Export Documents for a Used CAT: What the Buyer Should Receive
The machine is only half the shipment. The documents decide whether it clears, whether the bank releases payment and whether the carrier releases the cargo. A missing certificate at the destination can cost more than the machine’s first repair. The used excavator export documents a buyer should receive are listed below, with the details to check before the vessel sails.
The used excavator export documents checklist
| Document | Who issues it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Seller | Buyer/seller names, machine details, price, Incoterm, HS code |
| Packing list | Seller | Dimensions, weight, attachments, quantity |
| Bill of lading (B/L) | Carrier / forwarder | Shipper, consignee, port, vessel, description, freight terms |
| Certificate of origin | Chamber of commerce / authority | Country of origin, exporter, consignee |
| Customs declaration | Exporter / broker | HS code, value, quantity; keep a copy |
Depending on the destination, the buyer may also need an import licence, a conformity certificate, a fumigation certificate or a pre-shipment inspection report. Those are destination-specific; confirm them before booking.
The details buyers miss
- Stock number and serial: the invoice description should match the machine you inspected.
- HS code: 842952 is the common line for self-propelled excavators with a 360-degree superstructure; confirm with the broker.
- Incoterm: FOB, CIF or DDP must be stated, and the freight/insurance responsibility must match.
- Consignee: the name and address must match the importer’s registration.
- Value: the invoice value must be consistent with the payment and the customs declaration.
Bill of lading: original or telex release?
Ask whether the B/L will be issued as an original set or a telex release. An original B/L must reach you before the cargo arrives; a telex release is faster but depends on the shipper’s instructions. Confirm the terms before the vessel sails.
The bill of lading used for a used excavator is issued by the carrier or forwarder. Check its description against the invoice and the packing list. A mismatch can delay clearance or trigger a customs query.
The document timeline, from deposit to arrival
- Proforma invoice. Names the unit, the price, the Incoterm and the expected loading window.
- Deposit and inspection. The balance waits until the inspection findings are agreed.
- Final invoice and packing list. Issued against the actual unit after any agreed repair, with the serial and the attachments listed.
- Booking and draft B/L. Ask for the draft and check the description, consignee, port and freight terms before it is issued; corrections after issue cost time.
- Certificate of origin. A certificate of origin China requires is issued through a chamber of commerce or the CCPIT, and it names the exporter and the consignee. Apply for it in parallel, not after the vessel sails.
- Original B/L or telex release. Agree who sends the originals and who pays the courier.
- Arrival notice and clearance. The clearing agent needs the documents before the vessel berths, or the machine sits and demurrage starts.
Keep a scanned copy of every document in case the originals are delayed.
A consistency matrix you can fill in
Put the documents side by side and check one field at a time. CAT excavator export documents for a 320D and a 336D2 differ only in the model and serial lines.
| Field | Invoice | Packing list | B/L | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model and serial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Optional |
| HS code | Yes | — | Usually | Sometimes |
| Weight and dimensions | — | Yes | Yes | — |
| Price and Incoterm | Yes | — | Freight terms | — |
| Consignee | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Description language on the B/L
“Used hydraulic excavator, self-propelled, Caterpillar 320D, serial …, one unit” is a description a broker can classify. “Machinery” or “excavator parts” is not. The description should match the invoice and the machine.
Destination-specific extras
Nigeria may require SONCAP-related checks for some goods; Kenya may require a COC/PVOC and an IDF; Saudi Arabia may require SABER/SFDA; South Africa may require specific import permits. These are not universal. Ask the clearing agent in the destination country what applies to your HS code and use case.
Do not assume that a certificate from the seller’s country replaces the destination requirement. The importer is responsible for clearance.
Common mismatch mistakes
The invoice says one model, the bill of lading says another. The packing list omits the bucket. The certificate of origin names a different exporter. These mismatches are boring until the cargo is held at the destination. Check every document against the machine and against each other before the vessel sails.
Ask for the draft B/L before it is issued; corrections afterwards cost time and money.
What the buyer should keep
Keep the invoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin, customs declaration, inspection report and the pre-loading photos. If the machine is resold or a warranty dispute arises, those documents are the record.
Questions buyers ask
Who keeps the original documents?
The buyer needs the originals or a valid telex release to take delivery. Keep copies of every document with the inspection report.
Can the invoice value be lower than the purchase price?
Do not ask for a false value. Customs can assess the machine against reference values, and a mismatch can delay or penalise the import.
Do I need a certificate of origin?
Most destinations require one. Confirm the format and the issuing chamber with your broker.
Get the checklist before the machine is loaded.
Tell us the CAT unit and the destination country, and we will send the document checklist and the loading plan. Availability is confirmed on WhatsApp.
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