How do I import saunas from China?

Shortlist and vet manufacturers, confirm the certifications your market requires, order and approve samples, agree an Incoterm and payment terms in a written contract, plan the container load from real carton data, inspect before shipment, then book freight and clear customs with a licensed broker. Settle certification and Incoterm before paying the deposit.

What certifications do saunas need for the US and EU?

For the US, retailers and inspectors typically expect a listing from a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory such as ETL or UL; sauna heaters are commonly required to meet UL 875, and Bluetooth modules need FCC authorization. For the EU, CE marking under the Low Voltage, EMC and RoHS directives applies, plus RED for radio features.

Which Incoterm should I use to import saunas?

FOB is the most common choice for experienced importers because you control freight and insurance while the supplier handles export clearance and loading. EXW gives more cost control but more work in China. CIF and DDP simplify logistics for newer buyers but reduce visibility over freight costs. FOB, FAS, CFR and CIF are sea-only terms under Incoterms 2020.

How many saunas fit in a container?

It depends on model size, carton dimensions and whether you mix models. A 40-foot high cube offers about 76 cubic meters, a 40-foot standard about 67.7 and a 20-foot about 33. Load the actual carton list into a container calculator and confirm the final loading plan with your supplier before booking.

How do I find a reliable sauna manufacturer in China?

Look for a supplier that can show certificates you can verify in the certifier's online directory, a real product range with specifications, factory photos or a video audit, and clear answers on customization and spare parts. Order samples, check them against the specification, and agree inspection criteria before mass production.

How long does it take to import saunas from China?

Total time is sampling plus production, inland transport, ocean transit, customs clearance and final delivery. Production time depends on model, customization, order size and season, and transit time depends on route. Confirm production lead time with your supplier at order, and build in buffer for sampling and certification.

How to Import Saunas from China: A B2B Guide

Q: What import duties apply to saunas?

Duty depends on the product's tariff classification, its country of origin and current trade measures, which can change. Saunas, heaters and cold plunge tubs may classify differently. Ask a licensed customs broker to classify each product using the official tariff schedule and confirm current rates before you set retail prices.

Short answer. To import saunas from China, make five decisions in the right order: choose and vet a sauna manufacturer, confirm the certifications your market requires, agree an Incoterm that matches your logistics capability, plan the container load from real carton data, and build a timeline that includes sampling, inspection, transit and customs. Most problems importers face come from settling these after the deposit is paid instead of before.

What are the steps to import saunas from China?

Define the range. Sauna types, sizes, woods, heater types and voltages for your market.
Shortlist and vet manufacturers. Verify certificates, product data and factory capability.
Confirm certification for each model and configuration you plan to sell.
Order and approve samples, then keep the approved sample as the quality reference.
Agree commercial terms in writing: price, Incoterm and named place, payment terms, packaging, inspection and spare parts.
Plan the container load from the supplier's carton list.
Inspect before shipment against agreed criteria.
Book freight, insure and clear customs with a forwarder and a licensed customs broker.
Deliver, assemble and support, with manuals and spare parts ready for your dealers.

How do you choose a sauna manufacturer in China?

Wholesale sauna buyers should test a supplier on evidence, not on catalogue photos. A credible sauna supplier can show:

Certificates with model numbers that you can check in the certifier's online directory
Full specifications per model: dimensions, wood species, heater type and wattage, voltage, carton sizes
Factory photos, a video walk-through or a third-party audit report
A clear statement of which customizations are possible and which affect certification
A spare parts list with part numbers, and a process for warranty claims
Manuals and wiring diagrams in your market's language

Our guide on how to choose a sauna manufacturer goes deeper, and the factory and quality checks page shows how Mars Sauna approaches production.

For reference, Mars Sauna lists 213 catalogue models across 9 product lines, including infrared (full spectrum, low-EMF carbon far infrared, ceramic, red light), traditional electric-stove and outdoor saunas, and cold plunge tubs. Browse the full sauna catalogue.

Which certifications do you need?

Certification determines which models and configurations you can buy at all, so start here.

Market	Requirement	What it covers	Applies to
US / Canada	NRTL listing (e.g. ETL, UL)	Electrical safety testing to a named standard	Complete sauna or heater
US	UL 875	Electric dry-bath (sauna) heaters; referenced by building codes	Traditional sauna heaters
US	UL 1563	Electric spas; expanded in January 2025 to cover cold tubs and ice baths	Cold plunge tubs
US	FCC Part 15	Radio devices are intentional radiators and generally need certification and an FCC ID	Bluetooth audio, Wi-Fi controls
EU	CE: Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU	Electrical safety, roughly 50-1000 V AC	All mains-powered saunas
EU	CE: EMC Directive 2014/30/EU	Electromagnetic compatibility	All electrical saunas
EU	RoHS 2011/65/EU	Ten restricted substances, 0.1% limit (cadmium 0.01%)	Electrical and electronic parts
EU	Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU	Products with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth	Cabins with wireless features

Practical points:

Ask for the certificate, not a logo. Check the listing in the certifier's directory and confirm model numbers and voltage match your order.
Customization can change certification scope. A new heater layout, voltage or control panel may fall outside an existing listing.
Voltage matters. A model certified at 120 V is not automatically covered at 240 V. See sauna electrical requirements.
Cold plunge tubs are a separate category. Treat their chiller, pump and electrical system as their own compliance project.

