Resources

Guides and reference for importers

Plain explanations of the things that hold entries up, written for the person paying for the delay rather than for the file.

In short

These are the questions importers ask us most often, answered without the regulatory shorthand. Most import problems are not exotic. They come from a code chosen carelessly, a filing made late, or a claim on a label that moved a product into a category nobody expected.

Key takeaways

Most holds trace back to a decision made before the goods shipped.
Classification and origin decide duty. Nearly everything else follows from them.
Filing deadlines run against the vessel, not against your convenience.
What you say a product is for can change which rules apply to it.
Where something is a moving target, we say so on the page.

Organised import documentation and a laptop on a working desk

How these are written

No rates and no percentages. Duty numbers change, sometimes several times a year, and a page that quotes one is wrong the moment it is. Where exposure is real and material we say so and explain what drives it, which is the part that stays true.

Where a position genuinely moves — Section 232 coverage and cosmetics under MoCRA being the clearest examples — the page says plainly that an answer confirmed a year ago is worth confirming again.

Where this stops

These pages explain how the system works. They are not a substitute for a ruling on your specific goods, and they are not legal advice.

Formal appeals and legal proceedings sit outside customs brokerage. Where a matter reaches that stage, qualified legal counsel is the right resource and we will say so rather than working beyond our scope.

Customs

Classification, filings, duties and charges.

HTS Codes Ten digits that decide what your goods cost to import. View port ISF Filing A filing due before your cargo is loaded on the other side of the ocean. View port Demurrage vs Detention Two clocks, two owners, frequently running at once. View port Importer of Record The party legally answerable for the entry, the duty and the records. View port Section 301 Additional duty that attaches to a code and an origin together. View port Section 232 Measures reaching well past raw metal into finished products that contain it. View port Customs Bonds A financial guarantee that lets you make entry at all. View port AD/CVD The exposure that can exceed the value of the goods outright. View port Origin & Marking Origin is where goods were made, not where they shipped from. View port Examination Types The inspection is rarely what costs you. View port Customs Glossary The vocabulary that turns up on your paperwork, in plain language and without the circular definitions. View port

FDA

Regulated products, holds and the rules behind them.

Detention Process A detention is more serious than a hold and it runs to a deadline. View port Prior Notice Advance warning that food is coming. View port Import Alerts Detention without physical examination. View port FSVP The verification duty sits with you, not your supplier. View port MoCRA Cosmetics went from one of the least regulated import categories to one requiring registration, listing and evidence. View port Cosmetic or Drug The same jar of cream can be either. View port Intended Use The same ingredient can be a food, a supplement, a cosmetic or a drug. View port Product Codes The code that routes your entry to a reviewer. View port FDA Glossary The regulatory vocabulary that turns up on notices and in messages, in plain language. View port

Questions

Why are there no duty rates on these pages?

Because they change. A page quoting a rate is wrong as soon as it moves, and a reader has no way of knowing which. We explain what drives the exposure instead, and quote current figures on your actual goods when you ask.

Can I rely on these for my own classification?

Use them to understand how classification works and what questions to ask. A code on your specific goods should be worked through properly, because it applies to every entry that follows and compounds if it is wrong.

Do you cover things other than FDA?

Yes. FDA work is a specialty, not the whole of what we do. Most of these guides are general customs: classification, filings, duties, examinations and the vocabulary that shows up on your paperwork.

Next Step

Tell us what you're importing.

Commodity, origin, port and arrival date is enough to start.

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Call +1 305-330-9745 Email info@retrocustomsbrokers.com