How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?

Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.

Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?

Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.

Why can't you date a car built before 2015?

JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.

A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.

What year was my Japanese car built?

Japan’s carmakers publish the chassis number ranges every model was built with each year. Enter a chassis (frame) number, such as AGH30-0250000, to see which year’s range it falls in.

That’s a chassis code without its serial. Here are the ranges JAMA lists for DJ5FS; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

DJ5FS · 3DA-DJ5FS, LDA-DJ5FS · Mazda
Built	Chassis numbers
2015	DJ5FS-114471 to 147029
2016	DJ5FS-147030 to 161368DJ5FS-300007 to 303537
2017	DJ5FS-303538 to 312050DJ5FS-500003 to 501745DJ5FS-501747 to 501765
2018	DJ5FS-501746 to 501746DJ5FS-501766 to 509446DJ5FS-509448 to 509457DJ5FS-509459 to 509579
2019	DJ5FS-509447 to 509447DJ5FS-509458 to 509458DJ5FS-509580 to 512681DJ5FS-600003 to 602004
2020	DJ5FS-602005 to 605302
2021	DJ5FS-605303 to 606248DJ5FS-650002 to 651250DJ5FS-651252 to 651254
2022	DJ5FS-651251 to 651251DJ5FS-651255 to 653700DJ5FS-653702 to 653728
2023	DJ5FS-653701 to 653701DJ5FS-653729 to 653973DJ5FS-700001 to 702065DJ5FS-750001 to 750301DJ5FS-750303 to 750309
2024	DJ5FS-702066 to 702526DJ5FS-750302 to 750302DJ5FS-750310 to 753042

From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.

To compare it with the car’s UK records, run a free check with its registration: we flag a UK year that comes before the build year. The chassis decoder shows what else the number says.

What the lists cover

Cars built in Japan from 2015 to 2025 by Toyota and Lexus, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi: 1,182 chassis codes, including cars built for another brand, such as the Toyota 86 that Subaru builds. Lorries and motorcycles are left out. Cars built before 2015, and cars built outside Japan, aren’t in the lists.

Source: the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表, 2015 to 2025, published by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association for garages and inspection stations. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year, and update them each year when the new list comes out.

Model guides with build years by chassis number

Questions

How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?: Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.
Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?: Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.
Why can't you date a car built before 2015?: JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.
How accurate is it?: A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.