To ensure the legal rights of both parties, the "International Used Car Sales Contract" we signed is in both Chinese and English. Generally, the contract is governed by Chinese law. All liabilities for breach of contract and force majeure clauses will be clearly defined in the contract.

Vetting takes a day and can save you thousands. Work through this checklist. Verify the business: ask for the company registration number and check it on China's National Enterprise Credit Information system or a commercial registry tool. Confirm the registered address matches where they claim to operate, and that their business scope includes vehicle export. Check export credentials: they must hold a used-vehicle export license issued by Chinese commerce authorities. Ask for the license and a recent export declaration showing they actually ship cars. Test their knowledge: a real exporter answers detailed questions about your destination country's import rules (age limits, left/right-hand drive, emission standards) without hesitation. Vague answers about your own country's requirements are a red flag. Structure payments safely: small deposit (10-20%), balance only against inspection reports and shipping documents, ideally through a payment method with recourse. Refuse full prepayment by irreversible transfer—no legitimate exporter requires it.

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).