The 25-year rule runs from the month the car was built, not the model year.
That is the whole trap. A car built in September 2001 clears in September 2026, and the one built the month after clears the month after. Nobody can tell you which yours is except the build month printed on its auction sheet.
Of the 18 chassis below, 9 are clearing right now, one month at a time.
BNR34
1999-01 to 2002-08
Nissan Skyline GT-R · R34
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last BNR34 clears in August 2027.
Part of the run
clears August 2027
CT9A
2001-08 to 2007-06
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII, VIII and IX
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last CT9A clears in June 2032.
Part of the run
clears June 2032
DC2
1995-12 to 2001-12
Honda Integra Type R · DC2
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last DC2 clears in December 2026.
Part of the run
clears December 2026
FD3S
1991-10 to 2002-08
Mazda RX-7 · FD
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last FD3S clears in August 2027.
Part of the run
clears August 2027
GDB
2000-08 to 2007-12
Subaru Impreza WRX STI · GDB
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last GDB clears in December 2032.
Part of the run
clears December 2032
JZA80
1993-05 to 2002-08
Toyota Supra · A80
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last JZA80 clears in August 2027.
Part of the run
clears August 2027
JZX100
1996-01 to 2001-12
Toyota Chaser, Mark II and Cresta · X100
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last JZX100 clears in December 2026.
Part of the run
clears December 2026
NA1 and NA2
1990-08 to 2005-11
Honda NSX
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last NA1 and NA2 clears in November 2030.
Part of the run
clears November 2030
S15
1999-01 to 2002-08
Nissan Silvia · S15
Part of the run is legal now. Cars built up to August 2001 have cleared the 25-year rule, and the last S15 clears in August 2027.
Part of the run
clears August 2027
BCNR33
1995-01 to 1998-11
Nissan Skyline GT-R · R33
Every BCNR33 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in November 2023.
Legal now
cleared November 2023
BNR32
1989-08 to 1994-11
Nissan Skyline GT-R · R32
Every BNR32 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in November 2019.
Legal now
cleared November 2019
CP9A
1998-01 to 2001-08
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V and VI
Every CP9A is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in August 2026.
Legal now
cleared August 2026
EK9
1997-09 to 2000-12
Honda Civic Type R · EK9
Every EK9 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in December 2025.
Legal now
cleared December 2025
GC8
1993-10 to 2000-09
Subaru Impreza WRX STI · GC8
Every GC8 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in September 2025.
Legal now
cleared September 2025
RPS13
1989-01 to 1998-12
Nissan 180SX
Every RPS13 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in December 2023.
Legal now
cleared December 2023
S14
1993-10 to 1998-11
Nissan Silvia · S14
Every S14 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in November 2023.
Legal now
cleared November 2023
WGNC34
1997-11 to 2001-03
Nissan Stagea 260RS
Every WGNC34 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in March 2026.
Legal now
cleared March 2026
Z32
1989-02 to 2000-12
Nissan Fairlady Z · Z32
Every Z32 is legal to import. The last cars off the line cleared the 25-year rule in December 2025.
Legal now
cleared December 2025
How we compute this
NHTSA states that the 25 year period runs from the date of the vehicle's manufacture. So we take the Japanese-market production run for each chassis code and add 25 years to each end of it. Where we could only confirm a year rather than a month, we use the conservative boundary and say so on that chassis page, which means a real car may clear earlier than we show.
This is reference reading, not a compliance opinion. The manufacture date on the car's own plate and paperwork is what customs will use.
Night Line
Be told when your chassis clears
Leave an address and the chassis code you are watching. We write when the cars you care about become legal to import, and when the yen moves more than 3% in your favour.