HMF-Harbor Maintenance Fee for Ocean Imports to USA
What Is The Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) The main purpose of the Harbor Maintenance Fee is to help cover the costs of maintaining the Ocean Ports of the United States. Funds taken from the HMF fee are used for the Harbor Maintenance Fund which is controlled and distributed by Congress. According to the US Customs and […]
DDU Incoterms with Alibaba
I’m Importing from Alibaba, what Incoterms should I use? When ordering on alibaba, manufacturers and suppliers often offer DDU shipping as the default option. This puts the manufacturer in charge of your entire transaction where you, the buyer, ends up overpaying greatly for shipping services. You also risk doing so without having any control […]
Documents for Clearing Freight
Cleared and Delivered suggests being well prepared before clearing your goods through a U.S port. Below are 4 “must have” items for quick and easy customs clearance and delivery 1. The Commercial Invoice Have a detailed Commercial Invoice on hand-The Commercial Invoice (link) contains a vast amount of detailed information about your product, it’s manufacturer, […]
Duty-who is responsible for paying it?
The importer of record is responsible for paying duty. The seller of the goods cannot pay duty in advance. Be leery of sellers who claim duty on your purchase will be prepaid. Cleared and Delivered may pay duty on your behalf as part of their services in clearing your goods when they arrive in the […]
Importing a car to the USA
Before you decide to import an automobile or car parts into the United States, you should ensure that the car or car parts conform to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. These agencies have very detailed requirements that can make importing a vehicle difficult, if not impossible, for some vehicles […]
Importing textiles
Textiles: Clothing, Yarns, Fabric, Wearing apparel, Made-up goods (i.e. luggage, towels, etc.) Most textiles imported for commercial use are subject to quota and or visa, depending on the country they are being imported from. It is essential to know the correct HTS classification number in order to determine the quota restrictions for any particular item. […]
Types of customs entries
T&E Entry – Transportation and Export: Goods shipped under U.S. Customs bond from a U.S. Port of Entry to a second U.S. Customs port for export to a third country. VST&E – Vessel Transportation and Export: This is a specialized U.S. Customs bond intended for a foreign vessel which will be immediately leaving the USA. Warehouse Entry– […]
Remote Location Filing
Remote Location Filing (RLF) is a pilot program that allows approved participants to electronically file entries with CBP from a location within the United States other than the port of arrival or location of examination. For example, merchandise is entered in Miami; a Seattle filer, via RLF, files the entry.
Customs container inspections
Under Title 19, section 1467, of the United States Code (19 U.S.C. 1467), CBP has a right to examine any shipment imported into the United States and it is important to know that you, the importer, must bear the cost of such cargo exams. Cleared and delivered in no way can control or defer the […]
Quotas and Imported Goods
Many kinds of goods imported for commercial use may be subject to a quota limit. It is the classification number of the article as identified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States and the country of origin that determine whether or not an item is subject to quota requirements. In some cases, the […]