International Business / Procurement Guide
How to Import Elevators from China (2026): Prices, Supplier Checks, Shipping Terms & Step-by-Step Guide
Quick answer: China is the world’s largest elevator producer. In 2024 it made about 1.49 million elevators and exported about 102,000 elevators and 13,000 escalators and moving walks, according to official statistics and the China Elevator Association.
Equipment-only FOB asking prices in Chinese public equipment advertisements in October 2026:
| Equipment | Typical listed price per unit (US$) |
|---|---|
| Passenger elevator, 630 – 1,600 kg | 6,000 – 26,000 |
| Machine-room-less (MRL) passenger elevator | 6,569 – 14,400 |
| Traction freight elevator, 1,000 – 5,000 kg | 5,000 – 23,000 |
| Commercial escalator | 6,000 – 39,000 |
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Plan for 30–45 days of production after drawing approval, then sea freight. Import duty under HS 8428.10 ranges from 0% to 30% depending on the country. Installation must be done by a qualified local company.
Importing elevators for a project or as a distributor? Send JAFITA your country, elevator type, quantity and building stage. We will propose equipment, name the factory and quote FOB or CIF. Start an Elevator Import Enquiry on WhatsApp
Browse article sections
SECTION 01
1. Why Buyers Import Elevators from China
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator output (enterprises above designated size) | 1.557 million (2023), 1.492 million (2024) | National Bureau of Statistics, via Elevator World |
| Domestic deliveries | 1.14 million (2023) → 1.04 million (2024) | China Elevator Association |
| Exports | 102,000 elevators + 13,000 escalators and moving walks (2024), up 17.3% | China Elevator Association |
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Source: Elevator World — Data Reveals China VT Market Trends.
With domestic demand falling and exports rising, Chinese manufacturers are actively competing for overseas projects. That means more choice — and more need to check suppliers carefully.
SECTION 02
2. Elevator Prices from China by Type
| Listing (supplier) | Type | Listed price (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| VVVF machine-room residential passenger lift | Passenger, machine room | 6,000 – 9,000 |
| MRL passenger elevator, gearless motor | Passenger, MRL | 6,569 – 14,400 |
| 450–1,600 kg, 1–2.5 m/s passenger elevator | Passenger | 10,000 – 15,000 |
| 630 / 800 kg residential passenger elevator | Passenger | 8,000 – 26,000 |
| 5 m/s high-speed passenger elevator | Passenger, machine room | 9,000 – 16,000 |
| Traction freight elevator | Freight | 15,000 – 23,000 |
| 800–1000 mm public escalator with CE | Escalator | 15,000 – 39,000 |
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The figures are independent public equipment asking-price examples observed on 19 October 2026, not JAFITA quotations. Actual prices depend on the selected equipment and order scope.
What moves the price most:
- Number of stops and travel height
- Speed
- Car size and decoration (stainless, glass, marble floor)
- Door type and number of entrances
- Control system brand
- Destination code documents
SECTION 03
3. Step-by-Step: How to Import an Elevator
| Step | What happens | Planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Define the requirement | Type, load, stops, speed, shaft size, destination code | 1–2 weeks |
| 2. Get quotations | 2–3 suppliers quote the same specification | 1–2 weeks |
| 3. Approve drawings | General arrangement and builder’s-work drawings signed | 1–3 weeks |
| 4. Production | Manufacturing and factory testing | about 30–45 days (one 5,000 kg freight listing states 30–45 days) |
| 5. Shipping | Export packing, ocean freight | depends on route; e.g. China to West Africa about 32–42 days |
| 6. Customs and delivery | Import clearance and transport to site | 1–3 weeks |
| 7. Installation and inspection | Local licensed installer; authority or notified body inspection | depends on stops and site readiness |
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Production and shipping times come from the sources below. The other durations are planning estimates — confirm them with your supplier, forwarder and local contractors.
