On November 14, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Management of Used Car Exports" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice") to further regulate the export order of used cars and promote the healthy and orderly development of the industry.
It is understood that since my country launched its pilot program for used car exports in 2019, the used car export business has shown strong growth, gradually becoming an important part of my country's "going global" strategy for the automotive industry and injecting new momentum into the transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry. However, the current market also has some irregularities, such as some dealers exporting new cars under the guise of used cars (referred to in the industry as "zero-kilometer used car" exports) and illegally exporting cars through false modifications, which disrupt market order and pose a potential threat to the healthy development of the industry.
In response, the "Notice" explicitly prohibits the export of new vehicles under the guise of used cars. Starting January 1, 2026, for vehicles applying for export that are less than 180 days (inclusive) from their registration date, local commerce authorities should guide local enterprises to submit a "Confirmation of After-Sales Service" issued by the vehicle manufacturer. This confirmation should include the country of export, vehicle information, and information on after-sales service outlets, and be stamped with the manufacturer's official seal. Vehicles unable to provide the above materials will not be issued export licenses. For vehicles that have already undergone transfer registration and are awaiting export procedures before the implementation of the "Notice," enterprises should be guided to fulfill their contracts and export in an orderly manner.
Meanwhile, the application conditions for licenses for vehicles exported under the guise of modified vehicles will be strictly enforced. Local commerce departments should guide modified vehicle export companies to accurately fill in information such as the vehicle chassis brand, modified vehicle brand, and vehicle model, and submit supporting documentation proving the authenticity of the modifications. Export licenses will not be issued for products whose authenticity of the modifications cannot be proven, whose similar modified vehicle products are not listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's "Announcement of Road Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Products," or whose products lack valid national mandatory product certification. Local modified vehicle manufacturers' export situation and their modification production capacity commensurate with export volume should be investigated, and relevant information should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Commerce.
According to reports, used car exports have played a multifaceted supporting role in the domestic auto market. Since 2019, this business has become an important growth point for the development of China's auto industry. Wang Du, vice president of the China Automobile Dealers Association, stated that from an industry value perspective, used car exports have activated domestic car replacement demand. The smooth outflow of existing vehicles directly drives new car consumption, forming a virtuous cycle of "existing inventory digestion - new car replacement." It also effectively supports the upgrading of China's "going global" strategy, allowing for early positioning in emerging markets through used car exports, cultivating a user base for the export of new cars from domestic brands, and extending the industrial chain from "product output" to "value output."
Industry insiders generally believe that the "Notice" will accelerate the standardization of used car exports. Wang Du believes that the export business model for used car dealers will shift from the previous "simply selling cars" to a "product + service" model. "First, it's crucial to accurately match the needs of the target market. For example, Southeast Asia prefers economy SUVs, while the Middle East focuses on high-temperature resistant models, requiring targeted adjustments to the exported models. Second, it's essential to proactively collaborate with automakers, leveraging their overseas authorization systems and service networks to address after-sales service issues. Currently, some automakers have already launched a 'used car export authorization + overseas service sharing' model," Wang Du stated.
To ensure the effective implementation of relevant measures, the "Notice" issued the "Negative List of Dishonest Behaviors in Used Car Exports" and the "List of Documents Proving the Authenticity of Modifications." It requires local commerce departments to strengthen the construction of local used car export credit evaluation systems, conduct daily supervision and dynamic management of enterprises in accordance with the "Negative List of Dishonest Behaviors in Used Car Exports," and regulate enterprise business practices and export competition. Enterprises with dishonest behavior should be promptly interviewed. For enterprises with repeated dishonest behavior, failure to provide timely technical and spare parts support for exported vehicles, or failure to fulfill quality assurance obligations, or if the legal representative or related parties of such enterprises establish separate enterprises to conduct used car export business, they should be ordered to formulate and implement rectification measures for their previous dishonest behavior. When reviewing their export license applications, the rectification implementation should be comprehensively considered in the decision on whether to grant a license.
In addition, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the General Administration of Customs will closely monitor and promptly share information on any abnormalities in the export of modified vehicles, increase inspection and punishment efforts, and continuously promote the healthy development of the export of used cars.
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