-13-year surcharge, green incentives and prorated tax for used-car purchases.

Last updated: 2026/10/16 Calculator Feedback & bug reports
Enter Conditions
Vehicle Type
You can find it in the "Total displacement" field of your vehicle inspection certificate.
Usage
Estimated Annual Vehicle Tax —
Applied Tax Rate —
Vehicle Age —
Surcharge Not applied
Prorated Tax for Used-Car Purchase
Estimated Prorated Tax —

Disclaimer

The results from this tool are estimates only. Actual tax amounts, surcharges and green-incentive eligibility may differ depending on your prefecture (municipality for kei cars) and annual tax revisions. Always confirm the latest, accurate amounts with the official vehicle tax office, transport bureau or your local government.

Vehicle Tax Chart by Displacement

Annual tax for private passenger cars. Cars first registered on/after Oct 1, 2019 use the new rate; earlier ones use the old rate.

Displacement New rate (Oct 2019-) Old rate (-Sep 2019)
Up to 1.0L ¥25,000 ¥29,500
1.0-1.5L ¥30,500 ¥34,500
1.5-2.0L ¥36,000 ¥39,500
2.0-2.5L ¥43,500 ¥45,000
2.5-3.0L ¥50,000 ¥51,000
3.0-3.5L ¥57,000 ¥58,000
3.5-4.0L ¥65,500 ¥66,500
4.0-4.5L ¥75,500 ¥76,500
4.5-6.0L ¥87,000 ¥88,000
Over 6.0L ¥110,000 ¥111,000
Kei Car Tax (Private Passenger)
New rate (insp. from Apr 2015)¥10,800
Old rate (insp. before Apr 2015)¥7,200
Surcharge (over 13 yrs)¥12,900

How to Use

1

Choose vehicle type & displacement

Select standard or kei car. For standard cars, enter the displacement (cc) shown on your inspection certificate.

2

Enter usage, fuel & registration year

Choosing private/business, fuel type and first registration date auto-detects the tax rate and surcharge.

3

Check annual & prorated tax

The estimate appears instantly. For used cars, pick the acquisition month to see the prorated amount.

What is the Vehicle Tax (Shubetsu-wari)?

Japan's vehicle tax (shubetsu-wari) is a local tax levied on whoever owns a vehicle as of April 1 each year. For standard cars the amount depends on engine displacement; kei cars use a flat rate. Cars registered from October 2019 use the new (lower) rate, earlier ones the old rate, and a surcharge applies after 13 years (11 for diesel) from first registration. This tool computes everything in your browser, so your input is never sent to a server.

Features

  • Real-time CalculationAnnual and prorated estimates update instantly as you type.
  • New/Old Rate & SurchargeAutomatically detects the rate and the over-13-year surcharge from the registration date.
  • Proration & ChartIncludes prorated tax for used cars and a tax chart by displacement.
  • Privacy FirstEverything runs in your browser. Your input is never sent to a server.

Use Cases

  • Comparing running costs before replacing a car
  • Estimating prorated tax when buying a used car
  • Checking the surcharge for a car over 13 years old
  • Reviewing tax incentives for EVs and PHVs
  • Quickly looking up vehicle tax by displacement

FAQ

When and to whom is the vehicle tax charged?
It is charged to the owner (or user) of the vehicle as of April 1 each year. Standard cars are taxed by the prefecture and kei cars by the municipality; the tax notice usually arrives around May.
How much higher is the over-13-year surcharge?
After 13 years for gasoline cars (11 for diesel) from first registration, the tax is increased by roughly 15%. EVs and hybrids are exempt. This tool detects the vehicle age from the registration year automatically.
What is the difference between the new and old rate?
Private passenger cars first registered on or after October 1, 2019 use the reduced new rate, while earlier ones use the old rate. For example, 1.5-2.0L is 36,000 yen (new) versus 39,500 yen (old).
How is prorated tax for a used car calculated?
For standard cars, tax is prorated from the month after registration to the end of the fiscal year (March). For example, acquiring in October covers 5 months (November-March). Kei cars have no proration.
What is the green incentive (reduction)?
When you newly register an environmentally friendly car such as an EV, FCV or PHV, the vehicle tax for the following fiscal year is reduced by roughly 75%. Eligibility and rates change with annual tax revisions, so check the latest information.
Can I use the result as the exact amount to pay?
No. The results are estimates only. Actual amounts may differ by municipality and year, so confirm the exact figure on your tax notice or with official government sources.

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Japanese Car Tax (Shubetsu-wari) Basics: Rates by Engine Size, Kei Cars, Monthly Proration A beginner-friendly guide to Japan's annual car tax (shubetsu-wari): rough rates by engine displacement, how it differs from the kei (light) car tax, why the April 1 owner is charged, monthly proration, the green-car reduction and the 13-year surcharge, and how to pay.