With the rise of China's automobile industry, foreign trade of new and used vehicles has become an important track for many enterprises to expand overseas markets. However, the foreign trade delivery process is complex. From domestic procurement and warehousing to international transportation and destination port delivery, each node hides risks-problems such as vehicle damage, unclear liability, and lack of evidence often lead to unnecessary losses. Combined with the core requirements in practical operation, this article will detail the complete process of new and used vehicle foreign trade, focusing on clarifying the vehicle inspection standards, evidence retention requirements and liability division at each node, helping relevant colleagues (business, procurement, documentation) sort out the docking points to ensure smooth delivery.
I. Pre-foreign Trade Preparation: Qualifications, Contracts and Vehicle Source Selection (Basic Premise)
For both new and used vehicle foreign trade, the pre-preparation work directly determines the smoothness of the subsequent process, focusing on three core aspects: "compliant qualifications, clear contracts, and up-to-standard vehicle sources", all of which are indispensable.
1. Enterprise Qualification and Compliance Review: First, it is necessary to confirm that the enterprise has the qualification for automobile export, is included in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's "Announcement of Vehicle Manufacturers and Products", holds a valid 3C certification, and obtains an export license through the review of the Ministry of Commerce. Enterprises not on the list can export through authorized agents. In addition, used vehicle export enterprises need to meet the relevant requirements of circulation enterprises, have fixed business premises, used vehicle identification and evaluation capabilities, employ at least 3 professional identification and evaluation personnel, and complete the filing on the Ministry of Commerce platform.
2. Signing of Trade Contracts: Sign a formal trade contract with overseas customers, clarifying the vehicle model, quantity, price, payment method (it is recommended to use Letter of Credit L/C to reduce risks), delivery date, transportation method (FOB/CIF, etc.), as well as vehicle integrity standards and damage compensation clauses. For used vehicles, it is necessary to additionally indicate the vehicle condition, third-party inspection report and transfer information to avoid subsequent disputes.
3. Vehicle Source Selection and Preliminary Confirmation: For new vehicles, it is necessary to confirm that there are no factory defects and the procedures are complete (certificate of conformity, factory inspection list, etc.); for used vehicles, it is necessary to select those with a vehicle age ≤ 5 years, meeting the requirements for mileage, no major accidents, no violation records, and a remaining service life ≥ 1 year. At the same time, prepare documents such as the original owner's ID card, driving license, and registration certificate, complete the third-party inspection in advance and issue a report to ensure compliance with export standards and the access requirements of the target country.
II. Core Process Breakdown: From Domestic Procurement to Overseas Delivery (Including Vehicle Inspection + Evidence Requirements at Each Node)
The entire foreign trade process can be divided into five core links: "domestic procurement → warehouse storage → container loading and transportation → destination port customs clearance → customer delivery". Each link has clear vehicle inspection standards and evidence retention requirements, and new and used vehicles need to be treated differently with clear liability division.
(1) Link 1: Domestic Procurement and Vehicle Pickup (Source Control to Avoid Initial Damage)
Core Goal: Confirm that the purchased vehicle is intact, eliminate "initial damage", and clarify the liability of the procurement link.
Specific Requirements:
- New/Non-pure Used Vehicles: When picking up the vehicle, the procurement personnel must require the supplier to provide a vehicle pickup video. The video must clearly show the key parts of the vehicle such as the appearance, interior, tires, and glass, confirming that the vehicle has no scratches, no damage, and no missing parts, so as to prove that the vehicle is intact when picked up;
- Pure Used Vehicles: No need to provide a vehicle pickup video, but the procurement personnel must inspect the vehicle condition on site, check the vehicle status against the third-party inspection report, and ensure that it is consistent with the description without concealed damage.
Liability Division: If the video is not retained as required when picking up the vehicle (for new/non-pure used vehicles), and subsequent vehicle damage is found and cannot be traced, the procurement link shall be deemed responsible by default, and the procurement contact person shall be responsible for following up the compensation matters.
(2) Link 2: Vehicle Warehousing Unloading + Warehouse Vehicle Inspection (Warehousing Entry Control to Clarify Transportation Damage Liability)
Core Goal: Confirm that the vehicle is not damaged during transportation from the procurement location to the warehouse, and complete the compliance confirmation of warehouse receipt.
