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 MK53S; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

MK53S · 4AA-MK53S, 5AA-MK53S, DAA-MK53S · Mazda, Suzuki
Built	Chassis numbers
2017	MK53S-100001 to 107450MK53S-478001 to 478017MK53S-550001 to 554989MK53S-820001 to 822438
2018	MK53S-107451 to 181813MK53S-554990 to 602695MK53S-822439 to 853209
2019	MK53S-181814 to 251777MK53S-602696 to 662198MK53S-853210 to 890294
2020	MK53S-248621 to 248702MK53S-251139 to 251139MK53S-251461 to 285757MK53S-310001 to 339700MK53S-659689 to 659750MK53S-661119 to 661119MK53S-661882 to 689440MK53S-710001 to 734996MK53S-888844 to 888856MK53S-889605 to 889605MK53S-890009 to 890009MK53S-890093 to 904876MK53S-920001 to 935771
2021	MK53S-339701 to 390070MK53S-403001 to 405278MK53S-734997 to 775052MK53S-784001 to 785877MK53S-935772 to 956594MK53S-962001 to 963027
2022	MK53S-405279 to 446423MK53S-479001 to 490763MK53S-785878 to 813117MK53S-963028 to 984421
2023	MK53S-000001 to 027211MK53S-060001 to 071158MK53S-446424 to 464560MK53S-490764 to 529274MK53S-984422 to 992617

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.