# Japan car auction grades explained: 3.5, 4, 4.5, R, RA

Updated 1 November 2026. What S, 6, 5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, R and RA mean on a Japanese auction sheet, how interior grades A to E work, and how grade affects price.

Every car sold at a Japanese trade auction gets an overall grade, such as 4, 4.5 or R, and a separate interior grade from A to E. The grade is a quick summary of body condition, interior, age and mileage. It is not a guarantee, and each auction house has its own rulebook, so a 4 at one house is not always the same as a 4 at another. R and RA mean the car has repair history on its body frame.

## Where the grade comes from

At the auction, an inspector checks the car and the auction house gives it a grade. USS, TAA and CAA, three large operators, publish their grading rules. USS says inspectors work from the seller's declaration and grade by its table. CAA says the grade is worked out by a points system that counts defects, age, mileage and repair history. In both cases it is a visual check of the car, not a full mechanical test.

Read the grade together with the damage diagram and the inspector's notes. See [how to read the damage codes](/guides/auction-sheet-damage-codes).

## The overall grade scale

The table below follows the USS, TAA and CAA rule tables. Mileage limits are from the rulebooks. A car must meet every point in a row to get that grade at USS.

| Grade | What it means in simple words | Mileage limit in the rules |
|---|---|---|
| S | Almost no scratches or repairs; up to 12 months from first registration | under 10,000 km |
| 6 | Almost new; up to 36 months from first registration | under 30,000 km |
| 5 | Only small marks that are hard to see | under 50,000 km |
| 4.5 | Close to a 5 after a light repair | under 100,000 km |
| 4 | Several clear scratches, dents, rust, burns or tears; needs repair | under 150,000 km |
| 3.5 | Many places needing panel work or reconditioning | no limit |
| 3 | Needs full repair or replacement of many parts | no limit |
| 2 | Low commercial value, poor-quality car | no limit |
| 1 | Flood damage or fire-extinguisher powder | no limit |
| R | Repair-history car (body frame was damaged and repaired) | no limit |
| RA | Repair-history car, lighter than R at TAA and CAA | no limit |

Other marks you may see:

- **X** at USS: a car that is hard to grade, such as a very old car, a replica or a special vehicle.
- **99** at CAA: cars the house does not evaluate, such as accident cars sold as they are.
- **0, A and \*\*\*:** some exporter pages say these mark accident history, special units or non-running cars, but the sources disagree and I did not find them in any auction rulebook. Treat them as unverified and ask your exporter to explain a sheet that shows one.

### Rules differ between houses

The same number does not mean the same thing everywhere. Two examples from the rulebooks:

- At TAA and CAA, a car with a main welded panel replaced is held at 3.5. A car with a major engine or mechanism fault is held at 3. The USS table does not say this.
- For grade 4.5, USS asks for interior B or better. TAA and CAA ask for exterior B or better and interior C or better.

One exporter says a USS 4 may be like a 4.5 at another house. That is the exporter's view and no conversion table exists. Always check which house issued the sheet.

## What R and RA mean (and what is disputed)

The rulebooks agree on the core idea. R means repair history: damage to the body skeleton, such as the frame, side members, pillars, floor or a badly repaired roof, that was repaired or still needs repair. A repainted door or a new bumper does not make a car R.

The rulebooks do not agree with some exporters on RA:

| Question | What the rulebooks say | What some exporters say |
|---|---|---|
| Is RA different from R? | USS lists R and RA in one row. TAA and CAA say RA is a lightly repaired car, shown only as a guide | Most exporters say RA is lighter or "minor" |
| Does RA mean repaired outside Japan? | Not in USS, TAA or CAA rules | Two sites (Nobuko Japan and PakWheels) say R is repaired in Japan and RA outside Japan |

**Disputed.** I could not confirm the "outside Japan" meaning in any auction rulebook, so do not rely on it. TAA and CAA also say they do not accept claims if an RA car turns out to be worse than shown. Ask for the inspector comments and photos of the repair area.