Specific Requirements:
1. Unloading Vehicle Inspection (Driver's Liability): When the vehicle arrives at the warehouse and is unloaded, the carrier driver is required to provide a vehicle inspection video. The video must fully show the entire unloading process and the overall state of the vehicle after unloading, proving that the vehicle is intact when unloaded (excluding pure used vehicles, which do not require the driver to provide this video);
2. Warehouse Vehicle Inspection (Warehouse's Liability): After the vehicle enters the warehouse, the warehouse staff must provide vehicle inspection photos + vehicle inspection videos. The photos must clearly show the vehicle's appearance and key parts, and the video must fully present the overall state of the vehicle to confirm that the vehicle is intact;
3. Special Requirements for Pure Used Vehicles: When receiving pure used vehicles, the warehouse must first communicate and confirm with the procurement personnel, and can only receive them after obtaining the clear "vehicle receivable" notice from the procurement. At the same time, complete the retention of vehicle inspection photos and videos. If the vehicle is received without communication, the warehouse shall be responsible for subsequent damage.
Liability Division: If the driver fails to provide the vehicle inspection video when unloading (for new/non-pure used vehicles) and subsequent damage is found, the driver and the carrier shall be deemed responsible by default; if the warehouse fails to retain the vehicle inspection photos and videos as required, or receives pure used vehicles without communicating with the procurement, the warehouse shall be responsible for the damage.
(3) Link 3: Handling of Export Procedures (Compliant Customs Clearance to Prepare for Transportation)
After completing the vehicle warehousing, it is necessary to handle the relevant export procedures simultaneously to ensure compliant customs clearance: log in to the Ministry of Commerce's "Automobile Export License Declaration System", submit materials such as vehicle model, export quantity, and inspection report to apply for an export license (for used vehicles, it is necessary to specially indicate the "used" status and VIN code and other information); prepare materials required for commodity inspection and customs declaration (contract, invoice, packing list, license, VIN code certificate, etc.), submit the customs declaration application through the "China International Trade Single Window", and the customs will issue a release notice after verifying and inspecting the frame number, engine number and other information. For new energy vehicles, it is necessary to additionally provide MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet, UN38.3 test report, and the battery power should be controlled between 20% and 50%.
The documentation colleagues need to follow up the procedure handling throughout the process to ensure that all documents are complete and information is accurate, so as to avoid customs clearance delays caused by document errors. If the subsequent process is affected due to document problems, the documentation colleagues shall bear the corresponding responsibilities.
(4) Link 4: Vehicle Container Loading (Final Confirmation Before Transportation to Avoid Loading Damage)
Core Goal: Confirm that the vehicle is intact before container loading, standardize the container loading operation, and avoid scratches and damage during the loading process.
Specific Requirements: When loading the vehicle into the container, the warehouse staff must take 45-degree angle photos (at least 2 photos, showing the front 45-degree and rear 45-degree of the vehicle respectively, clearly presenting the appearance state) + container loading video for each vehicle. The video must fully show the entire container loading process, including the vehicle hoisting, fixing, and placement in the container, confirming that the vehicle is intact and fixed standardly (cars adopt the "triangular fixing method", SUVs are equipped with wooden brackets, etc.) without any signs of damage. This requirement must be strictly implemented for both new and used vehicles.
Liability Division: If the warehouse fails to take 45-degree angle photos and container loading videos as required, and subsequent vehicle damage is found and cannot be traced, the warehouse container loading link shall be deemed responsible by default; if damage is caused by improper operation during container loading, the warehouse and the loading personnel shall be responsible and compensate for the vehicle damage at the original price.
(5) Link 5: International Transportation and Destination Port Customs Clearance (Logistics and Compliance Follow-up)
After the container loading is completed, arrange international maritime transportation (choose container or ro-ro ship according to the vehicle model). The business colleagues need to follow up the logistics progress, timely synchronize the transportation information to the customer, pay attention to abnormal situations during transportation (such as maritime turbulence, port detention, etc.), and retain relevant logistics documents (bill of lading, waybill, etc.). At the same time, the documentation colleagues need to prepare the documents required for destination port customs clearance (bill of lading, certificate of origin, inspection report, export license, etc.), assist overseas customers in completing customs clearance. For countries with special requirements (such as EU Euro NCAP certification, Middle East GCC certification), the corresponding documents need to be prepared in advance to avoid customs clearance obstacles.
Liability Division: If damage occurs during international transportation (not existing before container loading), the logistics carrier shall be responsible, and the business colleagues shall be responsible for following up the claim settlement; if customs clearance delay or loss is caused by missing or incorrect customs clearance documents, the documentation colleagues shall be responsible.
(6) Link 6: Customer Unloading and Delivery (Final Confirmation to Close the Liability Loop)
Core Goal: Confirm the state of the vehicle when it is finally delivered to the customer, clarify the liability of the delivery link, and complete the closed loop of the entire foreign trade process.
Specific Requirements: When the customer unloads the vehicle at the destination port, the business colleagues need to communicate in advance and require the customer to provide unloading photos + unloading video. The photos must clearly show the state of the vehicle after unloading, and the video must fully present the entire unloading process to prove whether the vehicle is intact when delivered.