SECTION 04
4. Prepare a Technical Specification Before Asking for Prices
A request like “three elevators for a six-floor hotel” produces offers you cannot compare. Send this instead:
| Parameter | Example |
|---|---|
| Destination | Country, city |
| Building type | Hotel, apartment, office, factory |
| Quantity | 3 |
| Load | 1,000 kg (13 persons) |
| Speed | 1.0 m/s |
| Stops / travel | 6 stops / 18 m |
| Car size | 1,400 × 1,600 mm |
| Door | 900 mm side opening |
| Shaft | 1,900 × 1,950 mm, pit 1,100 mm, headroom 3,400 mm |
| Power | 380 V / 50 Hz / 3-phase |
| Code | EN 81-20, ASME A17.1 or local |
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For first contact, five items are enough: country, building type, elevator type, quantity and number of floors.
SECTION 05
5. How to Verify a Chinese Elevator Supplier
| Check | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Legal entity | Business licence; same company name on contract, invoice and bank account |
| Manufacturing licence | China Special Equipment Production License (elevators are licensed special equipment in China) |
| Actual factory | Which factory makes your elevator, and which brand of machine, controller and doors |
| Management certificates | ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001 — company level, not product approval |
| Product conformity | EU: EN 81-20/50 type examination and documents for the installer’s conformity assessment; other markets: local approval |
| References | Projects in your country or region |
| Spare parts | Parts list, identification method, how long parts will be supplied |
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Red flag: bank details that differ from the contracting company, or that change by email. Confirm by phone through a known number.
SECTION 06
6. Shipping Terms: FOB, CIF, FCA, CIP, DAP
| Term | Seller pays to | Risk passes to buyer | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCA | Carrier at named place in China | On handover to carrier | Containers (often better than FOB) |
| FOB | On board at Chinese port | On board | Buyers with their own forwarder |
| CIF | Your port, incl. minimum insurance (ICC C) | On board in China | Seller arranges freight |
| CIP | Named destination, incl. broader insurance (ICC A) | On handover to first carrier | Multimodal, higher insurance |
| DAP | Named place in your country | On arrival, ready to unload | Buyer wants door delivery |
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Key point: Under CIF, the seller pays freight to your port, but the risk is yours once goods are loaded in China. Duties, unloading and inland transport are not included.
Reference: ICC Incoterms® 2020.
Want a CIF price to your port? Tell JAFITA the destination port and quantity. We will quote FOB and CIF side by side, with the packing list for your customs broker. Get FOB and CIF Prices
SECTION 07
7. Import Duties and Total Cost
Elevators are normally classified under HS 8428.10 (“lifts and skip hoists”). Primary import tariffs on this heading range from 0% (United States) to 30% (Thailand), according to tariff comparison data. Check your own country’s 10-digit code and any extra trade measures.
Tariff rates depend on the importing country, product classification, origin and applicable additional measures. Confirm the current rate with the destination customs authority.
Total project cost = equipment (FOB) + freight and insurance + duty and taxes + port and clearing + shaft and building works + installation and inspection + maintenance.
Keep building works and installation separate from the equipment quote. This makes supplier offers comparable.
SECTION 08
8. Rules in Key Markets
| Market | What to know |
|---|---|
| European Union | Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU. The installer places the complete lift on the market and carries out the conformity assessment. Buying equipment in China does not make the installed lift compliant by itself. |
| United States / Canada | ASME A17.1/CSA B44, adopted by each jurisdiction (edition varies); local permit and inspection. |
| Middle East, Africa, Latin America | National standards, permits and installer licensing vary country by country. Confirm with the local authority before final selection. |
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References: European Commission — Lifts, Directive 2014/33/EU, ASME A17.1.
