How much does it cost to import a US car into Kazakhstan in 2026?

Duty of 15% of the customs value, VAT of 16% on value plus duty, a customs processing fee of 6 MRP (25,950 tenge), a recycling fee of 50 to 250 MRP by engine size, and a first-registration fee: 0.25 MRP for a car under a year old, 50 MRP from one to three years, and 500 MRP (2,162,500 tenge) beyond three years.

Why is a car over three years old so much more expensive to bring in?

Because of the first-registration fee: 50 MRP (216,250 tenge) for a car one to three years old, but 500 MRP (2,162,500 tenge) beyond three years. The charge does not depend on the car’s price.

Which cars cannot be registered in Kazakhstan?

Right-hand-drive cars, and any car below the Euro 4 emissions class or lacking ABS, a driver’s airbag, ISOFIX mounts, daytime running lights or an emergency-call button.

Are there concessions for electric vehicles?

Yes: the import duty for electric vehicles and series hybrids is 0%, and the recycling fee is the minimum 50 MRP. VAT and the first-registration fee apply as usual.

Importing a US car to Kazakhstan in 2026: 15% duty, 16% VAT, the recycling fee and the 500 MRP registration

What importing a US auction car into Kazakhstan costs in 2026: 15% duty, 16% VAT, a recycling fee by engine size, a first-registration fee of up to 500 MRP for cars over three years old, the technical requirements and a worked example.

September 19, 2026·3 min read

A $3,000 hatchback and $30,000 sedan share the same 500 MRP first-registration charge in the article’s over-three-years example.

The budget for a US car bound for Kazakhstan splits into two parts that behave differently. The first — duty and VAT — scales with value, so it is small on a cheap lot. The second — the recycling fee and first registration — is fixed in MRP and on a cheap lot can exceed the price of the car itself.

It is the second part that decides which lots make sense at all. Below, every charge at 2026 rates (MRP = 4,325 tenge).

What the import bill consists of

Charge	2026 rate	Base
Import duty	15% (for cars over 7 years old, not less than 0.5–0.6 euro per cm³)	Customs value: price + delivery + insurance
VAT	16% (since 1 January 2026)	Customs value + duty
Customs processing fee	6 MRP = 25,950 tenge	Fixed
Excise	100 tenge per cm³ — engines over 3,000 cm³ only	Engine size
Recycling fee	50–250 MRP	Engine size
First registration	0.25 / 50 / 500 MRP	Age of the car

Electric vehicles and series (EREV) hybrids carry 0% duty.

The fixed charges: recycling fee and registration

Recycling fee	MRP	Tenge
Up to 1,000 cm³ and electric vehicles	50	216,250
1,001–2,000 cm³	100	432,500
2,001–3,000 cm³	150	648,750
Over 3,000 cm³	250	1,081,250

First registration	MRP	Tenge
Car under 1 year old	0.25	1,081
1 to 3 years	50	216,250
Over 3 years	500	2,162,500

The three-year line is the most expensive one in the whole budget.

Example: a Camry 2.5 with a $12,000 customs value

	2021 (5 years)	2024 (2 years)
Duty 15%	$1,800	$1,800
VAT 16%	$2,208	$2,208
Customs fee	25,950 tenge	25,950 tenge
Recycling fee (2,001–3,000 cm³)	648,750 tenge	648,750 tenge
First registration	2,162,500 tenge	216,250 tenge
Fixed charges, total	2,837,200 tenge	890,950 tenge

At roughly 520 tenge to the dollar the fixed part is about $5,460 versus $1,710. The customs value is held equal to isolate the effect of age.

All in, about $9,500 for the five-year-old car — nearly 80% of its customs value. For the two-year-old one, about $5,700.

Technical requirements

Only cars with left-hand drive, an emissions class of Euro 4 or better, ABS, at least a driver’s airbag, ISOFIX mounts, daytime running lights and an emergency-call (SOS) button pass first registration.

The last item matters for US cars: no such device is fitted for the American market, so its installation and conformity confirmation need to be in the budget from the start.

What this changes in your bid

Age first, price second. A lot under three years old saves about 1.95 million tenge on registration.
Cheap old lots do not work: the fixed charges do not shrink with the price.
Engines over 3.0 L add both the 250 MRP recycling fee and excise of 100 tenge per cm³.
Electric vehicles: 0% duty and the lowest recycling fee — but VAT and registration still apply.
Delivery is part of the customs value, so duty and VAT are charged on it too. The route usually runs through Poti in transit.
Auction fees — get the exact amount from a lot number, and check the title before you bid.

Price the Copart and IAAI fees from a lot number and check whether a car with that title can be exported — free, no account needed.

Calculate auction fees

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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