Honda Integra Type R DC5 Import to USA: 2026 Cost Guide
The K20-powered DC5 Integra Type R was Japan-only for its entire life, and in 2026 the earliest cars finally cross the 25-year line for legal US import.
A Honda Integra Type R (DC5) costs about $37,630 all-in to import on the Japan → USA route in 2026 — a $30,000 purchase plus roughly $7,630 in shipping, 2.5% duty, compliance and registration.
- Route
- Japan → USA
- Est. all-in cost
- ~$37,630
- Duty & tax
- 2.5% duty
- On a purchase of
- $30,000
This is the Type R America never got: a high-compression K20A spinning to an 8,400-rpm ceiling, a close-ratio six-speed, four-piston Brembo front brakes and Recaro buckets — hardware the US-market Acura RSX Type-S never received in full.
Because the JDM car launched in July 2001, only the first-year DC5s reach 25 years old in 2026, so early buyers are chasing a genuinely thin pool of eligible, unmodified examples with honest paperwork.
Honda built the DC5 Integra Type R to succeed the beloved DC2, and it did so by swapping the screaming B18C for the K20A — a 2.0-liter i-VTEC four making around 220 PS at 8,000 rpm with an 8,400-rpm ceiling. Hand-assembled engines, a close-ratio six-speed, four-piston Brembo front brakes, Recaro seats and extra chassis bracing separated it from the softer Acura RSX. Purists argue over which Integra Type R is best, but the DC5's engine sits at the top of the range.
Clean, unmolested DC5 Type Rs are getting scarce, and Japanese auction prices have climbed as honest-title cars thin out. Look hard for K20A swaps dressed up as originals, accident-repaired shells, and corrosion in the rear arches and battery tray — Japanese cars aren't immune to rust. Confirm the DC5 chassis code and the true high-compression K20A, not the lower-output K20A2 from the US RSX. Documented service history, an intact diff and original Recaros all add real money.
Sourcing usually runs through a Japanese exporter or auction agent, then container or roll-on/roll-off shipping to a US port, followed by customs entry with the HS-7 and 3520-1 forms. Plan for the auction fee, domestic Japanese transport, ocean freight, marine insurance, the 2.5% duty, plus stateside brokerage and port charges. The classic traps: a build date that misses the 25-year cutoff by a month, state title and registration rules that vary widely, and prior modifications that muddy a clean entry.
How much does it cost to import a Honda Integra Type R (DC5)?
Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $30,000 purchase price, add marine insurance at about 1.5% and ocean freight, then 2.5% US duty on the declared value, and the broker, compliance and registration fees. Change the purchase price and everything else scales only modestly.
| Vehicle (purchase price) | $30,000 |
| Export agent & auction fees | $1,200 |
| Ocean freight | $2,600 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $450 |
| The standard US passenger-car import duty is 2.5% of declared value | $750 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $830 |
| EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork | $300 |
| Inland transport & registration | $1,500 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $37,630 |
Into USA the duty is light, just $750, so tax is the small part of the bill. It is shipping (about $2,600), compliance and registration that make up most of the roughly $7,630 you add on top of the $30,000 purchase price — around 25% before you turn a wheel.
How to import a Honda Integra Type R (DC5), step by step
- Agree the purchase and secure the title/export paperwork in Japan (an export agent or auction house usually handles de-registration).
- Book ocean freight — roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) is cheapest, a sole-use container is safest for a high-value car.
- Confirm eligibility from the build month — the US 25-year DOT exemption is calculated month by month, not by model year.
- Clear US customs and pay the 2.5% duty, then file EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 at entry.
- Arrange inland transport, then title and register in your state — a few states add emissions or kei-vehicle checks.
Is a Honda Integra Type R (DC5) legal to import? Rules & compliance
As a 2001 passenger car, the DC5 rides the 25-year rule: file DOT form HS-7 declaring the FMVSS exemption for vehicles 25 or more years old, and it enters without any federal safety modification. EPA is cleared on form 3520-1 under the exemption for vehicles at least 21 years old, so no emissions retrofitting is required. Duty matters here — a passenger car carries the standard 2.5% import rate, not the 25% "chicken tax" reserved for cargo trucks and kei haulers. Because eligibility runs by build month, confirm the specific car's manufacture date against the 25-year cutoff before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Honda Integra Type R DC5 legal to import to the USA?+
Yes, once a specific car turns 25. JDM DC5s built from 2001 qualify starting in 2026 on a rolling, build-month basis, entering under the FMVSS 25-year exemption and EPA's 21-year rule — no federalizing needed.
How much import duty does a DC5 Integra Type R pay?+
As a passenger car it's dutied at 2.5% of the declared value, not the 25% chicken tax. Only cargo trucks face that rate, so keep the vehicle correctly classified as a passenger car on your entry paperwork.
What is the total estimated cost to import a Honda Integra Type R (DC5)?+
About $37,630 all-in for a $30,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $7,630 in freight, insurance, duty, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.
Read next
Importing a Nissan Skyline R34 to the USA: the true 2026 cost
Importing a Toyota Supra MK4 (A80) to the USA in 2026
