Car Customs Clearance Calculator: what is it and how to use it

Please note: This calculator is provided for informational purposes only and is not an official tool for calculating customs payments. Bank CenterCredit does not provide consultations on customs clearance of cars.

In the first 11 months of 2024, approximately 110,000 vehicles were imported into Kazakhstan from abroad. Most often, Kazakhstani citizens bring cars from Uzbekistan, Georgia, China, and Korea. In order to legally operate the vehicle in Kazakhstan and obtain local license plates, the vehicle must go through the customs clearance procedure.

How can you import a car from Uzbekistan or another country to Kazakhstan without any issues? How do you properly go through customs clearance, and how much does it cost?

What is car customs clearance in Kazakhstan?

Customs clearance of a car in Kazakhstan is a procedure that allows a vehicle to be legalized in the country and officially registered. This means the owner can complete all formalities and receive license plates.

To undergo the procedure, the vehicle must meet several criteria:

• Emission standard of at least Euro-4
• Presence of an ABS (anti-lock braking system)
• Frontal airbag
• Support for ISOFIX child seat mounting system
• Presence of daytime running lights
  
  

Only left-hand drive vehicles can go through customs procedures.

For this reason, Kazakhstanis rarely consider purchasing cars from the Japanese market (since Japan uses right-hand drive vehicles and left-hand traffic).

All requirements are regulated by Order No. 324 dated March 26, 2015.

Vehicle Customs Clearance Cost in Kazakhstan

During the customs clearance procedure, the vehicle owner must pay customs duties and taxes. Since 2020, the customs duty rate for all vehicles has been set at 15%, while electric vehicles are subject to a 0% rate (this benefit will remain in effect until the end of 2025).

When calculating the cost of customs clearance in Kazakhstan in 2025, many factors must be taken into account. An online tool — the customs clearance calculator — can simplify the process.

How to Calculate Customs Clearance Cost Using the Calculator?

The calculator's estimates are based on current tariffs and applicable legal norms. It provides preliminary information to help you evaluate your customs expenses and effectively plan your budget.

How to use the calculator if you want to clear a car through customs in Kazakhstan? The user needs to fill in the following fields:

• Make and model of the vehicle. Customs clearance for premium segment vehicles is more expensive.
• Engine volume and fuel type — this information is taken from the vehicle passport.
• Vehicle age (year of manufacture) — the exact date is important. It’s specified in the car documents or in a certificate provided by the manufacturer. If the exact date is unavailable, July 1 is used by default. If the month is known, the 15th is used.
• Vehicle value — the price is documented in the papers submitted with the declaration. It's usually indicated in USD, but all customs duties will be calculated in that currency. For convenience, you can switch to tenge in the “Currency” field.

Once all the fields are completed and the “Calculate” button is pressed, the system will automatically generate a list of payments. These include:

• Customs fee — a fixed amount paid for processing and reviewing the vehicle documents.
• Customs duty — charged by the government for importing the vehicle across the border. This is usually the largest charge: 15% of the vehicle’s value.

You will also need to pay VAT (12% of the vehicle’s value) and excise duty (100 tenge per each cm³ of engine capacity).

The final amount is shown on the last line — it includes both the value of the car and all customs-related payments.

Please note that hybrid vehicles (which use both fuel and electricity) are subject to general customs rules in Kazakhstan and require full payment of customs duties. In contrast, eco-friendly electric vehicles are exempt from customs duties and can be imported duty-free.

How can you check if your car has been cleared through customs in Kazakhstan?

The customs clearance process (legalization of a car crossing the border) is recorded on the portal Eokno.gov.kz — you can verify the status using the vehicle’s VIN number.

If the car is cleared, it can legally be driven on the roads of Kazakhstan.

If you are just preparing for the customs clearance process, the online calculator will help estimate the total cost.

This article has been translated from its original language using neural network-based translation technology.