How to Import from China: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

Short answer To import from China, check your country's rules for the product's HS code. Find and verify a supplier, approve a sample and sign a contract. Pay a deposit and inspect before paying the balance. Agree an Incoterm, ship with matching documents, then clear customs and pay duty and VAT. A first order takes about 20 weeks.

Key takeaways

• Start with the rules, not the supplier: your 6-digit HS code decides duty, licences and labels. It is used in 200+ countries and economies.

• Verify before you pay: a real Chinese company has an 18-character unified social credit code, and the name must match the bank account.

• Keep leverage: pay the balance only after a pre-shipment inspection. V-Trust lists USD 268.00 per man-day in China's main manufacturing regions.

• Price is only part of the bill: in our UK example, USD 8,000.00 of goods needs USD 11,773.44 in cash. After VAT recovery it costs USD 9,947.20.

• Plan about 20 weeks for a first order. Sea freight alone is about 14-20 days to Los Angeles and about 27 days to Rotterdam (indicative).

Written by TRG Editorial Team · reviewed by importers

Reviewed by people who import from China every month. Every fee and rule is checked on the official page, last on 01/11/2026. How we check figures

Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our ranking. How we make money

You found a product. A factory in China quotes a price that looks too good to be true. Now you want to know how to import from China without losing your deposit, your margin or your goods at the port.

Most guides stop at "find a supplier on Alibaba". The money is lost later: at payment, at inspection, in the Incoterm and at customs. This hub walks you through all ten steps in order. Each step gives you what to do, how long it takes and one number to know. Then it links to the detailed guide.

How to import from China: the 10 steps at a glance

Here is the whole process on one table. The key number for each step is checked at the source listed at the end of this page. Each row links to a guide that goes deeper.

The times are TRG planning ranges, not promises. A repeat order with a supplier you already trust skips most of steps 1 to 4. The timeline below shows how the steps overlap.

Before you buy: product, import rules and suppliers

1. Choose the product and check the import rules in your country

Do this before you speak to a single supplier. Every product has an HS code, the Harmonized System number that customs uses. The World Customs Organization says the first six digits are shared by more than 200 countries and economies. Your country adds more digits for its own duty rates.

The HS code tells you three things. First, the duty rate. Second, whether you need a licence, a certificate or a lab test. Third, which labels and markings the product must carry when it lands.

Here is what this means in practice: a power bank, a toy and a kitchen knife follow three different rule books at your border. Each may need its own test report.

• What to do: find the HS code on your national tariff site (links in the region section below). Note the duty, VAT and any certificate.

• Typical time: 1-2 weeks, including a question to a customs broker if the code is unclear.

• Key number: 6 shared digits, used in 200+ countries and economies (WCO).

2. Find suppliers: Alibaba, 1688, trade fairs or a sourcing agent

There are four main doors into Chinese manufacturing. Alibaba.com is the export marketplace, in English, with buyer protection on eligible orders. 1688.com is the domestic Chinese site. Prices can be lower, but it is in Chinese and many sellers do not export.

Trade fairs let you meet many factories in a few days. The Canton Fair in Guangzhou is the largest; our Canton Fair guide for importers covers dates, badge and visa. Its 138th session ran in three phases, from 15/10/2025 to 04/11/2025, each phase covering different product groups.

A sourcing agent finds and checks factories for you, for a fee or a commission. An agent makes sense when you cannot check a factory yourself, or when you combine goods from several suppliers. Use the decision tree below for your first order.

• What to do: shortlist three to five suppliers that make your exact product. Ask each for the same written quote.

• Typical time: 1-3 weeks.

• Key number: the Canton Fair runs in 3 phases per session (138th session, 2025).

Not sure which company should do the buying? The setup route finder asks five questions and points you to a structure.

Make the deal safe: verify, sample, sign and pay

3. Verify the supplier before any money moves

A good website proves nothing. Ask for the business licence and check it. Every Chinese company has a unified social credit code. China's State Council describes it as an 18-digit code made of numbers and letters.

Check that the company name on the licence matches the contract, the invoice and the bank account. Check that the "business scope" covers your product. A trading company is fine, but you should know whether you are talking to one.

Test reports matter too. CE is the European conformity mark, FCC is the US radio rule and SASO is Saudi Arabia's standards body. A supplier who already sells to your market should have the right reports. Ask for the report number and check it with the lab.

• What to do: licence, credit code, bank-name match, a live video tour, and an audit for large orders.

• Typical time: 1-2 weeks.

• Key number: 18 characters in the unified social credit code.

Our 12-point supplier verification checklist walks through each check, with the free Chinese registry to use.

4. Order samples and sign a clear contract

Never skip the sample. The approved sample becomes your quality standard. Keep one sealed, signed copy with you and ask the factory to keep the twin.

