Import a Mercedes-Benz C-Class from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
The premium saloon Japan buys new in volume and sells used cheaply; the C180 and C200 petrols and the C220d diesel are the imports that make sense.
The C-Class is the executive car of the Japan-to-Ireland trade: plentiful, low in mileage, and priced in Japan at a level that leaves room for 10% duty, VAT on the duty and shipping, and still undercuts an Irish car. The W205 generation is where the volume is; the W206 is still close to new prices in Japan.
The two things that decide the sum are familiar from the 320d: the duty, which no paperwork removes, and the CO2 figure, which on the older W205 is an NEDC number that Revenue uplifts before banding. The C220d adds the NOx question and answers it, because the German certificate of conformity carries the figure.
- Customs duty
- 10%
- Built in Germany, so the EU–Japan rate does not apply.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 20% to 25%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €20,141 to €33,040
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 135, 148, 160 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 135–160 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 W205 C180 Avantgarde, 55,000 kmPetrol | ¥1,600,000 | €19,000 | 123 NEDC → 148 → band 16, 25% | €21,333 | €20,141–€22,183 | Open |
| 2018 W205 C200 Sports, 45,000 kmPetrol | ¥2,300,000 | €26,000 | 148 → band 16, 25% | €28,363 | €26,868–€29,663 | Open |
| 2019 W205 C220d Avantgarde, 40,000 kmdiesel | ¥2,600,000 | €29,000 | 138 → band 14, 20% | €30,140 | €29,922–€33,040 | Open |
- 2016 W205 C180 Avantgarde, 55,000 km: NEDC 123 g/km uplifted by Revenue to about 148; value from Irish 2016 C180 listings.
- 2018 W205 C200 Sports, 45,000 km: The 1.5 EQ Boost car with a WLTP figure of about 148 g/km; value from Irish 2018 listings.
- 2019 W205 C220d Avantgarde, 40,000 km: WLTP 138 g/km and NOx 45 mg/km from the certificate of conformity; value from the Irish 2019 C220d cluster.
VRT and the OMSP
A C-Class bands between about 20% and 25% depending on engine and era: the C220d at 138 g/km is band 14 at 20%, the C200 at 148 g/km band 16 at 25%, and an uplifted W205 C180 lands at 25% too. The difference between 20% and 25% on a €29,000 valuation is €1,450.
Revenue values C-Classes every week, so the OMSP is well established and the estimate range narrow; Avantgarde and AMG Line trims lift it.
NOx levy
The C220d certifies at roughly 40 to 60 mg/km, a levy of about €200 to €500 with the certificate of conformity figure and €4,850 without it. The petrol C180 and C200 certify low and pay around €100.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Built in Bremen, Germany, so the EU–Japan 0% rate does not apply however long the car lived in Japan: 10% customs duty is payable on the customs value, and import VAT is charged on the duty as well as the car. No document from the exporter changes this.
Built in: Germany (Mercedes-Benz Bremen) for Japanese-market cars, with some built in East London, South Africa. Neither qualifies for the EU–Japan 0% rate; 10% duty is payable.
Insurance
As mainstream as a car gets for Irish insurers. Check the headlight setting and that the speedometer reads in km/h, both of which Japanese-market cars already satisfy, and expect no import questions beyond the usual.
Generations
- W205 saloon and S205 estate (2014 to 2021): C180 with the 1.6 turbo, C200 with the 2.0 and from 2018 the 1.5 with EQ Boost, C220d with the 2.1 and later 2.0 diesel, plus the C43 and C63 AMGs.
- W206 (2021 on): mild-hybrid throughout, C200 and C220d, with WLTP figures in the 130s and 140s. Dear in Japan still.
Before you bid
- Duty is 10% and VAT is charged on it; both are in the calculator, neither is negotiable.
- The C220d needs its NOx figure from the certificate of conformity before the NCTS, not after.
- Japanese city mileage on a diesel means short trips: check the particulate filter and AdBlue history.
- Japanese navigation and radio bands; budget a head-unit swap or a band expander.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- Japanese used prices in 2026 for a 2016 W205 C180 ran roughly ¥1,400,000 to ¥1,900,000, a 2018 C200 ¥2,000,000 to ¥2,600,000, and a 2019 C220d ¥2,300,000 to ¥2,900,000 (research assumption from exporter listings; directional).
- Irish-registered 2019 C220d saloons listed around the low thirties of thousands of euro in 2026, with 2016 C180s in the high teens (research assumption from classifieds; directional).
- European certificates of conformity exist for every variant, so the CO2 and NOx evidence is a document to obtain rather than a disclosure to buy.
Questions people ask
Why does a C-Class from Japan pay customs duty?
Because it was built in Bremen or South Africa, and duty follows the factory. The EU–Japan agreement’s 0% rate covers Japanese-origin goods only; 10% of the customs value is charged, with VAT on top.
What VRT band is a C220d?
Band 14 at 20% on a WLTP figure of about 138 g/km, applied to Revenue’s Irish valuation. On a €29,000 value that is €5,800.
Is the diesel worth the NOx trouble?
With the figure from the certificate of conformity the levy is a few hundred euro, and the C220d is the car Irish buyers want. Without a route to the figure it is a €4,850 problem; get the document before you bid.
Is a Japan-sourced C-Class cheaper than an Irish one?
Usually, after duty, VAT and shipping, and the car will have less mileage. Compare the calculator’s landed figure with the Irish price for the same year and trim, not with the UK price.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real C-Class
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.