How to Check If a Used Machine or Appliance Can Be Imported to Pakistan
Check if a used machine or appliance can be imported to Pakistan. Appendix-C bans second-hand boilers, compressors, ACs and fridges, with exceptions. See how.
Short answer: Check Appendix-C of Pakistan's Import Policy Order, 2022. It lists goods that cannot be imported used or second-hand: boilers, compressors, air conditioners, refrigerators, hand tools bought by commercial importers, household machinery and most machinery parts. There are exceptions, including computer equipment and approved relocation of a whole factory.
A used air conditioner from Dubai costs half the price of a new one. A used compressor for a workshop in Faisalabad looks like a bargain too. Both are on the list of things you may not bring in second-hand. The saving is real, but so is the risk of a stuck container.
We read the Banned Commodities page and the Import Policy Order, 2022, on the Trade Information Portal of Pakistan on 14 October 2026. The order is long and its codes are many. We explain the main rule and the exceptions we could read, and we mark what we could not.
The rule: some goods may come in new but not used
Paragraph 5(3) of the order says goods listed in Appendix-C are banned for import in second-hand or used condition, except where the list itself allows them. So the same machine can be legal when new and illegal when used.
The list is headed "Items not importable in used or second-hand condition". It gives a description and the customs codes for each item. If your item is on it, a used one needs a written exception, and you should not ship before you have it.
What is on the used-goods list
The list starts with boilers, compressors, air conditioners and refrigerators. It also includes hand tools, whether hand-operated or power-driven, when commercial importers bring them in, and household-type and other miscellaneous machinery and parts.
| Item on Appendix-C | Exception we read |
|---|---|
| Boilers | Used boilers with prior approval of the Chief Inspector of Boilers and a certificate from a registered inspection company |
| Compressors | None found in the text we read |
| Air conditioners | None found in the text we read |
| Refrigerators | None found in the text we read |
| Hand tools by commercial importers | None found in the text we read |
| Machinery parts | Parts for industrial units, and reconditioned parts for construction, mining and petroleum companies, are carved out |
| Vehicles of Chapter 87 | Several exceptions, such as certain buses, ambulances and motorised wheelchairs |
The list also has a long block of electronic and electrical codes, many marked as updated by S.R.O. 628(I)/2024. We did not decode that block. If your item is an appliance, look up its code on the portal and check it against the full list.
Exceptions that let used machinery in
The list carries a plain exception: the ban does not apply to computer-related equipment in second-hand or used condition. A used laptop or server falls outside the ban, even where its code is on the list. Other exceptions need paperwork and inspection.
The order also allows used plant and machinery when a complete project is relocated, with a fitness certificate that the equipment works and has at least ten years of life left. Construction firms registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council, and mining, oil, gas and petroleum companies, may import second-hand plant needed for their projects, if it is no more than ten years old and inspected before shipment.
Used passenger buses, trucks and static road rollers are not allowed under that route. Pakistani companies finishing overseas projects may also bring back construction machinery they bought from foreign earnings, with a certificate from Pakistan's mission abroad.
How to check your item in five steps
Find the customs code first. Then read Appendix-C for that code. If the item is listed, look at the exceptions. If none fits, buy new or look at a local seller. Never rely on the seller's word alone.
- Get the make, model and age of the item and the customs code. The guide to finding a PCT code shows how.
- Open Appendix-C on the TIPP site and search for the code and the description.
- If it is listed, read the notes under it for exceptions.
- If an exception applies, collect the papers: the inspection certificate, the company registration and the permission it asks for.
- Ask a customs clearing agent to confirm before you pay the seller.
For used cars the rules sit elsewhere. Read the used car import rules and duty and the 2026 notification on used car imports. For goods that are banned in any condition, see the check on banned imports.
Papers to prepare before you ship
For any import, customs works from the goods declaration. For a used item, the exceptions above ask for an inspection certificate and proof of age or condition, so collect them before shipment. We did not find a full official checklist, so ask your clearing agent for one.
If you are a business, register first. Read how to register as an importer with customs. If goods are held, how to contest an overstayed cargo penalty shows one remedy.
Common questions
Can I import a used air conditioner?
Air conditioners are listed as not importable used. We found no exception for them in the text we read, so do not ship one without a written customs answer.
Are used laptops allowed?
Yes. The list says the ban does not cover computer-related equipment in used condition, even where its code appears.
Can a factory move its machines to Pakistan?
Yes, as a complete project relocation, with a fitness certificate that the equipment works and has at least ten years of life left.
Where is the list?
Appendix-C of the Import Policy Order, 2022, linked from the TIPP site. The page on banned commodities points to it.
Does the list ever change?
Yes. Parts of it carry notes of amendment, such as S.R.O. 628(I)/2024. Check the latest version before each purchase.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Import Policy Order, 2022 on TIPP, including Appendix-C and paragraph 10. The scanned text is messy, and some rows of the list were hard to read. We did not decode every customs code, and we found no official statement on how customs treats a used appliance that is not on the list.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
