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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
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