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Importing a US car to Kazakhstan in 2026: duty, recycling fee, age

Since 28 Sep 2026, an individual can only get an electronic vehicle passport (EPTS) for a car under 5 years old from its build date, imported on a personal declaration — and only one car a year. A heavily damaged car (deployed airbags, damaged body structure) cannot be cleared or registered because it won't get the SBKTS conformity certificate. On top of the flat-rate duty you pay a recycling fee and a first-registration fee — 2,162,500 KZT for a car older than 3 years.

Updated: 2026-11

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Key facts

Age and eligibility

• Since 28 Sep 2026, EPTS and SBKTS for individuals are issued only for cars under 5 years old imported on a passenger customs declaration (PTD) — one car per person per year. The EPTS owner must be the same person who declared the car (State Revenue Committee).
• Transport Ministry Order No. 293 of 28 Oct 2026: individuals may import cars no older than 5 years AND at least Euro-5 — both conditions at once. It takes effect on 30 or 31 Dec 2026 (media reports differ).
• Companies and sole traders have no 5-year limit; their emissions threshold is Euro-4.
• Cars already registered in Kazakhstan are not affected. A car imported for personal use can be sold later.

Duties and taxes

• Individuals (PTD) pay a single flat rate under EEC Council Decision No. 107; it replaces duty, excise and VAT.
• Under 3 years: 54% of value, but at least €2.5/cc (cars up to €8,500); above that, 48% with a minimum of €3.5 to €20/cc depending on price.
• 3–5 years: €1.5/cc (up to 1,000 cc), 1.7 (up to 1,500), 2.5 (up to 1,800), 2.7 (up to 2,300), 3.0 (up to 3,000), 3.6 (over 3,000). The car's price doesn't matter.
• Over 5 years: €3.0 / 3.2 / 3.5 / 4.8 / 5.0 / 5.7 per cc — but since 28 Sep 2026 an individual can't clear such a car on a PTD.
• Commercial import (goods declaration): duty usually 15% (cars over 7 years with 1,500–3,000 cc: €0.5/cc, but between 15% and 18%); VAT 16% on value + duty + excise; customs fee 25,950 KZT.
• Excise on commercial imports applies only to engines over 3,000 cc (100 KZT per cc) or cars worth more than 77,850,000 KZT (10% of value).

Recycling fee and registration

• Individuals pay the recycling fee too. Since September 2026 the payment certificate must be obtained before the car is released.
• 2026 recycling fee for passenger cars: up to 1,000 cc — 324,375 KZT; 1,001–2,000 cc — 756,875 KZT; 2,001–3,000 cc — 1,081,250 KZT; over 3,000 cc — 2,486,875 KZT; EVs — 0.
• First-registration fee (combustion cars): under 2 years — 1,081 KZT; 2–3 years — 216,250 KZT; over 3 years — 2,162,500 KZT.
• Plus plates (~12,110 KZT) and the registration certificate (~5,406 KZT).

Damaged cars and salvage titles

• Release from customs requires an SBKTS certificate (compliance with technical regulation TR CU 018/2011). Cars with deployed airbags or a damaged load-bearing structure won't get one; minor cosmetic damage is acceptable once repaired.
• A US salvage title as such isn't mentioned in Kazakh law — the SBKTS lab makes the call.
• Options for a damaged car: repair it before import (for example, in Georgia) or import it as parts — then it can't be used on the road.

EVs and hybrids

• 0% duty in 2026 (Kazakhstan's national exemption). Such cars can't be resold to other EAEU countries.
• No recycling fee. The first-registration fee for a used EV is half as much: under 2 years — 1,081 KZT, 2–3 years — 108,125 KZT, over 3 years — 1,081,250 KZT.
• According to Kolesa.kz, EVs are exempt from vehicle tax. On commercial imports, 16% VAT still applies.
• EVs imported under the EEC duty-free quotas in Armenia or Kyrgyzstan may not be transferred to Kazakh citizens or residents.

Documents

• Required: customs declaration (PTD for individuals, goods declaration for commercial imports), SBKTS, EPTS, and the recycling-fee certificate before release.
• From logistics companies' practice: US title (including salvage), auction bill of sale, bill of lading, buyer's passport and IIN.

Shipping from the US

• Typical route: auction → US port (New Jersey, Savannah, Houston, Los Angeles, etc.) → container to Poti (Georgia) → Baku–Aktau ferry or car carrier/rail to Almaty or Astana.
• Rough figures from logistics companies: $200–1,100 to the US port, $3,600–4,600 by sea and on to Almaty/Astana, about 2–3 months in total. No official figures.

Example: 2021 Toyota Camry 2.5, $10,000

• Note: a 2021 car is about 5 years old by the end of 2026, so most won't pass the age limit. From 30/31 Dec 2026 it also needs Euro-5, and it's unclear how that will be assigned to a US-spec car.
• (a) Individual, if the car is 3–5 years old on the declaration date: flat rate 2,487 cc × €3.0 = €7,461; recycling fee 1,081,250 KZT; first registration 2,162,500 KZT; plates and certificate ~17,500 KZT.
• (b) Commercial import with a customs value of $10,000: 15% duty = $1,500; 16% VAT × $11,500 = $1,840; customs fee 25,950 KZT; no excise (under 3,000 cc); recycling fee 1,081,250 KZT; registration 2,162,500 KZT.
• Rough estimate, excluding broker, bonded warehouse and SBKTS costs. In practice the customs value also includes shipping to the border.

Still being checked

• Exact effective date of Order No. 293: 30 or 31 December 2026.
• How labs assign Euro-5 to US-spec cars.
• Recycling fee for 2,001–3,000 cc: most sources say 1,081,250 KZT (factor 5.0), one says factor 7.5.
• EV duty: 0% per the Trade Ministry, but one source says 15%.

Cars to look at

Sources

1. Tarantas: who can import used cars from December 30 2026-11-03
2. Zhaiyq Press: which cars Kazakhstan residents will be able to import 2026-11-02
3. Kursiv: Kazakhstan tightens car import rules for individuals 2026-11-02
4. Kursiv: authorities explain the new car import rules 2026-10-01
5. Interfax: Kazakhstan to allow individuals to import cars up to 5 years old, Euro-5 or higher 2026-11
6. Tengri Auto: new rules, customs clearance and recycling fee (State Revenue Committee answer) 2026-10-15
7. EEC Council Decision No. 107 of 20.12.2017 (flat rates for individuals) 2017-12-20
8. Kolesa.kz: car customs clearance in Kazakhstan in 2026 2026-01-23
9. Kolesa.kz: recycling fee amounts in Kazakhstan in 2026 2026-01-09
10. Finance.kz: recycling fee in Kazakhstan, 2026 2026-11-09
11. Tengri Auto: car registration fees in 2026 2026-01-01
12. Kolesa.kz: EV customs clearance from January 1, 2026 2025-09-11
13. Kursiv: EV imports into the EAEU — who gets quotas from January 2026 2025-12-26
14. Kolesa.kz: can you clear a damaged car through customs in Kazakhstan? 2022
15. Yvision.kz: the real cost of a US car in Kazakhstan in 2026 (logistics estimate) 2026-06-23

This is a reference, not legal advice. Rules change often: confirm the numbers with customs or a licensed broker before you buy.

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