SECTION 09
9. Contract Essentials
| Clause | What to include |
|---|---|
| Technical annex | Load, speed, stops, car and door sizes, main component brands, drawings |
| Change control | Who approves changes to dimensions or components |
| Inspection | Factory inspection scope and what is checked on site |
| Payment milestones | Linked to drawing approval, production completion and shipment |
| Documents | Manuals, wiring diagrams, parts list, conformity documents |
| Warranty | Period, what is covered, how parts are shipped |
| Delivery | Incoterm, named port, packing standard |
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SECTION 10
10. Packing, Shipping and Receiving
- Mark every package with project → elevator number → package number → packing-list line, so parts for one shaft do not end up in another.
- At arrival, count packages, photograph damage before opening, and notify the carrier and insurer within the contract deadlines.
- Store indoors. Export packing is not designed for long-term outdoor storage.
SECTION 11
11. Eight Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Choosing on price alone | Compare on one specification |
| Not knowing who makes the elevator | Ask for the factory and component brands in writing |
| Ordering before checking local rules | Confirm code and approval route first |
| Building from preliminary drawings | Build only from approved drawings |
| Treating CIF as “delivered” | Budget duty, port and inland costs |
| Allowing silent part substitutions | Require written approval of changes |
| No local installer or maintainer | Line them up before ordering |
| Not recording shipment damage | Use a receiving checklist |
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SECTION 12
12. Why Import Through JAFITA?
JAFITA is the international brand of Beijing Jieteda Elevator Co., Ltd.:
| Founded | Beijing, 2001 |
| Export business | Since 2008 |
| Licence documentation to verify for the responsible manufacturer | China Special Equipment Production License (check holder, authorized category and current status) |
| Certificates to verify for the contracting entity and exact scope | ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 (each certificate and current validity must be confirmed; this table is not proof that JAFITA holds all three) |
| Own manufacturing | Freight elevators (core strength) and OEM work |
| Partner supply | Project-specific OEM and specialist factory sourcing; the actual manufacturer, authorization and relevant records must be confirmed for the quoted order |
| Range | Passenger, freight, home, hospital and panoramic elevators; escalators and moving walks; components |
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For a defined order, request the actual factory, principal component identities and the agreed document package in the written quotation. These details help establish exactly what is being purchased.
Learn more: International Business · Supply Chain · Certifications · Distribution Partnerships
SECTION 13
13. Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to import an elevator from China?
Equipment-only FOB listings are about US$6,000–26,000 for passenger elevators and US$5,000–23,000 for traction freight elevators. Add freight, duty, installation and inspection in your country.
Can I buy an elevator directly from a Chinese factory?
Yes. China exported about 102,000 elevators in 2024. Check the business licence, the Special Equipment Production License, the actual factory and the documents your country requires.
How long does it take to import an elevator from China?
About 30–45 days of production after drawing approval, plus sea freight (for example, about 32–42 days to West Africa), customs clearance and installation.
What is the import duty on elevators?
Elevators fall under HS 8428.10. Primary rates range from 0% in the United States to 30% in Thailand. Check your national tariff and any trade-remedy duties.
Is FCA better than FOB for elevators?
For containerized shipments, often yes, because the goods are handed to the carrier at the terminal before loading.
Does CIF include customs clearance and installation?
No. CIF covers freight and minimum insurance to your port. Duties, port charges, inland transport and installation are extra.
Does an ISO 9001 certificate mean the elevator meets EU rules?
No. ISO 9001 covers the company’s quality system. EU compliance needs product-specific documents and the installer’s conformity assessment.
Can I request a quotation without full drawings?
Yes. Country, building type, elevator type, quantity and number of floors are enough for a first offer.
SECTION 14
Request an Elevator Import Quotation
Send JAFITA: destination country, your company role, elevator type, quantity and project stage. Add floor plans or shaft sizes if you have them.
Contact JAFITA on WhatsApp for an Elevator Export Enquiry
Email: info@jafita.cn · Contact page
Sources
- Elevator World — Data Reveals China VT Market Trends — production, deliveries and exports
- ICC Incoterms® 2020 · EU Directive 2014/33/EU · U.S. CBP Binding Rulings
Prices are third-party asking prices; duty and freight figures are indicative. Confirm current rates and local rules before you budget.