Then put the deal in writing. A one-page purchase order is not enough for a first order. List the specs, materials, packaging, quantity, price, Incoterm, payment terms and delivery date. Add what happens if goods fail inspection.

Which law applies? China is a party to the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). UNCITRAL lists 97 states as parties. The UK is not one of them. If your country is a party, the CISG may apply unless the contract says otherwise.

• What to do: pay for samples, compare two or three, sign off one, then sign a contract with specs and remedies.

• Typical time: 2-4 weeks, longer for custom products.

• Key number: 97 CISG states, China a party since 01/01/1988.

📌 Note: A contract helps only if you can enforce it. For a first order, your real protection is leverage: keep most of the money until the goods pass inspection.

5. Pay safely: deposit first, balance after inspection

The most common structure is a deposit before production and a balance after inspection. Pay only to a company account in the supplier's name, never to a personal account. Treat any email that changes bank details as fraud until you confirm it by phone.

How you send money changes the cost. Banks add a SWIFT fee and an exchange margin. Business accounts can be cheaper. For example, Airwallex's UK fee schedule lists a 0.50% margin on major currencies and 0.10% on CNY transfers.

Platform protection such as Alibaba Trade Assurance offers refunds when goods are defective or late. A letter of credit (L/C) gives the most control, but costs more and needs careful documents.

• What to do: pay the deposit to the verified company account; keep the balance until QC passes.

• Typical time: 1-3 days for the transfer.

• Key number: 0.50% FX margin plus 0.10% CNY fee (Airwallex UK, fee schedule).

Compare providers in how to pay a Chinese supplier: Wise vs Payoneer vs Airwallex, or read the Airwallex review for importers. Country guides: from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Europe or the USA.

Fees and rules change often. Get the TRG Importer Brief: one short email a week with changes that affect importers.

Quality and shipping: inspection, Incoterms and documents

6. Book a quality inspection before you pay the balance

A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is the cheapest insurance in importing. An inspector visits the factory and opens random cartons. The sample size comes from AQL tables (Acceptance Quality Limit, from the ISO 2859-1 standard).

QIMA advises booking a PSI when production is 80.00% finished and packing has begun. The report usually arrives the same day. If the goods fail, the factory reworks them before you pay the balance.

Here is what this means in practice: on a USD 8,000.00 order, one inspection day at USD 268.00 is about 3.35% of the order. On larger orders, the share falls fast.

• What to do: book the PSI, share your approved sample and a defect list, and read the report before you pay.

• Typical time: one day on site, booked a few days ahead.

• Key number: USD 268.00 per man-day in major Chinese manufacturing regions (V-Trust).

Learn the stages and AQL levels in the pre-shipment inspection guide, and compare providers in QIMA vs HQTS vs V-Trust.

7. Agree the Incoterm and book the shipping

An Incoterm is a three-letter rule that splits costs and risk between you and the seller. The ICC's Incoterms 2020 contain 11 rules. For China imports, three matter most: FOB, CIF and DDP.

Under FOB (Free On Board), the seller loads the ship in China and you pay the main freight. Under CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), the seller pays freight and minimum insurance to your port. Under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), the seller also pays your import duty.

FOB with your own freight forwarder gives you the most control and the clearest costs. DDP looks simple, but the seller must be able to act as importer in your country. Many cannot, and some hide the duty in a higher price.

Freight rates move every week. Drewry's World Container Index put Shanghai to Rotterdam at USD 3,686.00 per 40ft container on 29/10/2026, and Shanghai to Los Angeles at USD 7,514.00. Transit is indicative: about 14-20 days port to port to Los Angeles, and about 27 days to Rotterdam.

• What to do: agree FOB or FCA for a first order, get two forwarder quotes, and book space before production ends.

• Typical time: 2-5 weeks door to door by sea, depending on route.

• Key number: 11 Incoterms 2020 rules (ICC).

See every rule and the hidden costs in Incoterms explained: FOB, CIF and DDP.

8. Get the documents right

Customs clears paperwork before it clears goods. The same names, quantities, values and HS codes must appear on every document. A mismatch is the most common reason for a delay at the port.

The core set is the commercial invoice, the packing list and the bill of lading (B/L). Depending on your country and product, you may also need a certificate of origin, test reports or a pre-registration number.

Some countries want data before the ship even leaves China. In the US, the Importer Security Filing (ISF) is due no later than 24 hours before the cargo is loaded abroad. Late or wrong ISF filings can cost USD 5,000.00 per violation in liquidated damages.

• What to do: send the supplier a document checklist with the contract, and check drafts before the goods sail.

• Typical time: runs in parallel with production and shipping.

