The General Administration of Customs has tightened import controls on used excavators

In April 2025, the General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No. 18, implementing the strictest technical regulations ever for the import of used construction machinery. Through three major measures: equipment age control, shortened license validity periods, and higher environmental protection thresholds, the import regulatory system was comprehensively upgraded, significantly impacting the flow of equipment from major source countries such as Japan and South Korea.

The new regulations clearly define equipment age limits. Used excavators over eight years old must provide an original manufacturer’s “Equipment Performance Test Report,” focusing on the condition of core components such as the engine and hydraulic system. Equipment that cannot provide a report requires additional testing by the China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC) in the exporting country, at a cost approximately 15% higher than previously. For the Korean market, for example, the basic CCIC testing fee already includes a standard fee of US$300 per person per day. Re-inspections or issuing licenses in batches will incur additional costs, further increasing import costs.

License management reform has become the biggest challenge facing businesses. The validity period of the “Automatic Import License” has been drastically reduced from 180 days to 90 days, and businesses must initiate the filing process three months in advance. Customs data shows that the error rate in import declarations for used excavators increased by 22% year-on-year from January to June 2025, with 70% of return orders directly due to expired licenses. Shanghai Port’s 500 yuan/day demurrage, combined with the cost of idle equipment, has caused losses for many companies. For one Dongguan company, losses from returned shipments due to expired licenses exceeded 15% of the equipment’s value.

Environmental protection entry barriers have been significantly raised. The policy explicitly prohibits the import of equipment with emission standards lower than National III. It also places excavators equipped with engines below National IV for non-road mobile machinery on a restricted list. This has had a significant impact on imported equipment, primarily from Japan and South Korea, particularly large equipment with engine power ≥130 kW, which must complete National IV environmental protection information disclosure before import. While tariff concessions are available under the RCEP framework, the rigid environmental standards have disqualified most older equipment from entering the market. Industry experts recommend that companies address the new regulations in three ways: prioritize equipment manufactured after 2015 to circumvent age restrictions; leverage ports like Qingdao and Tianjin, where inspection rates are lower (15% lower than Shanghai), to mitigate customs clearance risks; and use third-party professional institutions to complete CCIC testing and license filing in advance to avoid additional costs due to process delays.

This policy adjustment not only upgrades quality control but also reflects the direction of my country’s construction machinery industry’s transition toward high-quality development. By eliminating outdated, energy-intensive, and highly polluting equipment, it will not only reduce the influx of low-end production capacity but also force importers to optimize their equipment mix, promoting green upgrades and technological iterations in the domestic construction machinery market.