Every entry, filed right the first time.

A licensed customs broker prepares and files your entry with CBP: classifying goods under the HTS, calculating duties, taxes and fees, arranging the customs bond, and transmitting the declaration on behalf of the Importer of Record. The broker also handles queries, exams and corrections after filing. Liability for an inaccurate entry sits with the importer — which is why the quality of the filing matters. How our clearance process works.

Yes, for any commercial entry. A single-transaction bond covers one shipment and suits occasional importers. A continuous bond covers a year of entries and is usually cheaper once you're importing regularly. The right size depends on your projected annual duties, taxes and fees — undersized bonds get flagged and stall entries. Customs bond coordination.

Duty is a percentage of the declared customs value, set by the HTS code your goods classify under. Add Merchandise Processing Fee, Harbor Maintenance Fee on ocean freight, and any antidumping, countervailing or Section 301 duties that apply. Classification drives all of it, which is why a code chosen carelessly is expensive twice — once in overpayment, once in penalties. Tariff classification.

An IRS number or importer number, a customs bond, a signed power of attorney for your broker, and complete commercial documents — invoice, packing list, and the bill of lading or airway bill. We can have a new importer set up before the cargo sails. Importer setup.

No. We file entries for any commodity — consumer goods, machinery, textiles, industrial materials, and everything else crossing the border. FDA-regulated products are our deepest specialism, not our limit. Importers with mixed portfolios often consolidate with us so the difficult entries and the routine ones sit with the same team. All brokerage services.

Yes, and most importers keep the providers they have — we file the entry and coordinate the timing around them. If you would rather not assemble a supply chain yourself, we can coordinate the movement through vetted ocean, air, drayage, warehouse and trucking partners. Retro Customs Brokers is the customs broker of record; the freight is carried by licensed partners under their own authority. How coordination works.

As soon as the shipment is booked. Classification questions, document inconsistencies and agency data gaps are inexpensive to fix in transit and expensive to fix once the container is on the ground accruing storage. Entry document review.

Not always. Where another agency is involved, CBP and that agency make separate determinations. FDA is the common case: CBP may release the customs entry while FDA still holds the shipment for review. Cargo moves freely only when every applicable agency allows it. Clearance vs. FDA release.

Common triggers include an incorrect or missing product code, missing or inaccurate Prior Notice, registration data that doesn't match the manufacturer, an unidentified FSVP importer, or labelling questions. Some holds are simply routine selection. FDA hold assistance.

No. CBP and FDA hold sole authority over entry, examination, sampling, detention, refusal and admissibility decisions, and government timelines vary. What a broker controls is the accuracy of what's filed and how quickly problems are identified and worked.