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How Are Customs Duties Calculated? A Complete Guide for U.S. Importers One of the biggest surprises for new importers isn’t shipping costs—it’s the customs duty bill. Many businesses assume calculating import duties is as simple as applying a percentage to the purchase price. Unfortunately, it’s far more complex. The amount you owe U.S. Customs and...
When your cargo arrives at a U.S. port of entry, one question can make a significant difference in how quickly it moves through Customs: Is your supply chain trusted? Every importer wants the same outcome—faster customs clearance, fewer inspections, fewer delays, and a more predictable supply chain. While no company can eliminate Customs inspections entirely,...
What Documents Do You Need to Import Goods into the United States? A Complete Guide for Importers One missing document can turn a shipment that should clear Customs in hours into a costly delay that lasts days—or even weeks. Every day, importers lose thousands of dollars because of incomplete paperwork, inaccurate product descriptions, missing permits,...
Is Your Communication with Your Customs Broker Confidential? What Every Importer Needs to Know Many importers believe that conversations with their customs broker are legally confidential—similar to discussions with an attorney. Unfortunately, that’s one of the biggest misconceptions in international trade. Imagine discovering that your company may have been using the wrong tariff classification for...
What Is an Importer of Record (IOR)? Why Choosing the Right One Can Protect Your Business Every shipment entering the United States has one thing in common: someone must take legal responsibility for it. That responsibility doesn’t belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the shipping line, your overseas supplier, or even your customs...
What Is a Bonded Warehouse? How It Can Save Importers Money, Improve Cash Flow, and Increase Supply Chain Flexibility What if you could import thousands of dollars’ worth of inventory into the United States—but delay paying customs duties until you’re actually ready to sell it? For many businesses, paying import duties immediately can tie up...
How long will Customs take to clear my shipment? It’s one of the first questions every importer asks—and one of the hardest to answer with a single number. The truth is that customs clearance can take just a few hours for one shipment and several days—or even longer—for another. The difference often comes down to...
What Are the Customs Bond Requirements to Import into the United States? Before your goods CBP can release from CBP custody, a customs bond must be in place. Without one, CBP will not release your merchandise. Yet many first-time importers are caught off guard by this requirement — either because they did not know a...
Who Has the Right to File a Customs Entry? A Complete Guide for Importers and Freight Forwarders One of the most frequently misunderstood rules in US customs law is who actually has the right to file a customs entry. Many importers and logistics providers assume that if they have the goods, or if they are...
If your business imports products into the United States, you’ve probably heard the advice countless times: “You need a customs broker.” But what exactly does a Licensed Customs Broker do? Is hiring one required? How is a customs broker different from a freight forwarder? And most importantly, how can the right broker save your business...