Customs Clearance: What Slows Shipments Down (and How to Avoid It)

Most customs delays are preventable. Over 80% of holds we see come down to paperwork quality, not commodity issues.

Pre-flight checklist

• Commercial invoice with clear HS codes (6-digit minimum, 10-digit preferred)
• Packing list matching the invoice exactly — weights, dimensions, piece counts
• Declared value matching the commercial invoice & country of origin declared
• Licenses where required (dual-use, pharma, food, lithium batteries)
• Incoterms clearly stated (EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP, etc.)

Red-flag commodities

Lithium batteries, textiles under quota, hazmat, food & beverage, and anything branded that might trigger IPR checks.