Tanzania Car Age & Excise Tier Calculator
Find the excise duty tier for an imported vehicle by year of manufacture under Tanzania TRA rules.
How vehicle age affects Tanzania import duty
Beyond the standard 25% import duty, Tanzania charges an additional excise duty based on the age of an imported vehicle to discourage very old imports. The rule is simple but the impact is huge — a 10+ year vehicle pays 20% extra on top of all other taxes.
The age bands
- Under 8 years from year of manufacture — 0% excise. Best band for cost.
- 8–10 years — 10% excise.
- Over 10 years — 20% excise.
Engine displacement bands
Larger engines also attract higher excise in selected categories:
- ≤ 1000 cc — base rate.
- 1001–2000 cc — base rate (most popular Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans).
- 2001–3000 cc — additional 5% in some bands.
- > 3000 cc — luxury / SUV bands; up to 30% combined excise.
Sweet-spot vehicles
The most cost-efficient imports for Tanzania are typically 5–7 year old, 1500–2000 cc Japanese sedans (Toyota Corolla, Premio, Allion; Honda Civic; Nissan Tiida) — they avoid age excise, fall in the standard engine band, and have a strong used-parts ecosystem in Tanzania.
Pair with the Vehicle Import Duty Calculator to compute the full landed cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tanzania Car Age & Excise Tier Calculator free?
Are the figures up to date for 2026?
Can I use this on mobile?
Where do the formulas come from?
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