Confirm eligibility first
Identify device, model, configuration, intended use and destination. Ask the local regulator or a qualified adviser what applies to second-hand devices and importers, distributors or authorised representatives. Check registration, labelling, language, conformity documents, local representation and pre-approval before payment where possible.
Legal treatment may depend on whether a product is used, repaired, refurbished, reprocessed or treated as waste. The UK MHRA publishes separate Great Britain guidance for second-hand and fully refurbished devices; the EU has importer and distributor obligations. These examples do not establish other countries’ rules.
Agree roles and documents
Clarify buyer, importer of record, consignee, customs broker and responsibility for compliance, registration, duties, taxes and clearance. Ask for exact make, model, serial, configuration, condition, included accessories and available test, service, ownership or decontamination records. Confirm which invoice, packing list, origin information, manuals, identifiers and export or conformity papers can accompany the shipment. Availability varies; do not assume a certificate exists. Match serials and descriptions across documents.
Calculate landed cost and plan shipping
Ask a customs broker to estimate freight, insurance, duty, taxes, brokerage, terminal charges, storage and inland delivery. Classification and taxes depend on product and destination. Confirm delivery terms and when cost and risk transfer. Clarify packaging, export clearance, insurance and installation. Check dimensions, weight, lifting points, orientation and environmental limits. Ask whether batteries, magnets or other components affect carrier acceptance. Agree how transit damage is recorded.
Check site compatibility and acceptance
Confirm voltage, frequency, plug, earthing, language, room access, installation needs, parts and consumables. Involve IT for connected systems. Before dispatch, give the broker agreed paperwork and identify approvals needed before release. On delivery, check crate, serial and contents, document damage and arrange qualified inspection and acceptance. Keep equipment out of clinical use until local and facility checks are passed.
Prepare a destination file before shipment
Ask the importer, broker, facility engineer and supplier to review the same model and serial number. Keep the quote, classification advice, approvals, invoice, packing list, insurance terms, product records and delivery instructions together. Assign a person to receive the crate and document its condition. This handoff reduces confusion when paperwork, site access and technical acceptance involve different teams.
Coordinate the shipment with the receiving site
International delivery needs a prepared consignee. Check that the facility can receive the crate, has suitable unloading equipment and storage, and can protect it from weather or unauthorised access before inspection. Confirm local contact details with the carrier and arrange a process for recording the packaging condition before opening. If customs release, technical inspection or installation must occur in a particular order, write down the sequence and responsible party. Coordinating these practical steps with the broker and facility can prevent storage charges, avoidable handling or a shipment that reaches the address before the team is ready.
RA Plus Medical supplies used equipment from the UK to customers worldwide. Contact the team with device, destination and document requirements before ordering. Request a written quote specifying shipment scope and any delivery or installation options.
Official starting points
For Great Britain, see MHRA guidance on second-hand and refurbished devices. For the EU, consult the European Commission’s medical-device economic-operator guidance. Elsewhere, begin with the national regulator and customs authority; these sources are not transaction-specific advice.