Mohan Border Entry Costs & Budget

1. Agency service fee

The agency service fee covers the customs declaration, temporary import permit paperwork and coordination with the border authorities. For a standard passenger car with a 1–3 month permit, quotes typically start around RMB 6,000 (about USD 850) and vary with vehicle type, trip length and the border used. Motorcycles are usually lower; campervans and 4WD vehicles can be higher.

Before you pay, ask for a written quote that lists exactly what the fee includes — document preparation, customs clearance, insurance coordination and the temporary plate. A fee that looks low at first can grow once you add "extras" at the border.

2. Customs deposit & guarantee

The largest amount of money in this process is not the service fee — it is the customs deposit. How much you pay depends entirely on whether your agency can provide a customs guarantee.

• With a qualified travel agency: the agency's licence deposit with the tourism authority (licensed agencies hold RMB 1.6 million in guarantee funds) backs your vehicle's temporary entry. You only pay a symbolic deposit, typically RMB 10,000, which is returned after your vehicle exits China.
• Without an agency guarantee: customs may require a deposit of roughly 50% of the vehicle's value, which ties up a large amount of money for the entire trip — and can be difficult to recover if the company is not cooperative.

3. Chinese third-party insurance

Third-party liability insurance is mandatory for every vehicle in China. At Mohan it is usually arranged at the border, and the cost depends on vehicle type and length of stay — for a standard car covering 1–3 months, expect a few hundred RMB. Some agencies include insurance in their service fee, so confirm this in the written quote before paying anything.

4. Plates, forms and small fees

The temporary entry plate, photocopies and small border charges are usually included in the service fee. To avoid surprises, ask the agency to itemize these in the quote. If you are self-arranging, budget a little extra for printing, forms and bank charges.

5. Sample budget table

The figures below are typical ranges for a standard passenger car entering at Mohan with a 1–3 month permit. Actual amounts depend on vehicle type, trip length and the agency you choose.

Item	Typical range (RMB)	Notes
Agency service fee	6,000 – 8,000	Standard car, 1–3 months; confirm what is included
Customs deposit	10,000 (refundable)	With a licensed agency's guarantee; refunded on exit
Third-party insurance	300 – 800	Depends on vehicle type and number of days
Plates, forms, misc.	Included, or 100 – 300	Confirm whether the service fee covers them

6. How to avoid hidden costs

• Get a written quote that itemizes the service fee, deposit and insurance separately.
• Compare two or three agencies, but be cautious with quotes far below the market — very low fees can mean the deposit is at risk (see our pitfalls article).
• Confirm the deposit refund terms and timeline in writing, and which account the money goes to.
• Check whether insurance and the temporary plate are included before comparing prices between agencies.