Japan Export Certificate: How to Read the Numbers on the Form
Updated: 2026-10-06
When a used car leaves Japan, the owner must get an official document with the English title “Export Certificate”. This guide explains how to read a Japan Export Certificate, field by field. It is written for repair shops and parts dealers in importing countries, and for exporters who prepare the paperwork. The most useful part of the form for repair work is a pair of numbers: the Specification No. (型式指定番号) and the Classification No. (類別区分番号). With these two numbers you can identify the exact Japanese-market variant of the car.
What the Japan Export Certificate is
Under the Road Transport Vehicle Act (道路運送車両法), the owner of a registered car who wants to export it must apply for temporary deregistration for export and receive a certificate. The certificate states that the car is scheduled for export. It is valid until the scheduled export date. When the car is exported, customs checks that the certificate exists, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) asks customs to confirm the export.
There are two kinds of certificate, and both carry the same English title, “Export Certificate”. This can cause confusion, so it helps to know the Japanese names.
| Japanese name | When it is issued | Form |
|---|---|---|
| 輸出抹消仮登録証明書 (Certificate of temporary deregistration for export) | A registered car is exported directly | Form No. 12 |
| 輸出予定届出証明書 (Certificate of notification of scheduled export) | A car that was already temporarily deregistered (一時抹消登録) is exported | Form No. 13 |
| 輸出予定届出証明書 for light vehicles (軽自動車) | A light vehicle (kei car) is exported | Light Vehicle Form No. 7 |
All three forms are set by a ministerial ordinance on application forms for vehicle registration and inspection. The forms print each field in Japanese and English. The issuer is the head of the District Transport Bureau or the Transport Branch Office of MLIT.
Fields on the Japan Export Certificate
The table below lists the main fields as they appear on the official forms. The English words are the words printed on the form itself. When you talk with an exporter in Japan, use these words. They match the paper in your hand.
| Japanese | English on the form | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 型式指定番号 | Specification No. | Number given when MLIT designated the vehicle type. Key for parts and specs lookup. |
| 類別区分番号 | Classification No. | Number for the variant inside that type. Use it together with the Specification No. |
| 車台番号 | Maker’s serial number | The chassis (frame) number stamped on the car. Check it against the car. |
| 型式 | Model | The model code, for example CBA-R35 in an MLIT sample. |
| 原動機の型式 | Engine Model | The engine type code. |
| 初度登録年月 | First Reg. Date | Year and month of first registration in Japan. Light vehicles show First Grant Date. |
| 車名 | Trademark of the maker of the vehicle | The make, such as the manufacturer’s brand. |
| 自動車登録番号 | Registration No. | The Japanese registration number. Light vehicles show Motor vehicle number. |
| 総排気量又は定格出力 / 燃料の種類 | Engine Capacity / Classification of Fuel | Displacement (L) or rated output (kW), and fuel type. |
| 長さ・幅・高さ | Length, Width, Height | Body dimensions in cm. |
| 車両重量 / 車両総重量 | Weight / G/Weight | Vehicle weight and gross vehicle weight. |
| 前前軸重 など | FF, FR, RF, RR Weight | Axle weights. |
| 輸出予定日 | Export scheduled day | Scheduled export date. The certificate is valid until this date. |
The form also has fields for the owner and user, the place of use, the vehicle classification, use, purpose, body type, seating capacity and maximum load. These matter for the export process. For repair and parts work, the first five rows of the table are the most important.
Specification No. and Classification No. on the export certificate
Japan has a type designation system (型式指定制度). MLIT tests a vehicle type, for example with brake tests, and also checks the maker’s quality control. If the type passes, MLIT designates it. Cars of a designated type do not need to be brought in for the first inspection. This system is mainly used for passenger cars built in large numbers.
When MLIT designates a type, it publishes the designation number, the vehicle name and the model. This designation number is the Specification No. (型式指定番号).
One designated type can include several variants. They can differ in equipment or other details that MLIT’s rules for judging the same type allow. The Classification No. (類別区分番号) separates these variants. The rules for this number are:
- It is a 4-digit number. For the time being, 3 digits are also allowed.
- A different variant within the type gets a different number.
- The same number is not used twice within one type.
- If the vehicle name, model or engine model name changes, the number changes.
So the Specification No. points to the designated type, and the Classification No. points to one variant inside it. Together they identify the exact Japanese-market variant. In an MLIT sample record, the values are shown as Specification No. 15965 and Classification No. 0001. When you write the numbers down, keep the leading zeros of the Classification No.
Model names are used across many years and versions. The model code on the form, such as CBA-R35, narrows it down, but it can still cover several variants. The Specification No. plus Classification No. is the pair that the Japanese system uses to tell those variants apart. Carise’s parts and specs searches also use this pair.
When the export certificate has no Specification No.
Not every car has these two numbers. They exist only for type-designated vehicles. MLIT calls other cars “general vehicles” (一般車). In MLIT’s definition of the data in the inspection certificate’s 2D code, the combined Specification No. and Classification No. field is not set for general vehicles.
Because type designation is mainly used for mass-produced passenger cars, a car outside that system can include some imported cars and some low-volume vehicles. For such a car, you cannot look up parts or specs by these numbers. Use the model code, the maker and the model name instead, and confirm details with the seller.
For a vehicle that was not type-designated, these two fields may be blank. In that case, identify the car by the model code, the maker and the model name, and confirm details with the seller.
How to check the export certificate against the car
Before you use any number for parts or quotations, check that the paper and the car match. A simple order of checks is:
- Compare the Maker’s serial number on the certificate with the number stamped on the car. Japanese rules require the stamp on a main part of the body, such as the frame or the cowl top panel.
