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 TRH200; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

TRH200 · 3BF-TRH200K, 3BF-TRH200M, 3BF-TRH200V, CBF-TRH200K, CBF-TRH200M, CBF-TRH200V · Mazda, Toyota
Built	Chassis numbers
2015	TRH200-0212804 to 0235023TRH200-5022690 to 5026485
2016	TRH200-0235024 to 0255613TRH200-5026486 to 5030351
2017	TRH200-0255614 to 0275615TRH200-5030352 to 5034125
2018	TRH200-0275616 to 0293573TRH200-5034126 to 5037744
2019	TRH200-0293574 to 0315337TRH200-5037745 to 5042446TRH200-9000000 to 9000349
2020	TRH200-0315338 to 0333831TRH200-5042447 to 5045532TRH200-9000350 to 9000813
2021	TRH200-0333810 to 0353483TRH200-5045528 to 5050297TRH200-9000814 to 9000998
2022	TRH200-0353065 to 0369156TRH200-5050206 to 5057335TRH200-9000999 to 9001170
2023	TRH200-0369137 to 0382968TRH200-5057310 to 5064615TRH200-9001171 to 9001399
2024	TRH200-0382923 to 0391481TRH200-5064548 to 5066223TRH200-9001400 to 9001543
2025	TRH200-0391482 to 0412283TRH200-5066224 to 5068783TRH200-9001544 to 9001720

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.