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Buying goods from an overseas supplier is only one part of importing them into the United States. Before the shipment leaves, you need to know whether the product can enter the country, who will act as the importer, what duties or additional tariffs may apply, what documents are needed, and how the cargo will be cleared and delivered after arrival.
Some imports are relatively straightforward. Others are regulated by agencies such as the FDA, USDA, EPA, or another U.S. government agency and can require additional information, permits, registrations, or supporting documents.
If you have never imported commercially before, the best time to work through these questions is before the supplier ships the goods. Once cargo is already on the water or approaching a U.S. port, your options can become more limited.
This guide explains the U.S. import process for businesses bringing commercial goods into the country, from checking the product and estimating the landed cost through to customs clearance and final delivery.
Start with the product itself.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not require a general import license simply because you want to bring goods into the country. However, that does not mean every product can be imported without further requirements.
The rules depend on what you are buying.
Food, agricultural products, medical devices, vehicles, chemicals and other regulated goods can fall under additional federal agencies. The country of origin can also matter. A product may be admissible from one source but subject to additional duties, restrictions or documentation requirements from another.
This is worth checking before you pay the supplier or commit to a large order.
For example, our U.S. import guides cover food products, perishables, medical devices, automobiles, boats and other commercial cargo in more detail. The customs process for each can be quite different because the information required for entry depends on the goods themselves.
There is no single U.S. import license covering ordinary commercial imports.
Instead, you need to determine whether the particular product is subject to another agency’s requirements. Depending on the goods, that could mean a permit, registration, certification, testing requirement or additional filing.
This distinction matters. Asking “Do I need an import license?” is often less useful than asking:
What does the United States require for this exact product, from this country of origin, before I ship it?
If you are unsure, this is something to establish with your customs broker before the cargo leaves the supplier.
Every commercial import needs a party responsible for the entry.
The Importer of Record, often shortened to IOR, is ultimately responsible for meeting the applicable U.S. import requirements and for the information declared to Customs. Hiring a customs broker does not transfer that responsibility away from the importer.
For a U.S. business, its EIN will commonly be used as its importer number. Other arrangements can apply to individuals and foreign entities, including Customs-assigned numbers where appropriate.
This is one of the first things A1 establishes when opening a customs brokerage account.
Our new-client process asks for the importing entity’s information, EIN or Customs-assigned number and the details needed to establish who is acting as Importer of Record. The authorized importer then signs a Customs Power of Attorney allowing A1 to conduct customs business on its behalf.
The exact signatory requirements depend on the company’s legal structure. A corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship and partnership do not necessarily authorize the same people to execute the Customs Power of Attorney.
That is a good example of why importer setup should happen before the shipment arrives rather than while a container is already waiting for release.
A supplier’s price is not your final cost.
Likewise, an ocean or air freight quote is not necessarily the total cost of getting the product into your warehouse.
A useful calculation is the landed cost of the goods:
Purchase price + international freight + applicable duties and tariffs + customs and entry costs + terminal or handling charges + inland transportation + other shipment-specific costs
Exactly which charges you are responsible for will depend partly on the terms agreed with the supplier.
Before buying, you therefore want to understand both how the product will be taxed at import and what transportation is required after it leaves the factory.
Goods imported into the United States are classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
The HTS classification matters because it can determine the ordinary duty rate and help identify whether additional tariffs or requirements apply.
A common source of confusion is the tariff code supplied by an overseas manufacturer. The first six digits of Harmonized System codes are internationally harmonized, but the remaining digits used by individual countries can differ. A supplier in China, for example, may give you the Chinese tariff classification rather than the complete U.S. HTS number you need for entry.
Classification also involves more than searching the name of the product. How an item functions, what it is made from and how the relevant HTS headings and legal notes apply can affect the correct classification.
Country of origin is important as well. Depending on the product and origin, additional trade measures such as Section 301, Section 232 or antidumping and countervailing duties may need to be checked in addition to the normal duty rate.
For that reason, the duty shown beside a product on a supplier website should not automatically be treated as your final U.S. import duty.
A1’s customs brokerage team provides product classification and duty-rate assistance as part of its import services.
Once you know that the product can be imported and have a better idea of the landed cost, you can plan the freight.
Commercial cargo commonly moves internationally by air or ocean.
Air freight can make sense for time-sensitive, valuable or relatively compact cargo. Ocean freight is generally more suited to larger and heavier shipments where the transit time is less critical.
With ocean freight, you may not need an entire container. An LCL shipment allows cargo from multiple shippers to share container space. Larger shipments can move as an FCL shipment, giving the importer use of a full container.
Machinery, vehicles and other unusual cargo can require different equipment altogether, including flat racks, open-top containers, RoRo or breakbulk transportation.
The freight decision should therefore follow the cargo rather than the other way around.
A1’s freight-forwarding process starts by coordinating pickup with the supplier, booking cargo space with the carrier and monitoring the shipment while it is in transit. A1 can provide freight forwarding and customs brokerage together when an importer wants both parts of the shipment coordinated through the same logistics provider.
For a more detailed explanation of the transportation side, see our guide to shipping goods internationally and our air versus ocean freight comparison.
A customs broker cannot prepare an entry properly without information about the transaction and the shipment.
The exact documentation depends on the goods, but several documents appear repeatedly in commercial imports:
| Document | Why it matters |
| Commercial Invoice | Identifies the buyer, seller, goods, quantities, values, and other transaction information used for Customs entry |
| Packing List | Shows how the shipment is packed, including pieces, weights, and other cargo details |
| Bill of Lading or Air Waybill | Provides the transportation details for the ocean or air shipment |
| Arrival information | Helps identify the shipment, carrier, and expected arrival |
| Product-specific documents | Permits, certificates, declarations, or agency information may be required depending on what is being imported |
The description on the Commercial Invoice should be specific enough to identify what the product actually is. A vague description may not give the customs broker enough information to classify the goods or identify the requirements that apply.
