Customs clearance for U.S. importers
We prepare and transmit the entry, calculate what is owed, answer whatever CBP asks, and stay with the shipment until it is released and delivered.
Licensed U.S. customs brokerage. Customs broker of record; movement coordinated through vetted partners.
Customs clearance is the process of declaring imported goods to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and satisfying every requirement before the cargo may legally enter commerce. A licensed customs broker classifies the goods, calculates duties, taxes and fees, ensures a sufficient bond is in place, transmits the entry electronically, and resolves any query, examination or agency hold that follows.
Key takeaways
- Every commercial shipment above the de minimis threshold requires a formal or informal entry.
- The Importer of Record carries legal liability for the accuracy of the declaration — not the broker and not the carrier.
- Entry data must be transmitted before or shortly after arrival; late filing accrues storage and can trigger penalties.
- Clearance is not one decision. CBP releases the entry, and any partner agency involved makes its own determination.
- Most delays trace back to the paperwork, not the vessel.
What clearance actually involves
An entry is a legal declaration. It states what the goods are, what they cost, where they were made, who is importing them, and which duties apply. CBP accepts it, questions it, or holds it — and the difference usually comes down to how carefully it was prepared.
We file both formal entries, required for commercial shipments valued above the statutory threshold, and informal entries for lower-value consignments. Either way the work is the same in kind: get the classification right, support the declared value, reconcile the documents against each other, and confirm the bond covers the shipment.
Every commodity, every port
Consumer goods, machinery, apparel and textiles, furniture, electronics, industrial materials, packaging — if it enters the United States we can file it. Entries are transmitted electronically, so the arrival port does not limit who can act as your broker. What changes by port is the ground handling, and that we arrange locally.
How it works
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01
Shipment details received
Commodity, origin, value, port and arrival date. Earlier is better than complete — gaps can be filled while the cargo is in transit.
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02
Classification and duty calculation
The goods are classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and duty, MPF, HMF and any trade-remedy exposure is calculated.
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03
Documents reconciled
Commercial invoice, packing list and transport documents are checked against each other and against the declaration.
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04
Bond confirmed
We verify the bond is sufficient for the shipment value. An undersized bond stalls the entry at exactly the wrong moment.
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05
Entry transmitted
The declaration is filed electronically with CBP, with partner-agency data included in the same transmission where it applies.
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06
Queries and exams handled
If CBP asks for documents, challenges a classification, or selects the shipment for examination, we respond and coordinate.
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07
Release and delivery
Once released, we arrange pickup, delivery and any remaining terminal charges.
Common mistakes
- A vague product description. "Machine parts" invites a query. Specific descriptions classify cleanly.
- Classification chosen for speed. A code picked to transmit quickly is the code you will defend later.
- Documents that disagree. When the invoice and packing list state different quantities, CBP notices.
- An undersized bond. Bond sufficiency is checked against annual duty exposure, not per shipment.
- Sending documents on arrival. By then the cheap window for fixing anything has closed.
Questions
How long does customs clearance take?
Where the entry is accurate and no examination or agency review is triggered, release commonly follows shortly after arrival. Where a query, exam or hold intervenes, the timeline is set by the government, not the broker. Nobody can promise you a clearance time.
Do I need a customs broker?
Legally, no — an importer may file their own entries. In practice almost nobody does, because liability for an inaccurate declaration sits with the importer and the filing systems, classification rules and agency requirements take years to learn.
What is the difference between a formal and informal entry?
Formal entries apply to commercial shipments above the statutory value threshold and require a customs bond. Informal entries cover lower-value shipments with lighter requirements. Which applies depends on value, commodity and whether another agency is involved.
Can you take over an entry another broker filed?
Yes. We regularly pick up shipments mid-problem, including cargo already sitting at a terminal. Send the entry number and whatever notices have been issued.
Related
Tell us what you're importing.
Commodity, origin, port and arrival date is enough to start.