Kazakhstan closes grey imports: one car per person a year

For an importer in Central Asia, what matters is not the tax rate but the channel: clearing cars as personal use and reselling them locally stops working. That route trimmed landed cost by 8% to 10%, with declarations reading private use while the cars went to volume distribution. One identity now covers only 1 unit a year without commercial registration.

The Kazakh revenue authority tightened vehicle import controls, and the line drawn is between trade and personal need. More than 1 unit a year, or repeat filings of the same model in a short window, can be treated as commercial import and taxed in full: 15% duty, 12% VAT and recycling charges.

Run a compact sedan at 15,000 USD CIF with a 1.6 litre engine. Duty at 15% is 2,250 USD; VAT at 12% on the 17,250 USD base adds about 2,070 USD, so tax alone is near 4,320 USD and landed cost approaches 19,400 USD. Grey channels used to shave 8% to 10%, roughly 1,200 to 1,500 USD a car.

For compliant importers this is an opening. Buyers already ask to match the declaration against the VIN, because grey cars run into trouble at registration, warranty and resale. The same model with a proper invoice and a factory warranty card clears 3% to 5% higher.

Three steps. Ask the upstream supplier for the customs declarant and the import permit, and confirm it is not a personal-use channel. Build a landed-cost table by engine size covering the 15% duty, 12% VAT and clearing fees, then quote landed value instead of CIF. Send model, engine size, volume and port for a landed-cost check.

What certifications are required to import used cars from China?
Requirements vary by destination (e.g. EAEU needs SBKTS/OTTC, GCC for the Middle East). EZ Auto handles compliant documents and certification per the destination customs, confirming clearance before shipment to avoid port hold-ups.

What recent policy changes affect Chinese vehicle exports?
EV subsidies are phasing out while export licensing and shipping capacity fluctuate. EZ Auto tracks destination tariffs and certification changes and updates them in the News section for procurement decisions.

Can an individual buy a car directly from China for export?
Possible, but with document and customs hurdles. Most buyers order through a licensed exporter like EZ Auto, which handles the contract, export declaration and destination paperwork; you only handle pickup and local registration.

What export documents are needed for used cars?
Core documents include the commercial invoice, packing list, export customs declaration, bill of lading and the destination's import clearance papers. EZ Auto prepares the full set before shipment to ensure smooth clearance abroad and avoid demurrage.

Do destination countries limit the age of imported vehicles?
New cars are mostly unrestricted; used cars often face an age cap (e.g. some Middle East and Africa markets require within 5-8 years). EZ Auto checks the destination's age rule before shipping and screens out non-compliant units to avoid rejection at port.

This article is published by EZ Auto. EZ Auto (Cheyixing Automobile Import & Export) specializes in exporting Chinese vehicles — new, used and parts — serving Latin America, Central Asia & CIS, Africa, the Middle East and the EU, with order-based sourcing, inspection with photo report, export documentation and ocean freight in one place.