A first-class energy label from a Chinese seller does not establish Green Choice eligibility. Match your residential AC type to the correct SEER, SEER2 or CEER criterion, check the July–June quantity allowance and resolve missing evidence before budgeting for duty relief.
Policy and source check: 7 November 2026. This guide concerns residential air conditioners, not commercial stock or an installation approval.
A Chinese seller's “first-class energy efficiency” label does not, by itself, establish eligibility for The Bahamas' Green Choice duty exemption. First identify the type of air conditioner, then find the efficiency measure required for that type. A unit meeting the published number is a candidate for an application; the National Emissions Registry (NER) still has to approve the incentive.
That distinction matters when comparing Taobao listings or asking a 1688 supplier for an export model. A cheaper unit is not a cheaper purchase if your budget depends on an exemption the available documents cannot support.
Start with the air conditioner type—not the biggest number on the listing
The NER's Green Choice specification guidelines, page 8, give these residential criteria:
| Residential equipment | Published minimum |
|---|---|
| Ductless / mini-split system | 20 SEER or 20 SEER2 |
| Window or through-the-wall unit | 13 CEER |
| Central, ducted system | 17 SEER or 16.2 SEER2 |
SEER, SEER2 and CEER describe energy efficiency under the relevant rating method. They are not cooling capacity. A listing showing 12,000 BTU/h, 1.5 HP or input watts has not supplied the required efficiency rating merely by showing those figures.
Read the metric beside the number. A window unit with CEER 13 and a mini-split with SEER 13 face different criteria. The window threshold cannot be carried across to the mini-split row.
If the supplier gives an APF value, an energy-label class or a different test result, keep the document but do not invent a conversion to SEER or CEER. Ask whether the supplier can provide the relevant rating evidence, and ask NER how it would assess the available material. The guidelines direct buyers to contact NER about appliance types not covered by the list.
Three listings, three different next steps
These are hypothetical reading examples, not customer cases or product recommendations.
Listing A: mini-split, “first-class efficiency,” APF 5.3. This is not enough to compare against the published 20 SEER / SEER2 criterion. Ask for the supporting specification and rating method. If those are unavailable, send the documents to NER before relying on the exemption in your purchase budget.
Listing B: mini-split, documented SEER 18. That figure is below the published mini-split criterion. Do not use the lower threshold for a window unit to justify it. If buying specifically for Green Choice relief, choose another candidate or obtain NER's assessment rather than assuming it qualifies.
Listing C: central ducted unit, documented SEER2 16.2. The figure reaches the published threshold for that category. You can consider the next purchase checks, but a qualifying figure is not an approved permit. It also says nothing about whether that unit suits your home's electrical supply or installation.
Fill in this short buying worksheet
Before paying, ask the seller for the product's full specification and complete the following. This is a buying aid, not an official list of mandatory application attachments.
- Equipment type: mini-split, window / through-the-wall, or central ducted. Ask NER about another type.
- What is actually supplied: full model description and, for a split system, the indoor and outdoor combination covered by the rating evidence.
- Efficiency evidence: SEER, SEER2 or CEER value; the document and rating method supporting it. Save the original file, not just the listing headline.
- Use and quantity: residential use, proposed quantity, and units already claimed within the current programme year.
- Questions for NER: missing rating, unclear category, unlisted type or how a multi-split arrangement is counted.
- Separate feasibility checks: voltage / frequency, refrigerant designation, whether equipment is pre-charged, packed dimensions and weight. Confirm suitability with your local installer and shipping acceptance with the provider handling the consignment.
On Taobao, look beyond the promotional image to the specification section. On 1688, ask the supplier whether the quotation covers the model and configuration shown in the evidence; do not accept “equivalent power” as an answer to the efficiency question. Keep any agreed configuration in the order record.
Count the programme year before adding another unit
The NER guidelines say the programme runs from 1 July to 30 June each year. The official programme announcement sets a residential allowance of up to four air-conditioning units annually. This is not a fresh allowance on 1 January. Keep a record of appliances already imported under the programme and confirm any uncertain count with NER, particularly for a system with several indoor units. Official programme rules
The Tariff (Amendment) Act 2025, Note 18A also requires NER approval documentation and completion of the incentive application. A seller's efficiency statement cannot replace that approval.
The application comes after checking eligibility and purchasing
The current NER instructions give this order: check the specification guidelines → purchase the eligible appliance → apply through MyGateway → Office of the Prime Minister → National Emissions Registry → receive the permit if approved → upload it to Customs' Click2Clear portal.
Checking an uncertain rating with NER before paying is sensible purchasing advice; it is not a claim that the published procedure legally requires a permit before purchase. Questions about the specification can be sent to ner@bahamas.gov.bs, with the appliance type and supporting material attached.
Make the purchase decision without assuming every charge disappears
Green Choice provides customs duty relief for qualifying, approved appliances. It does not establish that freight, VAT, environmental levies, processing or handling charges will all be zero. The Department of Inland Revenue states a standard VAT rate of 10%; any applicable relief must be checked separately. Customs' explanation of import VAT includes the goods value, actual duty, freight, insurance and applicable import charges in the calculation basis. Ask the declarant for an itemised estimate using your invoice and approved relief, without counting freight twice.
Energy eligibility also does not settle refrigerant restrictions. Bahamas controlled-substance import regulations prohibit air-conditioning systems containing certain listed controlled substances. Obtain the refrigerant designation and ask Customs or the National Ozone Unit to check the actual equipment where needed; a transport provider must separately confirm acceptance.
Use the worksheet to choose your next action:
- Consider buying: the relevant rating is supported, the quantity fits, installation suitability and transport acceptance have been checked, and you can budget without treating approval as guaranteed.
- Ask first: the seller provides only an energy class / APF, the category is unclear, or the programme-year count needs NER's interpretation.
- Pause: the rating falls short, essential evidence is unavailable, refrigerant or transport acceptance is unresolved, or the purchase is affordable only if unapproved relief is assumed.
Before sending the appliance to a China warehouse
Send the product link, specification, refrigerant details and packed dimensions to YDA Express to ask whether that particular consignment can be received and whether a suitable onward option is currently available. Review the available services and their scope before arranging delivery.
If receipt and a photo check are agreed, ask for clear pictures of the nameplates and visible packaging condition. Those photos can help you compare what arrived with the seller's documents; they cannot certify efficiency, safety or installation suitability. Retain protective packaging unless a suitable packing change has been agreed. Use the guide to cushioning fragile goods for international transport to discuss protection with the provider; the packing arrangement still needs to suit the actual equipment.
Recheck the current incentive conditions, import restrictions and available transport before dispatch. A policy-check date is a record of this review, not a promise that later rules or acceptance will stay the same. Start with the correct equipment row and a supported efficiency figure; settle any missing evidence while you still have a practical choice of seller or appliance.
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