Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan side by side: age caps, emission floors, duty structure and clearance routes.
Central Asia is not one market. It is five rulebooks that share a neighbourhood but not a customs system: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan sit inside the Eurasian Economic Union, while Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan set their own duty and conformity rules.
The table below puts all five on one page — age cap, emission floor, duty structure and the clearance route we use for each. Every line is drawn from the individual country guides we publish, so any figure can be traced back to its source.
The five Central Asian markets split into two customs systems. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are in the Eurasian Economic Union and apply one common external tariff with a 10-year used-vehicle age cap (Euro 4 and Euro 2 emission floors respectively). Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan set their own rules: Uzbekistan caps used cars at 7 years with a Euro 5 floor, Turkmenistan at 5 years with Euro 3, and Tajikistan bans anything older than model year 2013 with a Euro 4 floor. All five are left-hand-drive only. Duty ranges from a fixed US$25–100 per vehicle in Tajikistan to 15–40% plus per-cc charges in Uzbekistan.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan follow the EAEU common tariff; Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan set their own rates and conformity procedures.
Turkmenistan 5 years, Uzbekistan 7, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan 10; Tajikistan works by model year rather than age.
The minimum standard differs by up to three generations between neighbouring markets.
Every route is overland — via Khorgos, Karasu, the Caspian, or transit through neighbouring states.
| Country | Age cap | Emission floor | Duty & tax | Clearance route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | Up to 10 years | Euro 4 | EAEU common tariff; VAT 16% | Khorgos road port, Caspian port of Aktau, rail to Almaty |
| Uzbekistan | Up to 7 years (EVs: none) | Euro 5 | 15–40% + per-cc by age; VAT 12% | China–Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan overland; rail to Tashkent |
| Kyrgyzstan | Up to 10 years | Euro 2 | 10–15% under 3 years; per-cc above | Via Kazakhstan (Aktau) or rail to Bishkek |
| Tajikistan | Model year 2013 or newer | Euro 4 | Fixed, about US$25–100 per vehicle | Karasu road crossing (China–Tajikistan border) |
| Turkmenistan | Up to 5 years | Euro 3 | About 2%; VAT 15%; excise tax | Iran / Turkey overland or via the Caspian |
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, so they apply one common external tariff and one technical regulation, TR CU 018/2011 — an EAC certificate accepted in one is recognised in the other. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan each set their own rates and their own conformity procedures.
In practice this means a specification cleared for Kazakhstan may still need separate certification for Uzbekistan, and the duty calculation has to be redone market by market rather than adapted from a single template.
Turkmenistan caps used vehicles at 5 years and Uzbekistan at 7, while Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan accept up to 10. Tajikistan takes a different approach: it works by model year, banning anything older than 2013.
The same unit can therefore be admissible in one market and refused in the next. That is why eligibility is confirmed per vehicle — against the exact model year, engine and emission standard — rather than per model name.
The minimum emission standard ranges from Euro 2 in Kyrgyzstan to Euro 5 in Uzbekistan, with Euro 3 in Turkmenistan and Euro 4 in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Because the floor is tied to the vehicle's engine and year of manufacture, a unit that satisfies the strictest market may still be uneconomical where duty scales with engine displacement — while a unit that is perfectly legal in one market may not be registrable in another at all.
Kazakhstan has the widest set of routes: the Khorgos road port, which runs customs 24 hours a day, the Caspian port of Aktau, and rail to Almaty. Uzbekistan is reached overland through Kazakhstan or by rail to Tashkent. Kyrgyzstan goes via Kazakhstan or by rail to Bishkek. Tajikistan has a direct China border crossing at Karasu. Turkmenistan has no China border, so units transit neighbouring states or arrive via the Caspian.
Route choice affects transit time and handling before the vehicle ever reaches destination customs. We confirm the routing for each destination as part of preparing the shipment.
Age limits, duty rates, tax brackets and certification requirements are set by each destination authority and change by decree. The figures here are a planning reference drawn from the sources cited on each individual country guide, not a determination of admissibility for any specific vehicle. Confirm the current rule with the destination customs authority or your clearing agent before shipment; the final scope is agreed in the contract.
Send the target country, model, model year, mileage and fuel type. We confirm whether the unit meets that market's age cap and emission floor, and set out the certification and clearance route that apply.
Prices, delivery schedules, certification scope and payment terms are agreed in the contract.
