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USA Customs Clearance
Your container is on its way to your delivery location. Before it can enter the country, it must clear US Customs. Learn how we can help you navigate through this critical step in your logistics supply chain.
US Custom Clearance Steps
You've purchased your goods, and arranged ocean transportation. Congratulations! Now begins the process of clearing your container for entry into the US. Follow the below steps to ensure a successful entry.
Step 1
Contact a Customs Broker
Before your manufacturer loads the container, contact us to start the process to import your containers to the US. You can clear customs on your own, but for first time shippers this can be a daunting task.
If you decide to use a Customs Broker to assist you with clearing your container for entry, you must complete a power of attorney form (POA). ​The POA authorizes customs brokers to conduct business on your behalf, and submit the necessary documents required by CBP to clear entry.
Step 2
ISF Filing
Before your container leaves the port of lading, we must file an ISF 24 hours before the vessel's departure. Failure to comply or submit an accurate ISF will result in serious delays and monetary penalties of $5,000 per violation.
Required Documents for ISF
Your custom broker will need the below documents to begin the process of clearing your goods for entry. Depending on what you're importing, additional documents may be required to clear entry.
Commercial Invoice: to calculate duties. The commercial invoice must list each item included in the shipment, each individual item's cost, and each products HTS Code.
Packing List: similar to the commercial invoice, but it does not list the cost of each individual item. The packing list informs CBP and us about the contents inside your container.​​
Bill of Lading: also known as BOL, it serves as the contract between the shipper and the consignee (you, the importer).
Step 3
Custom Bonds
Upon arrival to the port of destination, you must pay duties and taxes on your products. Your cargo will need a bond to enter the United States.
Customs Bond
A customs bond guarantees that all duties and taxes will be paid to CBP in the event the importer fails to pay.
If the importer for some reason fails to pay all or some of the duties, the third party bond provider will step in and cover any pending fees.
​There are two main types of customs bonds you can obtain.
A single entry bond covers only one shipment at one port of entry. The value of the bond must be at least equal in value to the cost of the shipment. For products under the jurisdiction of other government agencies (FDA,EPA, NHTSA, etc.) the single entry bond amount must be 3 times the value of the goods + customs duties & fees.
​​A continuous bond covers multiple shipments over the course of a year at any US port of entry. The minimum coverage of a continuous bond is $50,000, and will be a better deal if you plan to import more than one container per year. It also covers the ISF bond requirements as well.
Step 4
Duties, Taxes, and Entry
Paying Duties
Duties (the tax you pay on your imported goods) is levied and paid upon arrival to the port of destination by your customs broker on your behalf or yourself. The amount of duty payable varies greatly depending on the imported good, the country of origin and several other factors. In the United States, Customs uses the HTS, which has several hundred entries, to determine the correct rate. Look Up Your HTS Code..
​CBP Form 7501
Form 7501, known as the entry summary, must be filed with every entry of goods into the US and to document the amount of duty and/or tax paid. Your custom broker will file this on your behalf.
​The data on this form is used by CBP as a record of the import transaction; to collect the proper duty, taxes, certifications, and enforcement information; and to provide data to the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CBP Form 7501 must be filed within 10 working days from the time of entry of merchandise into the United States.
Need Help with your Imports or Exports?
Since 2009 we have been providing container shipping solutions for dry and refrigerated cargo to importers and exporters in Los Angeles, the United States, and around the world.
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