How Long Does Customs Clearance Take? 

Customs clearance process

When goods are shipped from China to the United States, they must undergo paperwork and inspections. The inspection process begins once the goods enter U.S. territory. The government agency responsible for this is the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). They ensure all imported goods comply with U.S. laws and regulations, including the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Customs officials and staff carefully inspect the goods and their documents to ensure everything is in order.

Key Aspects of Customs Clearance

When dealing with customs, it’s essential to calculate duties and taxes accurately. These costs are determined by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), a list of all the goods imported into the country. The amount you’ll be charged depends on the type and value of the goods and the country they’re coming from. If you’re importing goods, it’s essential to declare the value of your goods to the customs authorities. This ensures that the correct amount of duties and taxes is applied. Declaring the wrong value could lead to fines and delays, so it’s always best to be honest and accurate!

How Long Does it Take for a Package to Go Through Customs?

Customs clearance is nearing completion. Please note that the timeframe for customs clearance can vary significantly depending on the selected mode of transport. The process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days for air freight. For ocean freight, the timeframe can extend from less than 24 hours to three months.
If Ocean Freight is shipping your shipment, you will receive a notice of arrival from the freight forwarder, carrier, or broker 3 to 7 days after the shipment arrives at the port. Once you receive this notice, you can prepare for the arrival of your shipment and ensure that it arrives at its destination quickly. The speed at which goods clear customs depends on various factors, including complete documentation, smooth port operations, and the nature of the goods. Large, oversized, and dangerous goods may take longer. As long as you have all the proper documents and no surprises at the port, your goods will clear customs without a problem and reach their destination quickly!

Why does it take so long to clear customs?

The time it takes to clear customs depends on several factors, including the type of goods, the destination country’s customs policies, the completeness of the declaration documents, and the current busyness of the customs clearance process. The following are the main reasons for long customs clearance times:

1. Customs inspections and reviews: Additional inspections of certain high-risk goods, sensitive items, or random samples may be required, which can lengthen customs clearance times.
2. Incomplete or incorrect documents: If documents such as invoices, bills of lading, and customs declarations are missing or filled out incorrectly, they may be returned for correction, causing delays.
3. Payment of import duties and taxes: If customs duties or VAT are payable, failure to pay them on time may affect customs clearance.
4. Changes in policies and regulations: Customs regulations in different countries are constantly changing. Implementing new policies may slow down customs clearance, especially during the adaptation period.
5. Peak periods and backlogs: Due to backlogs, customs and logistics centers may experience longer processing times after holidays and promotional events (such as Black Friday and Christmas).
6. Special commodity approval: Special commodities such as food, medicine, chemicals, and electronic products may require additional approval or testing, which can lengthen customs clearance time.
7. Destination country security checks: Some countries have strict security checks on imported goods, which may result in additional review procedures and prolonged customs clearance time.

If you want to speed up customs clearance, measures such as ensuring that the declaration information is accurate and complete, paying taxes in advance, and choosing an experienced freight forwarder can shorten customs clearance time.

Causes of delayed customs clearance

The most common causes of customs clearance delays include the following:

1. Incorrect or incomplete documents: Missing, inaccurate, or inconsistent information on the invoice, bill of lading, packing list, and other declaration documents may result in customs rejecting the documents or requesting supplementary materials.
2. Tariffs and taxes not paid: If the importer fails to pay the tariffs or related taxes in time, customs will not release the goods, resulting in delays in customs clearance.
3. Inaccurate classification and declaration of goods: Incorrect commodity codes (HS codes), undervaluation, or incorrect declaration of goods may trigger customs investigations or reassessments.
4. Embargoed or restricted goods: If the goods fall into restricted or embargoed categories, such as chemicals, medicines, batteries, etc., additional approvals or licenses may be required, leading to delays.
5. Customs system or operational delays: Customs system failures, strikes, holidays, or peak logistics periods (such as Black Friday and Singles’ Day) may result in longer processing times.
6. Incomplete or incorrect recipient information: If the recipient’s address, contact information, or tax number (such as EORI, TIN, etc.) is wrong, it may affect the progress of customs clearance.
7. Freight forwarder or courier company processing efficiency: Choosing an unprofessional or inexperienced agent may result in delayed submission of customs clearance information, increasing the risk of delays.

How to Speed Up Customs Clearance

To get your goods through customs with minimal delay, you need to do the following:

• Prepare accurate documentation: I put together a little list of the essential shipping documents you’ll need to get through customs. One critical thing to remember is to ensure the info on the commercial invoice is spot on.
• Correctly classify your goods: Using the correct Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code for your goods is essential! This will assist customs in determining the appropriate duties and taxes for your goods, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience for you.
• Ensure compliance: Please ensure that your goods meet all applicable compliance requirements. If necessary, apply to the relevant authorities and obtain regulatory approval.
• Pay duties and fees quickly: Pay your fees as soon as customs determine them.
• Use an experienced customs broker: Our team of experienced customs clearance professionals will make your customs clearance process as smooth and efficient as possible. We’ll meticulously prepare your documents, submit them via electronic data interchange (EDI), pay any necessary duties, and clear your goods quickly!

The role of freight forwarders in facilitating smooth customs clearance

Freight forwarders play a vital role in the smooth and speedy customs clearance of goods. Some of the key things we do to facilitate fast, stress-free customs clearance include

• Document preparation and submission: As inaccurate documentation is the most significant cause of customs delays, we will handle the complex paperwork required for customs clearance. We will carefully prepare the correct documents and submit them to customs.
• Ensure regulatory compliance: We will provide regulatory advice and pre-shipment inspection services and take steps to ensure that your goods comply with the country’s laws before they arrive at the port.
• Pay duties and taxes: After the goods have been inspected and assessed by customs, a list of duties and/or taxes that must be paid to transport them will be provided. We will pay them on your behalf.
• Provide logistics and transportation solutions: Once customs clearance is complete, we can arrange for the goods to be picked up from the port and delivered to the designated location through our trucking network and third-party logistics partners.