Administrative Measures on the Inspection of Imported Vehicles

(Issued by the State Administration of Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Order No. 1 of November 22, 1999; 1st Amendment in line with the "Decision of the GACC on Amending Certain Rules", Decress No. 238 of April 28, 2018 by the GACC; 2ndAmendment in line with the "Decision of the GACC on Amending Certain Rules", Decree No. 240 of May 29, 2018 by the GACC

Article 1 These Measures have been formulated in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Inspection of Imported and Exported Commodities (hereinafter referred to as Law on the Inspection of Imported and Exported Commodities) and the corresponding implementing rules for the purpose of enhancing the administration of inspection on imported vehicles.

Article 2 The GACC shall take principal charge of inspecting, supervising and administering imported vehicles nationwide. Local Customs at the corresponding entry port of automobile import shall administer the border inspection, and local customs at the site of vehicles owners shall be responsible for the inspection management of imported vehicles within the quality guarantee period.

Article 3 When imported vehicles are transferred to the inland, the clearance location shall be regarded as the customs port. Inspection shall be conducted by inspection offices of the port in accordance with these Measures.

Article 4 After imported vehicles have been transported to the port of entry, the consignees or agents shall make inspection application to the port inspection offices for inspection, subject to the submission of contracts, invoices, bills of lading, packing lists and other relevant certificates and technical materials.

Article 5 Inspections on imported vehicles conducted by the port customs inspection offices shall include the inspection of ordinary items, safety performance and quality.

Article 6 Ordinary items inspection.The ordinary items inspection covers the safety signs inspection, as well as the inspection specifications, models, quantity, appearance quality, tools attached to the vehicle, technical documents, spare parts and other items.

Article 7 Safety performance inspection.The safety performance inspection shall be conducted in accordance with national laws and regulations on automobile safety and environmental protection, mandatory standards and the "Safety Inspection Regulations of Import and Export Vehicles" (SN/T0792-1999).

Article 8 Quality inspection.Quality inspection and its standards, methods, etc. shall be clearly specified in the contract or contract annex. For the imported vehicles , with no such provisions in the contract or the provisions are not very clear, the inspection shall be conducted in accordance with the "Safety Inspection Regulations of Import and Export Vehicles" (SN / T0791-1999).

Quality inspection shall be in place when the amount of the first import of new models of vehicles totals more than 300 (including 300, for the same contract, the same model, and the same manufacturer) or the total value exceeds one million U.S. dollars (including one million U.S. dollars).

The random inspection shall be conducted when the total number of new models of imported vehicles is less than 300 or the total value is less than one million U.S. dollars, or for the non-first-time imports of cars.

Results of quality inspection shall be submitted to the GACC and the relevant customs for record.

Article 9 The inspection of imported vehicles can take the form of self-test by the customs, of the joint inspection with organizations concerned or of the adoption of inspection results by other inspection organizations, with the inspection documents issued by the customs.

Article 10 For the bulk imported vehicles, foreign trade companies and administrative organizations of the goods shall agree in the foreign trade contracts on the pre-inspection, supervision or monitoring by the exporting country before shipment, and the customs can send inspectors to participate in or organize the inspection in the exporting country as needed.

Article 11 The port Customs shall issue the "inspection and quarantine certificate of imported goods" and shall issue to each vehicle“inspection certificate of imported vehicles” to the qualified imported vehicles.

For the quality inspection of imported vehicles, the "inspection and quarantine certificate of imported goods" must be accompanied by the "quality inspection report”.

The customs shall issue the certificate of inspection and quarantine for imported vehicles that fail the inspection for the relevant departments to make foreign claims.

Article 12 The dealers of imported vehicles shall register with the local business administrative department for the domestic sales of the imported vehicles, with the "inspection sheet for imported vehicles" issued by the customs.

Article 13 Purchasers of the imported vehicles in the domestic market must obtain the "inspection sheets for imported vehicles" issued by the customs and the purchase invoices. Before applying for the official license with the vehicle management authorities, the purchasers shall register with the local customs for the “inspection certificate of imported vehicles”, as is necessary for the official license plate.

Article 14 For any quality problem with the registered imported vehicles, within the quality warranty period, the users should apply to the local customs for inspection certificate.

Article 15 The customs directly under the GACC can entrust or designate eligible vehicle inspection lines to undertake the safety performance inspection of imported vehicles, and report to the GACC for record. TheGACC shall implement the random inspections to the testing and management capabilities of the inspection lines of imported vehicles.

Article 16 The customs shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the commodity inspection law and the regulations for the implementation of the commodity inspection law, deal with the imported vehicles that have not obtained the import safety and quality license, or have obtained the import safety and quality license but have not attached the inspection and quarantine safety signs, or have not been inspected and registered in accordance with these Measures.

Article 17 These Measures also apply to the imported motorcycles and other imported motor vehicles, to be conducted by local customs of the consignees.

Article 18 The customs directly under the GACC shall report the quality analysis of imported vehicles every six months before July 15 and January 15 of the following year respectively.

Article 19 These Measures shall be interpreted by the GACC.

Article 20 These Measures shall come into force on January 1, 2000.The “notice on the spirit of national work conference for inspection of import and export vehicles”( State Administration for Commodity Inspection[1990] No. 468)and the “notice on the launch of the new 'inspection sheet of imported vehicles' and the unified production of 'special seal for imported vehicles inspection'” (State Administration for Commodity Inspection [1994] No. 30), both issued by the State Commodity Inspection Bureau of China, shall be repealed.