Suzuki Carry Import to USA: 2026 Kei Truck Cost Guide
The Suzuki Carry is the kei truck America fell for — a 660cc cabover workhorse that clears customs the moment it turns 25.
A Suzuki Carry costs about $15,085 all-in to import on the Japan → USA route in 2026 — a $7,000 purchase plus roughly $8,085 in shipping, 25% duty, compliance and registration.
- Route
- Japan → USA
- Est. all-in cost
- ~$15,085
- Duty & tax
- 25% duty
- On a purchase of
- $7,000
The Carry is the default answer when someone asks which kei truck to import: it has the deepest US parts network, the strongest resale, and the widest year spread now eligible under the 25-year rule, so a mid-1990s DD51T or DA52T is fair game in 2026.
Buyers love it for what it does that a full-size truck can't — a sub-11-foot footprint, selectable 4WD with a granny-low crawler gear, and a flat dump bed that hauls firewood, feed, or a hunting quad down trails a Tacoma won't fit.
Suzuki has built the Carry since 1961, and the truck earned its reputation the hard way — as the vehicle Japanese farmers, tradesmen, and mountain villages actually relied on. The kei-class formula keeps it under 11 feet long with a 660cc three-cylinder mounted under the bed, yet the cabover layout gives it a bed nearly as long as the whole truck. That combination of a tiny footprint, real payload, and available part-time 4WD with an ultra-low crawler gear is why it crosses over so well to American farms, ranches, and trailheads.
On the used market the Carry commands a premium over rarer kei trucks precisely because it is common — parts, filters, and clutch kits are easy to source, and resale stays firm. Focus on the DD51T and later DA52T/DB52T generations now clearing 25 years. When inspecting, look hard at frame and bed-floor rust from a life of wet cargo, check the timing chain and clutch on the F6A and K6A engines, and confirm the 4WD actually engages. Highway-gear (Hi/Lo) trucks and genuine low-mileage examples fetch more, and a clean deregistration export certificate matters.
The import itself is straightforward but front-loaded with the duty surprise. You buy at Japanese auction or through an exporter, pay ocean freight (usually RoRo or shared container to a West Coast port), then clear Customs where the 25% chicken tax lands on value plus freight. Budget for a customs broker, port and delivery charges, and any state-specific hurdle — some states quietly refuse to title kei trucks for road use, restricting them to off-road or farm plates. Confirm your state's rules and your duty math before you bid, not after the truck is floating.
How much does it cost to import a Suzuki Carry?
Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $7,000 purchase price, add marine insurance at about 1.5% and ocean freight, then 25% 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) | $7,000 |
| Export agent & auction fees | $1,200 |
| Ocean freight | $2,400 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $105 |
| Kei cargo trucks are light trucks, so US Customs applies the 25% "chicken tax" — the 25-year rule waives safety and emissions, not duty | $1,750 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $830 |
| EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork | $300 |
| Inland transport & registration | $1,500 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $15,085 |
Into USA the duty is light, just $1,750, so tax is the small part of the bill. It is shipping (about $2,400), compliance and registration that make up most of the roughly $8,085 you add on top of the $7,000 purchase price — around 116% before you turn a wheel.
How to import a Suzuki Carry, 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 25% 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 Suzuki Carry legal to import? Rules & compliance
Any Carry over 25 years old from its month of manufacture is exempt from FMVSS and EPA standards, so it enters on EPA Form 3520-1 (exemption code E) and DOT Form HS-7 (box 1) without modification. Crucially, that 25-year rule waives only the safety and emissions requirements — it does not touch the tariff. Because the Carry is a cargo-bed light truck, US Customs classifies it as a motor vehicle for the transport of goods, which carries the 25% "chicken tax" duty rather than the 2.5% rate applied to passenger cars and vans. That single classification is the biggest line item most first-time buyers overlook.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Suzuki Carry legal to import to the USA?+
Yes, once the specific truck is at least 25 years old counting from its month of manufacture, it qualifies for the federal exemption and enters on EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT HS-7 without meeting FMVSS or emissions standards. Federal legality is settled; the real variable is your state — a handful restrict kei trucks from on-road titling or registration, so confirm your DMV's stance before you buy.
How much duty do you pay on a Suzuki Carry?+
Because the Carry has a cargo bed, Customs treats it as a goods-transport vehicle and applies the 25% chicken-tax duty on the declared value plus freight — not the 2.5% car rate. The 25-year rule exempts it from safety and emissions rules but never from that duty, so budget the full 25%.
What is the total estimated cost to import a Suzuki Carry?+
About $15,085 all-in for a $7,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $8,085 in freight, insurance, duty, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.
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