A compliant shipment from China includes a standard document set. Verify you receive all of them before the ship departs, because correcting documents mid-transit is slow and expensive. The core set: commercial invoice, bill of lading (original, if your country requires presentation for customs), packing list, certificate of origin, and the export customs declaration. For used cars, also expect the Chinese registration certificate copy, deregistration proof, and a condition/inspection report. Some destinations require additional certificates — GCC states need GSO conformity, EU countries need COC or individual approval, several African nations require BESC/ECTN tracking numbers issued before loading. Your customs broker will typically need the invoice and bill of lading at minimum, plus proof of vehicle age and emissions where age limits apply. Ask your exporter for scanned copies the day the vessel sails, not when it arrives: pre-clearance can cut port storage fees significantly. One caution: the invoice value must match your payment records. Under-declaring to save duties is customs fraud in most countries and risks seizure.

The customs of the destination country has the right to disregard the commercial invoice and reassess the value based on its internal database (such as the customs valuation red book). Any additional duties incurred are a result of the importing country's policy and are fully borne by the buyer (importer).

Under international practices and our standard CIF/FOB terms, the THC at the port of origin (China) is borne by the seller; all THC and port miscellaneous charges incurred at the destination port during unloading are to be paid by the buyer (consignee) upon local customs clearance and pickup.