A shared reference for sellers assembling a document pack and buyers reviewing one, current as of September 2026. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not replace the country-specific requirements that apply to a particular shipment or market.
In a used-equipment deal, the document pack is not paperwork that follows the transaction ¡ª it is the transaction. It is how the buyer knows what is being sold, how the seller demonstrates what was done to it, and how both sides can answer a question six months later. This page is organised as a master list, so that sellers can assemble a pack deliberately and buyers can review one in the order that matters.
The document pack as the spine of the deal
Most problems in used-equipment transactions are information problems rather than hardware problems. A unit arrives and the accessories do not match the listing; the service history turns out to cover a different serial number; the import documents name a different model. In every case the missing item is a document, and the remedy is the same: assemble the pack before the money moves, and review it in a defined order.
Two principles keep the process honest. First, every document should identify the specific unit ¡ª a generic service certificate has almost no value. Second, the pack should be complete enough that a third party, given the documents alone, could tell what was sold and in what condition.
Identity and provenance documents
| Document | What it establishes | What a gap means |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | The seller, the buyer, the item, the price and the terms | Nothing is contractually agreed in writing |
| Serial-number record | Which physical unit is being sold | The buyer cannot verify the unit against its history |
| Ownership or title evidence | That the seller may sell the unit | A question to resolve before payment, not after |
| Condition report or photographs | The state of the unit at the point of sale | Disputes about condition become one party’s word against the other’s |
Device and safety records
The device file is what distinguishes a professional sale from a speculative one. It should identify the unit, describe what has been done to it, and show the result of any verification performed after that work.
- Service and preventive maintenance history, with dates and the organization that performed the work.
- Safety test or performance verification results, with the procedure followed and the date.
- Parts documentation for any replacements, including whether the parts were the manufacturer’s or third-party.
- Software or firmware version, and any update history.
- Accessory inventory by part number, distinguishing consumable items from reusable ones.
Regulatory documents
Regulatory paperwork is the category most likely to be incomplete, because requirements differ by market and by device type. Rather than treating it as a fixed list, treat it as a question to answer for the specific destination: what does the receiving market require to import, register, place on the market or put into service this device? The answers vary, and a pack that is complete for one destination may be incomplete for another.
Where a device carries labeling or instructions, include what is being supplied with the unit and note whether it is the manufacturer’s original labeling. If the unit has been repackaged or relabelled, that is a fact the buyer needs to see stated rather than discovered.
Logistics and payment documents
These documents allocate risk rather than describe the device, and they are the ones buyers most often review last ¡ª which is usually the wrong order.
- Packing list matching the invoice and the physical consignment.
- Transport documents and the agreed delivery terms, including where risk transfers.
- Insurance evidence covering the transit you have agreed to.
- Customs documentation appropriate to the route and the goods.
- Payment terms and the mechanism agreed between the parties.
Assembling the pack as a seller
Build the pack at the point of sale, not at the point of demand. The unit is in front of you, the serial is legible, and photographs take minutes. A pack assembled later, from memory, is visibly thinner ¡ª and buyers notice.
- Photograph the unit, its labeling and its serial number, and any defects, while it is in front of you.
- Pull the service history for that serial number, not for the model.
- List the included accessories by part number, and state clearly what is not included.
- State what work was performed and by whom, and include the verification that followed it.
- Confirm the transport and payment terms in writing before the goods are packed.
- Keep a copy of the complete pack for your own records.
Reviewing it as a buyer
Read the pack in the order risk appears rather than the order documents are numbered. Confirm identity first ¡ª that everything in the pack refers to one physical unit. Then read the device file for work performed and verification. Then check the regulatory and logistics documents for the destination. Finally, read the commercial terms for what happens if the unit fails inspection.
Where a document is missing, decide whether it is a gap you can close with a contract term or a gap that changes the value of what you are buying. Both are legitimate conclusions; what is not legitimate is proceeding without noticing.
Questions buyers ask
Are copies acceptable, or do we need originals?
It depends on the document and on the destination. Records such as test results and service history are usually supplied as copies; documents that establish identity, ownership or customs clearance may need to be originals or certified. Confirm the requirement for your specific transaction.
What is the most important single document?
Something that ties the records to one physical unit ¡ª a serial-number record or a condition report that names the serial. Without that link, every other document in the pack is ambiguous.
Can a seller refuse to provide the service history?
A seller may not hold records for a unit, or may not wish to release them. Either way the buyer’s position is the same: the unit is unverified for that aspect, and that should be reflected in price, in the acceptance terms, or in a decision not to proceed.
Assemble the pack before you sell, and read it in risk order before you buy. If you are preparing or reviewing documentation for a transaction, ask HHG what records travel with a specific item, or browse the current listings. Related reading: medical device documentation practices and compliance considerations in cross-border resale.