Can Cars Purchased in the US Be Shipped to China?
2 Answers
Cars purchased in the US can be shipped to China. Below are the relevant considerations: 1. Eligible applicant types: institutional use, expatriates, long-term residents, and students. Note that long-term residents must possess a residence permit, a visa valid for one year or more, a work permit, an affiliated work unit, and a 10-digit customs registration code. 2. Purchase limit: Eligible individuals are only allowed to import one car. 3. Consignee: The name of the consignee on all documents must match the name on the individual's identification. 4. Shipper: The shipper for the vehicle does not necessarily need to be the individual's name but must have a US SSN (Social Security Number). Below are the methods for purchasing cars from abroad: 1. Travel to the location personally as a tourist or similar status to complete the purchase procedures. 2. Have an acquaintance purchase on your behalf. 3. Entrust an agency to handle the process. 4. Engage a domestic professional buyer or place an order directly with a bonded zone trading company.
I lived in the U.S. for several years and wanted to ship a used car back to China—the whole process was quite a hassle. First, I had to contact a shipping company, with costs ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, and the shipping schedule was long, taking several months of waiting. The import duties were a headache—calculated based on the car's value, usually over 25%, and I ended up paying nearly $15,000. Even more frustrating were the emission standards—most U.S. cars don’t meet China’s National VI standards, so they required extra inspections or even modifications at customs, costing me thousands more to clear. After the car arrived, the registration process was also complicated, requiring documents like the certificate of origin and inspection reports. The total cost exceeded what I would’ve paid for a new car in China—unless it’s a limited-edition model, it’s really not worth it. I’d recommend consulting a professional import agent first to avoid wasted effort.
