Export Paperwork for Car Parts, Explained

Export paperwork sounds more complicated than it is. For a car parts shipment it comes down to a small number of documents, each answering one question. Once you know which question each one answers, the whole thing gets much simpler.

The commercial invoice — what is it worth?

This is the document customs uses to assess duty. It states the seller, the buyer, a description of the goods, quantities, unit values and the total, plus the currency and the terms of sale. Describe the goods properly: "used vehicle parts" with a line for each type beats a single line saying "car parts". Vague descriptions invite questions, and questions cost days.

Undervaluing an invoice to reduce duty is a false economy and worse. If customs disagrees they can revalue the shipment, and you may face penalties and a hold on top of the duty you were trying to avoid.

The packing list — what is physically in it?

The invoice covers value. The packing list covers contents: every crate, pallet and item, with weights and dimensions, and the labels on the goods matching the lines on the document. Record part numbers and engine or gearbox codes here — it is what identifies a specific unit if anything is queried or missing.

The invoice and the packing list must agree. A discrepancy between the two is one of the most common reasons a container sits waiting for clearance.

The bill of lading — who is carrying it, and who owns it?

Issued by the carrier or freight forwarder, this is the contract of carriage and, for an original negotiable bill, the document of title — the goods are released against it. Check the consignee details and the description before it is finalised: amending a bill of lading after issue is slow and usually chargeable.

Certificate of origin — where were they made?

Not always required, but some destinations ask for it, and some preferential duty rates depend on it. It is normally issued by a chamber of commerce. Ask your buyer or their clearing agent whether their country wants one, well before shipping.

Anything else?

It depends entirely on the destination. Some countries require pre-shipment inspection, some have specific rules on used goods, and some require additional certification for particular categories. This is exactly the sort of thing that is cheap to check in advance and expensive to discover on arrival.

The one rule that matters most

Duty, taxes and clearance procedures are set by the destination country, not by the UK. Nobody at the UK end can tell you authoritatively what your buyer will pay in Lagos, Tema or Mombasa. Ask the clearing agent in the destination country, and ask before the container sails rather than after it lands — a shipment sitting at a port accrues storage charges every day while the question is answered.

We supply the commercial invoice and packing list with every export order. See where we ship, or read how exporting to Africa works end to end.