Humanoid Robot Warranty, After-Sales Service and Import Rules in France

The warranty on a humanoid robot is more than the period printed by its manufacturer. Several sets of rules come into play: the rights attached to a sale by a professional seller, the manufacturer’s commercial commitments and import costs. The seller’s country, the repair terms and customs formalities all make a decisive difference.

A humanoid robot bought in France, from a European retailer or directly from a foreign manufacturer can come with different warranty commitments. French conformity rules give buyers recourse against the professional seller, while manufacturers such as Unitree and 1X advertise their own warranty periods.

To explain these differences, Robotique Store’s Guides cover purchase conditions and model specifications. Warranty, after-sales service and import deserve particular attention, especially when the robot has to be shipped from outside the European Union.

Legal warranty of conformity in France: what rights do buyers have?

The legal warranty of conformity is governed by Articles L217-1 to L217-20 of the French Consumer Code. In its information page, last checked on 17 August 2026, Service Public notes that consumers have two years from delivery of the goods to take action against the professional seller.

This warranty covers several situations: a product that does not match its description, lacks the advertised qualities or is not fit for the use normally expected of it. It also covers manufacturing defects, faulty assembly and installations carried out incorrectly by the seller.

For a humanoid robot, the specifications advertised at the time of sale are therefore part of the assessment of conformity. The promised features, the product description and its stated qualities serve as reference points when examining a possible defect.

How long the legal warranty lasts: two years, with a variable presumption period

How long a defect is presumed to have existed at delivery depends on the condition of the product:

• New product: defect presumed for 24 months.
• Refurbished product: defect presumed for 24 months.
• Used product: defect presumed for 12 months.

Once the applicable presumption period has ended, the buyer must prove that the defect existed at delivery.

The legal warranty of conformity does not cover sales by private individuals, used goods sold at public auction, animals or free digital content.

Repair or replacement: what must the seller do?

The professional seller is responsible for bringing the product into conformity. The consumer can choose between a free repair and a free replacement. The seller can, however, impose the cheaper option when the cost difference between the two is obvious.

The product must be brought into conformity within 30 days.

Two provisions extend the consumer’s protection:

• When a product is repaired under the legal warranty, the warranty is extended by 12 months.
• When the seller imposes a replacement although the consumer asked for a repair, a new two-year warranty period begins.

If repair or replacement is impossible, is not carried out within one month or causes major inconvenience, the consumer can ask for a price reduction or cancellation of the contract.

If the contract is cancelled, the refund must be made within 14 calendar days. Service Public mentions surcharges of 10%, 20% or 50% depending on how late the refund is.

Disputes and after-sales service: where to complain depending on the seller’s country

Where the seller is based also determines what steps are available when a robot is defective or a dispute arises after delivery.

For cases covered by the French legal warranty of conformity, Service Public sets out several routes, from reporting the problem to going to court.

Steps to take against a professional seller

The Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) can be contacted through SignalConso or by phone on 0809 540 550.

SignalConso notifies both the DGCCRF and the business of the reported problem. Mediation and conciliation are also ways of settling disputes.

As a last resort, legal action can be brought. Service Public lists the local court (tribunal de proximité) or the judicial court (tribunal judiciaire) for disputes up to €10,000, and the judicial court above that amount.

Who handles cross-border disputes

Service Public’s “Distance purchase” page, last checked on 26 August 2025, identifies different contacts depending on the country where the seller is established.

European Consumer Centre France handles disputes with businesses located in the European Union, Iceland, Norway or the United Kingdom.

For sellers based outside these territories, the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (RICPC/ICPEN) handles complaints about businesses established in its 28 member countries, including the United States. Complaints are filed online.

Since 31 July 2026, the right to repair from the manufacturer also provides for certain situations in which the obligation can fall on the seller, in particular when the manufacturer is established outside the European Union and has neither an authorized representative nor an importer in the EU. Service Public mentions this provision in its page on the legal warranty of conformity.

Importing a humanoid robot into France: VAT, customs duties and shipping costs

Importing from outside the European Union can add several costs to the price of the robot. VAT, customs duties and carrier fees are each governed by separate rules.

On its page “Anticipating customs costs on a parcel”, updated on 6 November 2025, French customs points out that VAT is due from the first euro on imported purchases. The standard rate is 20%.

Customs duties on an imported humanoid robot

For distance purchases, the customs duty exemption applies to consignments worth no more than €150. Above that, any duties depend on the nature and origin of the goods.

A humanoid robot priced above €150 is therefore subject to a customs assessment based on its classification and origin. The applicable rate can be confirmed with the carrier or with customs.

Handling fees charged by a carrier are a separate cost. French customs states that these fees have nothing to do with the customs administration: the carrier sets them freely.

Small parcels: what changed in 2026

The rules for small consignments changed in 2026. In a news item published on 1 July and updated on 6 July 2026, Service Public details the following measures:

• The national tax on small parcels, introduced on 1 March 2026, has been suspended since 1 July 2026.
• A flat customs duty of €3 per item category applies to parcels worth €150 or less.
• A European handling fee for small consignments is scheduled from 1 November 2026.

