Used Excavator Import Documents: Buyer Checklist

Export documents for a used excavator · FOB China

The machine is only half the shipment. The used excavator import documents decide whether it clears, who can claim it and whether the import file matches the unit. A missing or mismatched document can cost more than a small repair.

The core used excavator import documents

These are the excavator export documents the seller in China issues; the import licence and broker paperwork are added at destination.

Details buyers miss

• The stock number and serial number on the invoice should match the machine.
• The model name should be consistent across invoice, packing list and bill of lading.
• The consignee name and address must match the importer's records.
• Attachments should be listed separately, not hidden in “machine”.
• The Incoterm should say what is included and what is not.

What a mismatch costs, scenario by scenario

The list above sets out what should agree. These are the failures that stop a shipment, and what each one costs.

• Serial number conflict. The invoice quotes a stock number while the plate shows a different serial. Release and any insurance claim read the plate, so a conflict means an amendment before arrival or cargo waiting at destination. One photo of the plate beside the invoice line, taken before loading, prevents it.
• Consignee against notify party. If the forwarder reads the notify party as the importer, release can stall at destination. Name both parties deliberately in the instruction, and check the draft bill of lading against the import licence.
• Model string drift. PC200-8 and PC200LC-8 are different machines; so are 320D and 320D2. The tariff line and the buyer's expectation both follow the string, so copy it from the plate and use that exact text everywhere.
• Weight against the weighbridge. If the packing list figure and the port scale disagree, the freight invoice and the loading plan both need rework, and on some routes the booking can too. Ask for measured dimensions and weight of the unit as configured, bucket fitted.
• Incoterm against the booking. An invoice that says FOB while the booking charges loading and terminal handling to the buyer can produce a dispute at the counter. Agree the term once, then repeat it on the invoice, the booking and the instruction.

Bill of lading: original or telex release?

An original bill of lading must be presented to claim the cargo; a telex release allows the cargo to be released without the paper original. The right choice depends on the seller, the bank and the destination. Ask before the vessel sails, not after it arrives.

Which document appears at which stage

Work down the table when the file arrives and mark each line as seen, dated and checked. A document that has been seen but not compared with the others is only half checked.

Destination extras

Some countries require a pre-shipment inspection, a conformity certificate or a specific import permit. The requirement is destination-specific and can change. Confirm it with your broker before the unit is loaded.

Before the balance payment

• Ask for draft documents and check the names, numbers and unit details.
• Confirm the bill of lading instructions and the consignee.
• Ask for the loading photos and the shipment reference.
• Keep copies of every document in one file.

Keep the file as evidence

Store one folder per shipment, with the draft and final version of every document side by side. The difference between the two is the record of what changed and when, which is what an amendment, an insurance claim or a later resale will ask for. Keep the loading photos with the bill of lading, and name files by document type and date. If a number is corrected after sailing, ask for the document to be reissued rather than edited by hand.

Questions buyers ask

Do you provide the certificate of origin?

Yes, on request, subject to the destination and the product. Confirm the requirement for your order.

Can you send documents before the balance?

Draft documents can be shared for review. The final set follows the shipment and the payment terms.

Who clears the import?

The buyer's customs broker, unless another arrangement is agreed in writing.