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 GK3; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

GK3 · 3BA-GK3, DBA-GK3 · Honda, Subaru
Built	Chassis numbers
2015	GK3-1111651 to 1122200GK3-1200001 to 1212445GK3-3210721 to 3215113GK3-3300001 to 3301310GK3-4300001 to 4302434GK3-5200029 to 5200087GK3-5300001 to 5300022
2016	GK3-0002004 to 0002106GK3-1212446 to 1240543GK3-3301311 to 3313054GK3-3400001 to 3400011GK3-4302435 to 4303915GK3-5300023 to 5300100
2017	GK3-0002001 to 0002003GK3-0002107 to 0003092GK3-0004001 to 0004241GK3-1240544 to 1249345GK3-1300001 to 1315527GK3-3313055 to 3323666GK3-3400012 to 3406856GK3-5300101 to 5300120GK3-5400001 to 5400060
2018	GK3-0004242 to 0004981GK3-0006501 to 0006591GK3-1315528 to 1345934GK3-3406857 to 3412777GK3-5400061 to 5400092GK3-8300001 to 8300041GK3-9300001 to 9300629
2019	GK3-0006592 to 0007337GK3-0007901 to 0007953GK3-1345935 to 1355265GK3-3412778 to 3436922GK3-5400093 to 5400097GK3-8300042 to 8300076GK3-9300630 to 9300809
2020	GK3-0007954 to 0008422GK3-0008701 to 0008848
2021	GK3-0008849 to 0009288
2022	GK3-0009289 to 0009320GK3-0009501 to 0009501GK3-0009519 to 0010010
2023	GK3-0010011 to 0010103

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.