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.

Under normal circumstances, it takes 15 to 25 working days. This includes: domestic transfer of ownership (3-5 days), applying for an export license (3-5 days), inland trucking to the port (2-5 days), customs inspection and waiting for loading schedule (5-10 days). Do not trust false promises from other channels claiming 'loading within a week.'

Maintain objective expectations. Vehicles over 5 years old inevitably show signs of decreased paint gloss, slight aging of rubber seals, irreversible patina on interiors, and surface rust on chassis components. As long as core structure and mechanical failures are not involved, these are normal depreciation characteristics over time.