## Interior grades A to E

The interior grade is separate and does not tell you about the engine or gearbox. USS describes the letters like this:

| Letter | Simple meaning |
|---|---|
| A | No repair needed, or only 2 to 3 small tears, light burns or easy dirt |
| B | Light repair needed, such as a few tears, burns or scuffs |
| C | Repair needed; many burns, scuffs or cracks, or dirt all over |
| D | Major repair needed; many burn holes or tears, bent dashboard, heavy dirt |
| E | Major repair needed everywhere; large dashboard cracks, badly worn seats, strong smell |

The interior letter is linked to the overall grade. At USS, a 5 needs interior A. A 4 can have C. A 3 is tied to E.

## Which grade do Pakistani dealers accept?

There is no official minimum grade for commercial import in the sources I found. What I did find:

- **Gift and Transfer of Residence imports.** The Commerce notification reported by Profit on 24 June 2026 says cars with auction-sheet grades "Below Average", "Poor", "Repaired Accident" or "Minor Accident Repair" will not be cleared. The report does not say how those words match numbers like R, RA or 3, so ask your clearing agent. Whether the same list applies to commercial imports was not stated.
- **Opinion, not a rule.** PakWheels advises buyers to look for grade 4 or above and interior B or better. It also says R or RA should not be bought on grade alone, and only with a clear repair record and inspection.

Rules change often, so check with your customs agent before buying.

## How grade relates to price

I found no source with price figures per grade, so I will not give any. What exporter pages agree on:

- Higher grades draw more bidders, so a 4.5 usually costs more than a 4 of the same model and year.
- A 3.5 with mostly cosmetic faults can be better value than a 4.5, if you are happy with the look.
- The starting bid is not the market price. Competition can push the final price far above it.
- A low grade can look cheap, but the repair bill can remove the saving.
- Interior wear is the cheapest fault to fix, so a low interior letter on an otherwise good car may be a chance, one exporter notes.

For the full cost of one model, see [Toyota Aqua landed cost in Pakistan](/guides/toyota-aqua-landed-cost-pakistan).

## A short checklist before you bid

1. Find out which auction house printed the sheet, and read that house's rules.
2. Look at the overall grade, interior letter and mileage mark together.
3. Read the damage diagram and the inspector notes. Ask your exporter to translate them.
4. If the car is R or RA, ask for photos of the repair area and a written description.
5. Check the chassis number with the [vehicle code decoder](/tools/vehicle-codes).
6. Confirm the exporter is real: [how to vet a Japanese used car exporter](/guides/vet-japanese-used-car-exporter).

This guide is general information, not customs or buying advice. Grading rules were last checked in October 2026 and houses may revise them.

## Sources
1. [USS Inspection Rules, evaluation grades and interior standard (revised 1 July 2015)](https://www.uss-engine.com/info_items/rules/inspection_20150701.pdf)
2. [CAA auction rules: evaluation standards (revised 1 February 2021)](https://taacaa.jp/auction_site/pdf_caa/Caa_kiyaku.pdf)
3. [TAA auction rules: vehicle evaluation standards](https://taacaa.jp/auction_site/pdf_taa/Taa_kiyaku.pdf)
4. [EVERY: Japanese auction grades, what buyers should check](https://www.everycar.jp/blog/?p=33942)
5. [Nobuko Japan: how to read a Japanese auction sheet, grade and damage map guide](https://www.nobukojapan.com/japanese-car-blog/how-to-read-a-japanese-auction-sheet-full-grade-damage-map-guide)
6. [JDM Buy Sell: auction grading (USS, TAA, CAA rules compared)](https://www.jdmbuysell.com/learn/topics/auction-grading/)
7. [Car Imports Kenya: understanding the grading system](https://www.carimports.co.ke/advice/understanding-the-grading-system/)
8. [PakWheels: how to read a Japanese car auction sheet](https://www.pakwheels.com/blog/how-to-read-a-japanese-car-auction-sheet-a-detailed-guide/)
9. [PakWheels: are R or RA grade Japanese cars safe to buy in Pakistan? (18 August 2026)](https://www.pakwheels.com/blog/are-r-or-ra-grade-japanese-cars-safe-to-buy-in-pakistan/)
10. [Profit: Commerce ministry allows Japan-issued inspection certificates (24 June 2026)](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/06/24/pakistans-commerce-ministry-allows-japan-issued-inspection-certificates-for-used-vehicle-imports)

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