Many Mars models list CE and ETL certification. Confirm current certification for each specific model and configuration with our team.

Which Incoterm should you choose?

Incoterms 2020 has eleven rules. Four of them, FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF, are for sea and inland waterway transport only. The rest (EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP) work for any mode.

Incoterm	Seller's responsibility ends	Who books main freight	Good for
EXW	Goods made available at seller's premises, not loaded	Buyer	Buyers with a strong China-side forwarder
FCA	Goods handed to buyer's carrier at named place	Buyer	Consolidated or multimodal shipments
FOB	Goods on board the vessel at the named port	Buyer	Most experienced importers
CIF	Goods on board; seller pays freight and minimum insurance to destination port	Seller	Buyers who want a simple port price
DAP	Goods ready for unloading at named destination	Seller	Door delivery, buyer clears customs
DDP	Goods ready for unloading at destination, import-cleared	Seller	Small buyers; least visibility over duties and freight

Two details catch buyers out. Under CIF, risk still passes to you when goods are loaded at the origin port, even though the seller pays freight. And under Incoterms 2020, CIP defaults to broader ICC (A) insurance cover, while CIF keeps the minimum cover.

How do you plan the container load?

Saunas are bulky relative to their weight, so you usually fill a container by volume long before reaching its weight limit. Reference internal dimensions are below; individual containers vary.

Container	Internal L x W x H (mm)	Capacity
20GP	5898 x 2352 x 2393	~33 m³
40GP	12032 x 2352 x 2395	~67.7 m³
40HQ	12032 x 2352 x 2698	~76.4 m³

Sources: RCL for 20GP and 40HC, Hapag-Lloyd for 40' standard.

The extra 300 mm of height in a 40HQ often allows an additional layer of flat-pack cartons, which is why many sauna importers default to it. Barrel and outdoor saunas take more space per unit than indoor infrared cabins, so mixed loads need careful planning. Run your actual carton list through the container calculator, then ask the supplier to confirm the loading plan.

What packaging should you specify?

Sauna damage in transit usually happens at corners, glass doors and heater panels. Specify:

Carton or crate construction for each component (panels, roof, bench, glass, heaters)
Corner protectors and edge boards on wood panels
Separate protection for tempered glass doors and fronts
Moisture protection (film wrap, desiccants) for wood and electronics
Carton labels with model, part number, carton X of Y and gross weight
Solid wood pallets and crates treated and marked under ISPM 15, which requires approved treatment such as heat treatment to a 56°C core temperature for at least 30 minutes and the IPPC mark
Retail-ready printed cartons if you ship direct to consumers

Mars offers custom packaging and logo printing as part of OEM/ODM orders.

How do customs and import duties work?

In the US, importers share responsibility for compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and some goods face additional rules from partner government agencies; CBP's Basic Importing and Exporting page is a good starting point. Duty depends on the tariff classification of each product, its origin and current trade measures, which have changed frequently.

Saunas, standalone heaters, accessories and cold plunge tubs may classify differently. Ask a licensed customs broker to classify each item using the official Harmonized Tariff Schedule and to confirm current rates, including any additional duties on goods of Chinese origin, before you set prices.

How do you plan lead time?

Lead time varies by model, customization, order size and season, so confirm it with your supplier at order. Build your plan from stages rather than one total figure:

Sample order, production and shipping
Sample evaluation, revisions and approval
Certification or listing updates, if customized
Deposit and mass production
Pre-shipment inspection
Inland transport, export clearance and loading
Ocean transit
Import clearance, duties and final delivery

Pre-order checklist

Supplier vetted: certificates verified, specifications complete, factory evidence reviewed
Certification documents checked for each model and voltage
Incoterm and named place written in the contract
Payment terms and inspection rights written in the contract
Carton list with dimensions and weights for the load plan
Packaging specification agreed in writing
Approved sample retained as quality reference
Inspection criteria and acceptable defect levels defined
Spare parts list and warranty process agreed
User manuals and labels in your market's language
Customs broker engaged and duty rates confirmed

Key takeaways

Vet the sauna manufacturer on verifiable evidence: certificates, specifications, factory proof and spare parts support.
Certification comes first: NRTL listing and UL 875 for US sauna heaters, UL 1563 for cold tubs, FCC for radios; CE (LVD, EMC, RoHS, plus RED for radio) in the EU.
FOB suits most importers; FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF are sea-only terms under Incoterms 2020.
Plan loads by volume: about 33 m³ (20GP), 67.7 m³ (40GP) and 76.4 m³ (40HQ).
Have a licensed broker classify each product and confirm current duties before pricing.

When you are ready to quote, contact our export team with your target models, market and Incoterm.