• Key number: US ISF due 24 hours before loading (USD 5,000.00 per violation).

Each document is explained with annotated examples in import documents from China.

Customs, duty and landed cost: what the order really costs

9. Clear customs and work out your landed cost

Your landed cost is everything you pay until the goods reach your warehouse. Duty is usually a percentage of the customs value. In the Gulf and in Europe, that value includes freight and insurance (CIF). The US generally values goods without the international freight.

Headline rates help you plan. PwC's tax summary says the UAE charges 5.00% customs duty on the CIF value, and VAT of 5.00%. The UK standard VAT rate is 20.00%. Your HS code decides the real duty rate.

Example: a UK importer buys USD 8,000.00 of goods FOB Shenzhen and ships by sea. The duty rate, freight and port fees below are labelled assumptions, not quotes.

The goods are only 67.95% of the cash you need. Import VAT is a cash-flow cost: a VAT-registered business can usually recover it, but must pay it first, unless postponed accounting applies.

• What to do: hire a customs broker, give them the documents early, and budget duty and VAT before you pay the supplier.

• Typical time: 1-5 days if the papers are clean.

• Key number: UAE duty 5.00% of CIF value (PwC).

Work through more destinations and order sizes in the landed cost guide.

10. Receive the goods, check them and sell

Check the goods on arrival, before you sign for the delivery. Count cartons, photograph damage and note it on the delivery receipt. Claims against carriers and insurers have short deadlines, so report damage the same day.

Then check you can legally sell. In the EU, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) has applied since 13/12/2024. Under its Article 16, a product cannot be placed on the market unless an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for it.

• What to do: inspect on arrival, file damage claims fast, and keep the compliance file for each product.

• Typical time: 1-2 weeks to receive, label and list.

• Key number: GPSR applies since 13/12/2024 (EU Regulation 2023/988).

Company setup: do you need a foreign company to import from China?

No. You can import with the company you already have in your own country. Most first orders work this way. A foreign company only helps in specific cases.

A Hong Kong company can make sense if you buy often from China and resell to several countries. The Companies Registry fee for electronic incorporation is HKD 1,545.00, and certificates are normally issued within 1 hour. Directors do not need to live in Hong Kong.

A Dubai free zone company suits a Gulf base or a UAE residence visa. A US LLC helps if you sell mainly to US customers. Each company needs its own bank account, accounts and filings. Compare the three in Hong Kong vs Dubai vs US LLC for importers, or answer five questions in the setup route finder.

How to import from China by region: MENA, Europe and UK, USA

The ten steps are the same everywhere. The rules at step 1 and step 9 change by country. Start with the official portals below.

What goes wrong in practice (and what to do)

1. The supplier changes after the deposit

Quality drops, the price rises or the delivery date slips. Your leverage is the unpaid balance. Refer to the signed sample and the contract, and do not release the balance until a re-inspection passes.

2. Bank details "change" by email

This is a classic fraud. Call the supplier on a number you already have. If money was sent to a fraud account, contact your bank at once and ask for a recall.

3. Goods are stuck at the port

The usual causes are wrong HS codes, mismatched documents or a missing certificate. Storage charges grow each day. Give your broker the full file early, and fix the document at the source rather than arguing at the port.

4. The landed cost is higher than planned

Beginners forget VAT cash flow, port charges and payment fees. Build the full cost stack from step 9 before you sign.

Before your first order: checklist

• HS code found on your national tariff site, with duty, VAT and certificates noted

• Three to five quotes for the same spec, on the same Incoterm

• Licence and credit code checked; company name matches the bank account

• Sample approved and kept, signed by both sides

• Contract signed with specs, Incoterm, payment terms and remedies

• Deposit only; balance tied to a passed inspection

• Inspection booked for when production is about 80.00% finished

• Forwarder and customs broker chosen, with two freight quotes

• Document drafts checked before the goods sail

• Landed cost calculated, including VAT cash flow and payment fees

Related guides

Glossary

HS code: the Harmonized System number that classifies a product for customs. The first six digits are international.

Unified social credit code: the 18-character registration number of a Chinese company, printed on its business licence.

AQL: Acceptance Quality Limit. The maximum share of defects accepted in an inspection sample.

PSI: pre-shipment inspection, done when production is nearly finished and before the balance is paid.

Incoterms: ICC rules that split costs and risk between buyer and seller. Incoterms 2020 has 11 rules.

B/L: bill of lading, the carrier's receipt and contract for sea cargo.

EORI: Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, used for customs in the EU and UK.

ISF: Importer Security Filing, the US data filing due before cargo is loaded abroad.

FAQ

This guide is general information for importers. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, rates and fees change often; check them with the official sources and a licensed customs broker or adviser before you act.