Customs Brokers

You will need a customs broker to import your shipments from China. A customs broker is an independent agent who is licensed to clear shipments at the Customs office of the port where your shipment lands (i.e., Los Angeles or Chicago). U.S. Customs charges what is known as a duty fee, which is a tax that is based on a percentage of the value of each item you bring in. The duty rate varies from product to product; your broker will be able to tell you the percentage for your product.

Your customs broker will submit the commercial invoice of your shipment to Customs (which we will provide you), front the duty fee in your behalf, and front other expenses that might be generated at the port, such as bond, forklift, storage or other fees. In the U.S., a customs broker must be licensed with the Customs office of the particular port where your shipment will land.

U.S. Customs has a list of ports broken down by state at their website here. To find a list of brokers that are licensed for a particular port, choose the state, then the city of the port of you're interested in. Click on "Brokers: View List" to open the page with the listing.