Wednesday, 23 December 2015

Customs clearance services

Customs broking or customs brokerage is a profession that involves the "clearing" of goods through customs barriers for importers and exporters (usually businesses). This involves the preparation of documents and/or electronic submissions, the calculation and payment of taxes, duties and excises, and facilitating communication between government authorities and importers and exporters.

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Custom brokers may be employed by or affiliated with freight forwarders, independent businesses, or shipping lines, importers, exporters, trade authorities, and customs brokerage firms.

United States

Customs brokers in the United States prepare and submit documentation to notify or obtain clearance from government agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. They also arrange the transhipment (i.e., local delivery) of merchandise via trucking companies. Many customs brokers specialize in certain goods like apparel, perishables, or clearing the crew and manifest of large cargo vessels. Customs brokers can be located at inland ports to clear merchandise sent "in bond", but most are located at major airports and harbors with international traffic.

Qualifications


US Customs broker licenses are issued and overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The requirements governing US Customs broker licenses, including eligibility, are laid out in Title 19, Part 111 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR 111). These regulations permit both individuals and companies to obtain Customs brokers licenses, though the application process and general rules governing each type of license differ from each other.

To be eligible to obtain for a US Customs broker license, an individual applicant must satisfy several requirements: first, he or she must pass the US Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE) with a score of 75% or higher; on or before the date of application, he or she must be a United States citizen, must have attained the age of 21, and must not be a federal employee; and he or she must be of good moral character. The individual must submit his or her license application, along with license application fee, within three years of having passed the CBLE. This three year time limit is calculated from the date of the letter informing the examinee that he or she passed the CBLE.

Upon receipt of a license application package, CBP reviews it on its merits.

License eligibility for non-individuals is different. In order to be eligible to obtain a US Customs broker license, a partnership must have at least one member of the partnership who is a broker. An association or corporation must, first, be empowered under its articles of association or articles of incorporation to transact customs business as a broker, and second, have at least one officer who is a broker.

Customs broker licensees are not government employees and should not be confused with "customs officers" (in other countries, however, the two terms may be interchangeable). Customs brokers need to be familiar with the tariff schedule, a listing of duty rates for imported items, CATAIR, the statutory and regulatory rules governing importations, and other trade related matters. To illustrate, a customs broker may need to advise an importer on the marking requirements of the country of origin, or complete paperwork for a clothing shipment subject to quotas and visa requirements. Knowing the requirements of each type of import can avoid costly delays, merchandise seizures, and fines and penalties that may be levied against the importer and/or broker.

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