Liability Division:
- If the unloading photos and videos provided by the customer show that the vehicle is intact, it indicates that the entire delivery process is problem-free and the process is closed;
- If damage is shown, it is necessary to trace the node where the damage occurred by comparing the photos and videos of the previous links: whichever node has the problem, the responsible person of that node (procurement, warehouse, driver, logistics, documentation, etc.) shall be held accountable, and the responsible party shall compensate for the vehicle damage at the original price;
- If evidence (photos, videos) is not retained as required at a certain node, even if the specific time of damage cannot be determined, the responsible person of that node shall be deemed responsible by default and compensate at the original price.
III. Core Differences Between New and Used Vehicle Foreign Trade Processes (Key Distinction)
Many colleagues confuse the foreign trade processes of new and used vehicles. In fact, the core differences mainly focus on three aspects: "vehicle inspection requirements, procedure handling, and vehicle source review". They are summarized in a popular way below for quick distinction:
1. Vehicle Inspection Differences: New vehicles (non-pure used vehicles) need to strictly implement the full-process evidence retention of "vehicle pickup video, unloading video, warehousing vehicle inspection, container loading photos and videos, unloading photos and videos"; pure used vehicles do not need vehicle pickup video and unloading video, but need to communicate and confirm with the procurement before warehousing, and the evidence retention requirements for container loading and unloading links are the same as those for new vehicles.
2. Procedure Differences: Used vehicles need to additionally handle "transfer for export" registration, third-party vehicle condition inspection, and used vehicle export license (indicating the "used" status), and complete the vehicle cancellation registration within 2 months after export; new vehicles do not need the above procedures, and the key is to ensure that the certificate of conformity and 3C certification are complete.
3. Vehicle Source Differences: New vehicles need to be confirmed to have no factory defects and complete procedures; used vehicles need to focus on reviewing the vehicle condition, no major accidents, no violations, and meet the access requirements of the target country, and need to provide a complete vehicle condition inspection report and transfer-related documents.
IV. Notes: Key Docking Points for Each Position + Risk Avoidance
The entire vehicle foreign trade process requires the close cooperation of multiple positions such as business, procurement, documentation, and warehouse. The docking quality of each position directly affects the process smoothness and risk control. Pay attention to the following key points:
1. Procurement Position: Focus on controlling the quality of vehicle sources, strictly require the supplier to provide the vehicle pickup video (for new/non-pure used vehicles), synchronize with the warehouse, clarify the vehicle receiving requirements for pure used vehicles, and retain relevant procurement documents and vehicle condition information.
2. Warehouse Position: Strictly implement the requirements of warehousing vehicle inspection and taking photos and videos during container loading, do not receive pure used vehicles without authorization, do a good job in the storage of vehicles during warehousing to avoid vehicle damage in the warehouse, and properly retain all photos and videos related to vehicle inspection and container loading for subsequent tracing.
3. Documentation Position: Follow up the export license, commodity inspection, customs declaration and other procedures throughout the process, ensure that all documents are complete and information is accurate, dock with overseas customers and customs, timely handle problems during customs clearance, and retain all documentation files.
4. Business Position: Dock with customers and logistics, synchronize the progress of each link, remind customers to provide unloading photos and videos on time, take the lead in tracing the liability node when damage occurs, coordinate with the responsible party for compensation, and ensure customer satisfaction.
5. Evidence Retention: All photos, videos, and documentation files at each node need to be sorted and filed uniformly, with a retention period of at least 1 year, to facilitate tracing liability in case of subsequent disputes, and avoid inability to divide liability and recover losses due to lack of evidence.
V. Summary: Only with Closed-loop Process + Clear Liability Can We Do a Good Job in Vehicle Foreign Trade
The core of vehicle foreign trade is "compliance, integrity, and traceability"-from pre-qualification preparation and vehicle source selection, to intermediate procurement, warehousing, container loading, and transportation, and then to later customer delivery, every link cannot be sloppy. In particular, the vehicle inspection requirements and evidence retention at each node are not only the key to ensuring the integrity of the vehicle, but also the core of dividing liability and avoiding losses.
It is hoped that all relevant colleagues (business, procurement, documentation) will strictly implement the above processes and requirements, cooperate closely, perform their respective duties, do a good job in the control and evidence retention of each node, avoid unnecessary losses caused by process omissions and unclear liability, and ensure the smooth completion of each batch of new and used vehicle foreign trade deliveries, so as to steadily expand overseas markets.
Company Name: Jingsun Car Co., Ltd
Website: https://www.sin-auto.com/?url=jingsuncar.com
Service Countries: Ghana / Algeria / Cambodia / Middle East / East Africa (Years of practical experience, familiar with customs clearance rules of various countries)