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 DKLFY; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

DKLFY · 5BA-DKLFY · Mazda
Built	Chassis numbers
2022	DKLFY-500201 to 502785
2023	DKLFY-502786 to 507253
2024	DKLFY-840201 to 845649DKLFY-845651 to 845656DKLFY-845658 to 845710DKLFY-845712 to 845823DKLFY-845825 to 845976DKLFY-845978 to 845986DKLFY-845988 to 846121DKLFY-846123 to 846132DKLFY-846134 to 846177
2025	DKLFY-845650 to 845650DKLFY-845657 to 845657DKLFY-845711 to 845711DKLFY-845824 to 845824DKLFY-845977 to 845977DKLFY-845987 to 845987DKLFY-846122 to 846122DKLFY-846133 to 846133DKLFY-846178 to 850210DKLFY-850212 to 850511DKLFY-850513 to 851189DKLFY-851191 to 851213DKLFY-851215 to 851215DKLFY-851217 to 851218DKLFY-851220 to 851236DKLFY-851238 to 851243DKLFY-851245 to 851249DKLFY-851251 to 851255DKLFY-851257 to 851260DKLFY-851262 to 851265DKLFY-851267 to 851270DKLFY-851272 to 851273DKLFY-851275 to 851285DKLFY-851287 to 851289DKLFY-851291 to 851304DKLFY-851307 to 851320DKLFY-851322 to 851330DKLFY-851333 to 851350DKLFY-851352 to 851367DKLFY-851369 to 851384DKLFY-851386 to 851405DKLFY-851407 to 851424DKLFY-851426 to 851428DKLFY-851430 to 851435DKLFY-851437 to 851437DKLFY-851439 to 851440DKLFY-851442 to 851442DKLFY-851444 to 851452DKLFY-851454 to 851455DKLFY-851457 to 851462DKLFY-851464 to 851491DKLFY-851493 to 851496DKLFY-851498 to 851505DKLFY-851507 to 851508DKLFY-851510 to 851511DKLFY-851513 to 851513DKLFY-851515 to 851515DKLFY-851518 to 851531DKLFY-851534 to 851535DKLFY-851537 to 851539DKLFY-851541 to 851546DKLFY-851548 to 851551DKLFY-851553 to 851561DKLFY-851563 to 851563DKLFY-851565 to 851568DKLFY-851570 to 851574DKLFY-851577 to 851577DKLFY-851579 to 851581DKLFY-851583 to 851583DKLFY-851586 to 851593DKLFY-851595 to 851603DKLFY-851605 to 851611DKLFY-851613 to 851613DKLFY-851616 to 851617DKLFY-851619 to 851628

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.