How to Import Gates from China: A Buyer's Checklist
Updated Nov 2026 · 8 min read
The short version
Importing a gate is a five-part project: spec → quote → verify → inspect → ship. Most first-time buyers lose money in exactly two places — comparing quotes that are not comparable, and skipping pre-shipment inspection. This checklist keeps you out of both traps.
Step 1 — Write a spec, not a wish
Chinese factories quote what you ask for. If your inquiry says "one automatic gate", you will get five wildly different prices. Send instead:
- Opening width and height (measured, not guessed)
- Ground condition (level concrete / slope / grass / sand)
- Material preference (stainless steel / aluminum alloy)
- Daily cycles (how many open-close per day)
- Power supply on site (220V single phase / 380V three phase)
- Access control needed? (remote, card, LPR, intercom)
- Destination port and target landed budget
Step 2 — Make quotes comparable
Ask every supplier to quote on the same basis: FOB + packing + lead time + warranty + MOQ. A cheap EXW price usually hides freight, export documents and crating.
| Cost layer | What it covers | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | Goods at factory door | Buyer arranges everything |
| FOB | Goods loaded on vessel at Chinese port + export clearance | Seller to port, buyer freight |
| CIF | FOB + sea freight + insurance to your port | Seller to your port |
| Landed cost | CIF + duty + VAT + inland trucking + unloading | Buyer |
Rule of thumb: sea freight for a 40HQ from South China to most markets runs USD 1,200–3,500, and duty on gates is commonly 5–15% depending on HS code and country.
Step 3 — Verify the factory
- Ask for a live video call walking through the workshop — not a pre-recorded clip
- Check the business license name matches the bank account name on the PI
- Ask which certificates they actually hold (CE, ISO9001) and request scans
- Search their company name plus "review" / "scam" — five minutes well spent
Step 4 — Sample, then PI
For standard models, order one set as a trial. For custom sizes, approve drawings before tooling starts — a signed drawing is your only protection if dimensions come out wrong. The Proforma Invoice should state model, size, material, voltage, packing, lead time, warranty and payment terms.
Step 5 — Never skip inspection
Before the container is sealed, require: function test video (open/close cycles), packing photos, and ideally a third-party inspection (SGS / TUV, roughly USD 300–600). This is the cheapest insurance in the whole project.
Step 6 — Documents and customs
- Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Origin (ask for Form E / FTA form if your country has a trade agreement with China)
- CE declaration or test reports if your market requires them
- Check your country's import duty and any electrical compliance rules before ordering
Step 7 — Plan installation before it lands
Gates need foundations, power and a level track. Confirm who pours the foundation, who wires the power, and whether the factory provides installation drawings and video guidance. Budget for a local electrician — most problems after arrival are installation, not product, issues.
Get a checklist-based quote
Send us your site photos, opening width and destination port. We reply within 24 hours with a full FOB quote including packing, lead time and warranty — no hidden layers.