Likewise, information across the Commercial Invoice, Packing List and transportation documents should make sense together.
A1 asks importers for these documents as part of the customs-clearance process and can review what is available before the shipment reaches the United States.
Our guide to documents used in customs clearance explains these documents in more detail.
A Customs bond provides financial security to CBP for obligations associated with importing goods, including duties, taxes and fees.
Formal Customs entry is generally required for commercial merchandise valued at $2,500 or more, although certain regulated goods can require formal entry at lower values. For a formal entry, CBP requires a Customs bond or other acceptable security.
There are two common approaches.
A single transaction bond is associated with an individual transaction. A continuous bond can cover multiple Customs transactions over its period of validity.
The right choice depends on the importer and the shipments being made rather than simply on which bond sounds cheaper.
A business expecting to import regularly may have different needs from somebody bringing in one commercial shipment.
A1 can assist new importers with Customs bond requirements as part of the account and entry setup.
One of the most important deadlines for an ocean importer happens while the goods are still overseas.
Importer Security Filing, commonly called ISF or 10+2, applies to qualifying cargo arriving in the United States by vessel.
For most applicable vessel shipments, key ISF information must be submitted to CBP no later than 24 hours before the cargo is loaded aboard the vessel at the foreign port. Different timing provisions can apply to qualifying breakbulk shipments.
That means ISF is not something to deal with when the container arrives in Miami, New York, Savannah or another U.S. port.
If your supplier is preparing an ocean shipment, your customs broker should receive the required information early enough to determine the filing requirements before loading.
A1 can prepare ISF filings for applicable ocean imports as part of its customs brokerage services.
For a prepared shipment, much of the Customs work can begin before the cargo physically arrives.
A1’s own clearance process gives a useful picture of what happens.
First, the importer opens the account and authorizes A1 to act on its behalf. Once the Power of Attorney and required information are in place, the broker can begin working on the entry.
The broker then reviews the shipment and prepares the Customs filing. That includes gathering the documents, determining the classification and duty treatment, and identifying any additional government-agency requirements that apply.
Customs reviews the entry. Depending on the goods and shipment, CBP or another participating government agency may request additional information or select the cargo for examination.
Once the necessary requirements are satisfied, the cargo can be released.
That still does not always mean the import process is finished. An ocean container may need to be collected from the terminal, while air freight may need airport pickup. The cargo can then move to the importer’s warehouse, facility or other final destination.
A1 can also arrange trucking and final delivery when required.
No. U.S. importers are not generally legally required to hire a customs broker and may make their own entries when eligible.
That does not mean every importer should handle the process themselves.
A customs broker works specifically with Customs entry, tariff classification, valuation, duties, documentation and other import requirements. Where another government agency regulates the goods, the broker can also help identify and coordinate the information required for entry.
For somebody importing for the first time, the value often comes from dealing with these questions before the goods arrive.
At A1, the customs brokerage process starts with the importer getting in touch and providing information about the cargo. We provide a quote, open the customs account online, and obtain the Power of Attorney before processing the clearance. After release, we can also arrange final delivery if needed.
A1 specifically provides first-time importer setup alongside product classification, customs-bond assistance, ISF filing and customs clearance.
If you are comparing providers rather than deciding whether to use one, see our guide to how to choose a customs broker.
Not every importer finds this guide before placing the order.
If the supplier is already preparing your shipment, the important thing is to establish what needs to happen before it departs.
If the freight has not yet been booked, start by providing:
If the shipment has already been booked, also gather the Commercial Invoice, Packing List and transportation or booking information that has already been issued.
For an ocean shipment, do not wait until the vessel is sailing to ask about ISF.
If you know the product may be regulated, mention that from the beginning rather than waiting until Customs asks for something.
A1’s contact form specifically asks customers for the commodity, origin and destination of the cargo, which gives our team the starting information needed to understand what you are trying to move.
You can then provide the shipment documents and importer information needed for the brokerage process.
Yes. A business entity is not required for every import. A1’s own importer onboarding process supports both companies and individuals, although the identification and importer-number requirements differ depending on who is importing.
A foreign business can import into the United States, but additional importer setup may be required. Do not assume that you need to establish a U.S. corporation solely because you want to import. The correct setup depends on who will act as Importer of Record and the structure of the transaction.
It can be a useful starting point, but do not assume it is the complete U.S. classification. The first six digits of the Harmonized System are internationally harmonized, while the remaining digits can differ by country. The goods need to be classified under the U.S. HTS for a U.S. import.
There is no single clearance time that applies to every import. The product, documentation, government-agency requirements and whether CBP selects the cargo for additional review can all affect release.
A1 can often begin preparing the clearance before the shipment reaches the United States, which is another reason to send the documents to your broker before arrival rather than afterward.
The most useful way to think about importing is not as one Customs form completed when the goods arrive.
The decisions begin much earlier.
Before shipping, establish whether the product can be imported, who will act as Importer of Record, what the HTS classification and likely duties are, whether a bond or government-agency requirements apply, and what documentation your broker will need.
Then arrange the freight with those requirements already understood.
A1 Worldwide Logistics provides customs brokerage, first-time importer setup, freight forwarding, Customs bond assistance, ISF filing and final delivery for commercial imports entering the United States.
If you are preparing an import, contact A1 at 305-821-8995 or info@a1wwl.com. Tell us what you are importing, where the cargo is coming from and where it needs to go, and our team can help you determine the next steps.
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