Will my Japanese import cost a lot for NOx?

I have a three-cylinder 0.6-litre petrol 'kei car' coming from Japan that was never sold in Europe. Will this be hit with the max fine of €600 NOx charge as there is no NOx reading available, or is there anything that can be done to avoid paying this crazy charge when it should only be a a few Euro for an engine so small?

Tomas Sea (Ireland)

Feb 2020 Filed under: importing

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Expert answer

Hi Tomas,

Well, the NOx tax isn’s about the size of the engine, it’s about the NOx emissions, which are not specifically related to the size. It could be worth getting on to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, who may be able to provide you with a specific NOx figure for the car you’re talking about, but otherwise, just be thankful it’s not a diesel — those are subject to a maximum €4,850 extra in NOx tax if you can’t provide an accurate figure. 

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe