Every month we hear from a large number of people who want to bring their own car to China. In this article we have put together a list of the most common questions we receive and the answers.
Question: I want to bring a “second hand” because it is possible?
Answer: At the moment you can only enter cars that are less than a year old. So in practice, while the answer is “yes”, it is a very limited positive. You can’t easily import a classic car, or even an older model, into China. There is a small loophole that could possibly be used for extremely high value models (where the purchase cost is equivalent to more than RMB 1 million), but as the vast majority of owners will never reach this figure, it is unlikely to be economical. take advantage of the loophole. So, in real terms, we recommend that you look to buy that second-hand model within China.
Question: Can I import a left hand drive car?
Answer: No, the only people allowed to drive these types of vehicles in the country at the moment are the Chinese military police. We are told that this restriction is in place to limit car theft in Hong Kong and then fence them off on the mainland. We don’t know if that’s the real reason, but it seems sensible enough to us.
Question: I have a residence visa but I do not have foreign expert status, can I bring a vehicle?
Answer: The simple answer to this is no. There is an exception if you are a business owner and your company is entitled to import vehicles based on your local government status. You can also work around the problem by asking a fellow expat with the right expert status to import a car for you, but don’t forget that they can’t assign ownership to you until the vehicle has been in China for six months.
Question: How much will I save by bringing my own vehicle to China?
Answer: A lot depends on the purchase price of the car and its actual perceived value in the country, a good rule of thumb is 20-25% but it varies. China has one of the highest tax rates in the world, so the savings can be substantial, but don’t forget that you still have to pay some taxes.
Question: Can I bring a car to Beijing and bypass license plate restrictions?
Answer: Sorry no. You can bring a vehicle to Beijing, but you will still have to win the “license plate lottery” before you can start the process.