How do I buy a car directly from a manufacturer in China as an exporter?
Updated 2026-05-046 min read
Sourcing directly from Chinese OEMs is possible but the paperwork chain is real. Here's the practical process.
01
Who can actually buy from the OEM
Registered Chinese trading company with export licence + OEM authorisation letter = clean channel.
Foreign company with a wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary = can buy directly from OEM in many cases.
Individual foreign buyer walking into a dealership = cannot export (dealer refuses to sell for export without paperwork).
02
The paperwork trail
- Commercial invoice + packing list from OEM to trading co.
- Bill of Lading from trading co. to overseas buyer
- Certificate of Origin (Form E for ASEAN, Form S for Swiss, etc.)
- OEM Certificate of Conformity (for CE / GCC / ADR homologation)
- Export licence issued by MOFCOM
- China Compulsory Certification (CCC) waiver for export
03
Approved trading houses
Choose partners with 5+ years export history, on-file OEM authorisation, and audit-verified inventory. Avoid single-lot sellers on Alibaba unless they can prove OEM authorisation.
Key takeaways
- 01Direct-from-OEM requires a licensed Chinese trading partner.
- 02Insist on OEM authorisation letter before wiring funds.
- 03Verified trading houses cut price and lead time meaningfully.
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