Shipping Heavy Equipment to Russia

The four ways to ship machinery to Russia

No booking is possible until the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security grants an export licence^[2][3][4][5]. We plan the routing only once a licence is issued.

What the U.S. ships to Russia

U.S. exports to Russia by machine class, 2025 against 2024, as reported by the United States to UN Comtrade^[6]. Units are as declared; the average is customs value divided by units.

A dash means the quantity was not reported for that year. Classes the U.S. did not ship here in either year are left out.

Import duty on machinery in Russia

The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty applied to each machine class, as a simple average of the national tariff lines under its HS subheading^[1]. Preferential rates under trade agreements can be lower.

The range shows the lowest and highest line within the subheading; a dash means every line has the same rate.

Worked example: a $100,000 excavator

Import duty: 5% of $100,000 CIF is $5,000 (HS 8429.52, 2021 tariff)^[1].

NDS (VAT): 22% of the duty-inclusive $105,000 is $23,100^[7]

Total duty and tax: $28,100, or 28% of CIF.

• Excise, port charges, broker fees and any registration tax are extra. The final rate depends on the exact tariff line your broker declares.

Vehicles and other taxes

International sanctions heavily restrict shipments of US-origin vehicles and many goods to Russia. Where trade is permitted, Russia applies the EAEU common tariff, 20% VAT, an excise, and a large recycling (utilization) fee. Confirm legal eligibility before any enquiry.

Source: EAEU customs framework / Russian Federal Customs Service, checked June 2026.

• Import duty: EAEU common external tariff (where permitted)
• VAT: 20%
• Other charges: Recycling (utilization) fee (engine-power based, indexed); excise by engine power

Rules for used machinery in Russia

Hardest market: U.S. exports of excavators, loaders, dozers, cranes, tractors and dumpers need a BIS licence. On import, Russia levies a steep utilization fee (Decree No. 81, indexed yearly 2025-2030); used machinery is exempt from TR CU 010 certification.

• Licence or permit: U.S. EAR §746.8(a)(5): a BIS licence is required to export to Russia items in Supplement No. 4 to Part 746, which lists HTS 8429 (dozers, excavators, loaders), 8426 cranes, 8701 tractors and 870410 dumpers.^[3]
• Conformity: Used machinery ('бывшие в эксплуатации') is exempt from TR CU 010/2011 conformity confirmation (Art. 7); new machines need an EAEU certificate or declaration per Annex 3. Adopted by CU Commission Decision No. 823 (18 Oct 2011).^[8]
• Conformity: TR CU 031/2012 (EEC Council Decision No. 60, 20 Jul 2012) covers newly made and imported farm/forestry tractors; its used-tractor exclusion applies only to tractors already in circulation inside the EAEU.^[9]
• Documents: Tractors and self-propelled machines are registered via an electronic passport (ЭПСМ) under the EAEU Agreement of 15 Aug 2014 on unified passports; e-passport procedure set by EEC Collegium Decision No. 122 (22 Sep 2015).^[10]
• Fees: Import duty follows the EAEU Common Customs Tariff and CN FEA approved by EEC Council Decision No. 80 (14 Sep 2021), identical across member states.^[11]
• Fees: Utilization fee on imported self-propelled machines and trailers is set by Government Decree No. 81 (6 Feb 2016), listing machine types and fee sizes.^[12]
• Fees: Decree No. 1255 (13 Sep 2024) set a long-term scale: road-construction machinery fee rises about 15% each 1 January from 2025 to 2030; excavator and backhoe-loader indexation deferred to 2026/2028.^[13]

U.S. export controls

Licence required. BIS licence required for virtually all heavy equipment; applications reviewed under a policy of denial.^[2][3][4][5]

EAR §746.8(a)(5) requires a licence to export, reexport or transfer to/within Russia any item in Supp. No. 4 to Part 746, which lists HTS 8426 cranes, 8429.11–8429.59 dozers/graders/loaders/excavators, 8430, 8701 tractors and 8704 trucks, plus parts. §746.8(b)(3): policy of denial. Supp. 2 also lists 8430.49/8431.43 for oil/gas uses. OFAC RuHSR blocking also applies; screen SDN and Entity List.

Documents for Russia

The papers a machinery shipment to Russia usually needs at destination. Your consignee and their customs broker confirm the list for the exact cargo.

• Sanctions Compliance Assessment
• License (if applicable)
• End-User Verification
• All inquiries subject to compliance review

U.S. export rules

What every shipment from the U.S. has to clear before it sails, whatever the destination.

Electronic Export Information (15 CFR 30)U.S. Census Bureau

Electronic Export Information is filed in AES for each Schedule B number worth more than $2,500 going to one consignee on one conveyance, and for every vehicle whatever its value. For vessel cargo it is due at least 24 hours before loading; the Internal Transaction Number (ITN) goes to the carrier with the booking.^[14][15]

Applies to: Any Schedule B line over $2,500, and every vehicle

Used self-propelled vehicles: 72-hour ruleU.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. regulations count self-propelled construction and agricultural machinery as vehicles. A used one must be filed in AES at least 72 hours before export, whatever its value or destination, and the ITN, the VIN or serial number and the ownership documents go to CBP at the port of export. Filing after departure is not allowed.^[16][17][15]

Applies to: Used machines that drive: excavators, loaders, dozers, tractors, trucks

ISPM 15 wood packagingIPPC, administered in the U.S. by USDA APHIS

Wood packaging and dunnage must be heat-treated to a core temperature of 56 °C for at least 30 minutes, or fumigated, and carry the IPPC mark with the US country code, the facility number and HT or MB. Marked wood can be reused; repaired or remanufactured wood must be treated and marked again.^[18]

Applies to: Crates, skids, blocking and dunnage

Export classification under the EAR (ECCN or EAR99)BIS (U.S. Department of Commerce)

An item subject to the EAR is either listed on the Commerce Control List under an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) or classified EAR99, the basket for items not listed. The ECCN’s reasons for control, read against the Commerce Country Chart, decide whether the destination needs a license. An EAR99 item rarely needs one, but no item, EAR99 included, may go to a person under a denial order or to a prohibited end use or end user without BIS authorization.^[19][20][21]

Applies to: Every export of goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations

Clearance notes for Russia

• Sanctions compliance is the first question — many US-origin shipments to Russia are prohibited.
• The recycling (utilization) fee is a major cost and is being unified across EAEU routes from 2026.
• Sanctions make most US-origin shipments to Russia restricted or prohibited — verify legality first; we may be unable to service this lane.

Questions buyers ask

Export checklist (PDF)

A one-page checklist with the facts on this page for shipping Russia: methods, duty, rules and documents. Give it to your customs broker.

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