Universal Documents (Every Shipment)

1. Bill of Lading (B/L)

Issued by the shipping carrier upon vessel loading. Functions as title and shipping receipt. Two formats:

  • Original B/L: physical document couriered to buyer; required for cargo release at most destinations
  • Telex release: electronic release authorization; faster, used when buyer trusts seller

2. Certificate of Origin (CoO)

Issued by CCPIT (China Council for Promotion of International Trade). Confirms "Made in China" and unlocks preferential tariff treatment under FTAs:

  • China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (ASEAN countries)
  • China-Chile FTA
  • China-Pakistan FTA
  • China-Switzerland FTA
  • China-Australia FTA

If your country has an FTA with China, the CoO can save you 5–15% in import duty.

3. Commercial Invoice

Itemized invoice with VIN, model details, color, transmission, fuel type, CIF or FOB pricing, currency, payment terms, INCOTERMS code. Used for customs valuation at destination.

4. Packing List

Container or RoRo loading details: vessel name, voyage, container number (if applicable), VIN list, vehicle dimensions, weight.

5. China Customs Declaration

China-side export clearance document with HS code (typically 8703.22 for passenger vehicles 1.0–1.5L gasoline, varies by displacement and fuel type), tax, export license reference.

6. SGS / BV Inspection Report

The full 200-point PDF described in our inspection FAQs.

For Used Vehicles (Additional)

7. Original Chinese Vehicle Registration

The Chinese 车辆登记证书 / 车辆行驶证. Required for re-titling in most destination markets. Comes with English translation summary.

8. Maintenance Records

Where available, original service records from the previous owner.

Market-Specific Certificates

Country Required Cost (USD) Who Issues
Saudi Arabia SASO Conformity $80–$120/vehicle SASO-approved inspector (often BV)
Iraq COSQC Conformity $100–$150 BV
Nigeria SONCAP included in SGS SGS Nigeria
Kenya, Tanzania PVoC included in SGS SGS, BV, Intertek
Uganda PVoC included in SGS SGS
Egypt EOS Conformity $80–$120 Egyptian Organization for Standardization rep at China

For markets not in this list, the universal documents above are typically sufficient.

Delivery of Documents

Original documents are couriered by DHL or FedEx to your address upon vessel sailing. Scanned PDFs sent same day by email. We never delay document handover after balance payment is received.