These changes are framed in particular by Decree No. 2026-589 of 3 July 2026.

For a humanoid robot worth more than €150, the flat duty for small parcels is not the relevant scale. The costs to consider are standard VAT at 20%, the duties determined by customs classification and the carrier’s own fees.

Unitree warranty: how long it lasts for each model

Unitree advertises several warranty periods for its humanoid robots. The manufacturer’s catalogue dated 20 October 2026 distinguishes in particular between the standard and EDU versions.

The EDU version of the G1 thus comes with an advertised manufacturer warranty of 18 months, compared with 8 months for the standard G1. In the R1 family, periods range from 6 months for the R1 AIR to 12 months for the R1 EDU.

These periods come from Unitree’s official catalogue. They are the manufacturer’s advertised commitments and should not be confused with the legal warranties attached to a sale by a professional seller.

The role of European retailers

Buying from a European retailer adds a contractual relationship with the seller to any relationship that may exist with the manufacturer.

In Germany, MonsterDealz.de listed a sale on 2 September 2026 that came with a German invoice and the German legal warranty.

Spare parts availability is another part of after-sales service. One German retailer lists two accessories for the Unitree G1:

• A replacement battery at €839.99.
• A remote control at €297.50.

These amounts are parts prices listed by a retailer, not official repair rates set by Unitree.

1X NEO, Booster T1 and Neura: warranty, support and reservation terms

Commercial terms and after-sales services also vary among other humanoid robot manufacturers and retailers.

1X NEO Early Access: three-year warranty announced

For its NEO Early Access program, 1X advertises a three-year warranty along with premium support.

The manufacturer also requires a deposit of $200, refundable up to 14 days after the invitation to order.

1X has announced deliveries in the United States in 2026. The three-year warranty and premium support are the commercial commitments the manufacturer presents for its Early Access program.

Booster T1: after-sales service handled by Génération Robots

The retailer Génération Robots, based in Mérignac, offers an after-sales service package for the Booster T1.

The company says after-sales service is provided by specialist engineers, with a first response within 24 business hours.

This is the advertised time for a first response from the after-sales service. It does not refer to a repair time.

The Booster T1 product page also carries a CE logo, as presented by the retailer.

Neura 4NE1 Mini: reservation terms

Neura offers reservations for the 4NE1 Mini for €100.

The manufacturer states that this amount is refundable before the contract is signed. This term concerns the reservation, not the robot’s warranty period.

CE marking: which rules apply to humanoid robots?

CE marking is a separate issue from the commercial warranty and after-sales service. Several regulations may apply depending on the nature of the product and the systems it contains.

In an analysis published on 18 August 2026, legal expert Thiébaut Devergranne notes that robots may fall under the regulations on machinery.

The European regulation on artificial intelligence, or AI Act, provides for CE marking of the high-risk AI systems it covers. The deadlines mentioned are 2 December 2027 and 2 August 2028.

These provisions do not mean that all humanoid robots are automatically subject to CE marking under the AI Act. The applicable framework depends in particular on the category of the system concerned.

A CE logo on a product page, such as the one for the Booster T1 sold by Génération Robots, is information presented by the retailer. Assessing a model’s regulatory compliance is a separate exercise from reading its commercial warranty.

What we do not know yet

Several pieces of information had not been disclosed or established as of 21 October 2026.

• Legal warranty and non-EU sellers: the Service Public page last checked on 17 August 2026 does not specify how the French legal warranty applies to a purchase from a seller established outside the European Union. It is therefore not possible to say whether or not it applies to such a sale.
• Withdrawal from a non-EU seller: Service Public’s “Distance purchase” page, last checked on 26 August 2025, sets out the 14-day period in the section on sellers based in France. It does not say whether it applies to sellers outside the EU.
• SignalConso and foreign sellers: Service Public does not specify whether the system covers businesses established abroad.
• Customs classification: the classification of an imported humanoid robot has not been established. The exact customs duty rate for any given model therefore remains undetermined.
• European fee from November 2026: the terms and amount of the fee planned for small consignments have yet to be specified.
• Unitree after-sales service in France: the existence of a French Unitree repair centre has not been confirmed. No French Unitree retailer has been verified.
• Manufacturer warranties: the full contractual terms of Unitree’s warranties are set out in separate documents whose content is not detailed. The full contractual terms of the other manufacturer warranties cited are not established here.
• CE marking: the individual CE compliance of the humanoid robot models cited has not been established. The legal analysis of 18 August 2026 does not conclude that a robot without CE marking would be banned from purchase by a private individual.
• Availability of 1X NEO Early Access in France: 1X has not given any delivery schedule for France.

See also: Buying a humanoid robot in France; Humanoid robot prices; Buying a Unitree robot in France.