- Compare the Model and Engine Model with the car and the engine.
- Read the First Reg. Date. It tells you when the car was first registered in Japan.
- Copy the Specification No. and Classification No. exactly, digit by digit.
- Keep a copy of the certificate with your job record.
Mistakes can happen even in official records. In March 2022, MLIT announced that the height and the Classification No. were printed wrongly on inspection certificates for about 270 Toyota cars of three designated types. If a lookup result does not match the car in front of you, check the numbers again before you order parts.
The chassis number format is explained in our guide on Japanese chassis number check. Most Japanese domestic cars use a chassis number in “model-serial” form, not a 17-character VIN. That is one more reason why the two numbers on the Export Certificate are useful.
Who uses the export certificate numbers
Japan exports a large number of used cars. According to a JETRO report based on the Ministry of Finance’s trade statistics, Japan exported about 1.49 million used passenger cars in 2025. The UAE was the largest destination with about 220,000 cars, followed by Russia, Tanzania, Chile and Kenya. Many of these cars are later serviced by local repair shops, so the numbers on the certificate are useful far from Japan.
| Reader | Typical use of the numbers |
|---|---|
| Repair shop in an importing country | Identify the exact variant before ordering parts or quoting a job |
| Parts dealer | Check which part fits the Japanese-market variant |
| Exporter in Japan | Confirm the variant and its specifications for your own inspection and preparation work |
How Carise helps
Carise (https://www.j-carnet.net/) is a data search system for the automotive industry. It is operated by JAPANCARNET CO., LTD. (日本カーネット株式会社) in Tokyo. Two of its search categories use the numbers on the Export Certificate. On the Carise English page, the Specification No. is called the “model designation” number, and the Classification No. is called the “category classification number”. They are the same numbers.
| Carise search | What you enter | Notes from the Carise page |
|---|---|---|
| Genuine Parts Price Search | Specification No. + Classification No. | Covers parts related to the statutory vehicle inspection (shaken). ¥4,000 / month excl. tax. |
| Specifications Search | Specification No. + Classification No., or maker / model name | Specifications Search Data + Service Data. |
| Labor-Time Search | Vehicle information or work category | Standard labor-time schedule (work points). ¥10,000 / year excl. tax. |
For details, read our guides on genuine parts prices for Japanese cars, Japanese car specs by model and standard labor time in Japan.
Please note these conditions before you apply:
- Carise screens are in Japanese only. Use your browser’s translation feature.
- Contracts are only for companies in auto-related businesses, such as repair shops, body and paint shops, car dealers and gas stations.
- You can try the service for up to two months.
- Phone support is in Japanese only.
- Payment is by credit card (Stripe).
- Use the data for your own repair, quotation and inspection work. The Terms of Use prohibit commercial use of the information obtained from the service, so do not resell or publish it.
To start, go to the Carise application form.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Export Certificate the same as the vehicle inspection certificate?
- No. The vehicle inspection certificate (自動車検査証, shaken certificate) is for a car used in Japan. The Export Certificate is issued when the car is deregistered for export. It is valid until the scheduled export date.
- Why do two different Japanese documents have the same English title?
- Both the certificate of temporary deregistration for export (輸出抹消仮登録証明書) and the certificate of notification of scheduled export (輸出予定届出証明書) are titled “Export Certificate” on the official forms. The second one is used when the car was already temporarily deregistered, and for light vehicles.
- What is the difference between Model and Specification No.?
- Model (型式) is the model code, such as CBA-R35. The Specification No. is the number MLIT gave when it designated the type. Together with the Classification No., it points to one variant.
- The Specification No. field is empty. What can I do?
- The car may not be type-designated. Search by maker and model name, use the model code, and confirm the details with the seller.
- Can I search Carise with the chassis number on the certificate?
- No. Carise does not search by chassis number. Use the Specification No. and Classification No., or the maker and model name.
Sources
- Road Transport Vehicle Act (道路運送車両法), Articles 15-2, 16, 69-2 (e-Gov)
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326AC0000000185 - Ordinance on forms for vehicle registration and inspection (自動車の登録及び検査に関する申請書等の様式等を定める省令), Forms No. 12, No. 13, Light Vehicle No. 7 (e-Gov)
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/345M50000800008 - Type Designation Regulations (自動車型式指定規則), Article 5 (e-Gov)
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326M50000800085 - MLIT: Vehicle type approval system (自動車の型式認証制度について)
https://www.mlit.go.jp/kisha/kisha05/09/090928/02.pdf - MLIT: Vehicle type approval procedures, attachments on chassis numbers and specification sheets
https://www.mlit.go.jp/notice/noticedata/pdf/20240110/3_20240105_buturyuzidousya03.pdf - MLIT: Electronic inspection certificate 2D code item definition
https://www.denshishakensho-portal.mlit.go.jp/assets/files/Two-dimensional_code_item_definition.pdf - MLIT press release, 4 March 2022 (errors in height and Classification No.)
https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/jidosha08_hh_004375.html - JETRO Business Short News, 3 February 2026 (used car exports in 2025)
https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2026/02/9c989b1359d1645f.html - Carise English page
https://www.j-carnet.net/wp01/en/
Checked on 6 October 2026. Figures and procedures may change; check the latest official information.
Carise is a data search system for businesses that repair, sell or export Japanese vehicles. Search genuine parts prices and specifications by model designation and category number. The screens are in Japanese; you can try it for up to two months.
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