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 HA36S; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

HA36S · 3BA-HA36S, 4BA-HA36S, 5BA-HA36S, DBA-HA36S · Suzuki
Built	Chassis numbers
2015	HA36S-100027 to 104122HA36S-207947 to 268846HA36S-860042 to 872794
2016	HA36S-104123 to 107402HA36S-268847 to 314738HA36S-350001 to 350026HA36S-872795 to 887596
2017	HA36S-107403 to 110886HA36S-314739 to 343736HA36S-350027 to 350043HA36S-351001 to 372789HA36S-887597 to 895012HA36S-910002 to 910005
2018	HA36S-110887 to 113430HA36S-120001 to 120336HA36S-372790 to 404526HA36S-500001 to 504340HA36S-895013 to 900136HA36S-910006 to 910479
2019	HA36S-120337 to 123304HA36S-504341 to 542694HA36S-910480 to 915434
2020	HA36S-123283 to 124895HA36S-130001 to 130741HA36S-541059 to 541059HA36S-542378 to 542378HA36S-542495 to 565511HA36S-600001 to 608878HA36S-915250 to 915259HA36S-915399 to 917986HA36S-930001 to 931413
2021	HA36S-130742 to 132606HA36S-608879 to 633616HA36S-931414 to 934918

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.