When should you hire a customs broker? To get a quick answer, Send a message.
Probably, you do not need a customs broker if your goods are entered the United States by air, AND:
- they are not exceeding $250 in value, OR
- the cost is not exceeding $2,500, and the goods are not subject to quota, Anti-dumping or Countervailing duties, or subject to import regulations of other government agencies (PGA), OR
- the seller ships the goods via an express courier (Fed-Ex, DHL, UPS), and you accept the charges of the courier’s brokers.
Law does not require importers to hire customs brokers. However, many importers to do so for convenience. Using a customs broker can save the importer from making costly mistakes.
Sea Freight and ISF
In addition to entry filing, importers should use a customs broker to prepare and transmit Importer Security Filing, known as ISF-10 and ISF-5. Importers have to file ISF when their merchandise is coming into the United States by sea. They have to file ISF for both informal and formal entries.
ISF has to be transmitted to the CBP through ACE (Automated Commercial Environment). The paper filing of ISF is not available. If the importer doesn’t have an annual customs bond on file with CBP, she or her customs broker has to acquire an ISF bond from a surety.
Brokerage
We make it our business to help businesses avoid fines, prevent delays, and ensure successful importation. Thanks to our fully automated brokerage system, your customs broker can streamline operations at all seaports and airports of the United States. As a result, we provide services to our clients for what we believe is the best price in the industry.
Experience
We have an international network of associates as well as 16 years of import/export experience. Hence, our company knows how to deliver goods from one country to another, enhancing cross-border commercial operations.
We have been dealing with importations of general merchandise and restricted goods and shipments subject to increased tariffs, such as China’s products. Our experience includes imports from countries with trade agreements with the United States and uses preferential import duties. Atlantic Customhouse files entries for different transportation modes – container and non-container airfreight, sea shipments, rail, and track entries.
Areas of Expertise
Our primary areas of expertise are:
- Customs Brokerage;
- Import/export contract preparation and evaluation;
- Risk evaluation and risk management of cross-border transactions;
- Planning and budgeting of import projects.
We have provided services for legal entry of general merchandise and goods subject to other federal agencies’ regulations. That includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Jobs and Projects
Our team has served individuals and corporations in many areas of business.
For instance, we have provided import/export and brokerage services to corporations in industrial equipment, construction, aviation, and container shipments.
Our experts have also facilitated commercial shipments and provided custom clearance services of manufacturing equipment and consumer goods for small businesses.
Moreover, we have helped individuals with personal importations, such as importing vehicles, auto parts, jewelry, dogs, cats, and other merchandise.
Customs Broker License
U.S. law requires corporations, partnerships, and associations to have a license to transact Customs business. Atlantic Customhouse holds the license to provide services for U.S. and foreign companies and individuals.
National Permit
National Permit makes our company a nationwide customs broker. We conduct business and represent importers in all 50 states of the United States, and we are providing our services at all ports of entry in the U. S.
Technology and Customer Service
We use state of the art system to connect to the U.S. Customs via ACE. Therefore, we electronically file import data with the CBP.
As a result, our brokers provide timely import clearance at all ports of entry across the United States.
We offer our clients competitive prices for our services, which include:
- Payment and processing of all duties and tariffs on goods coming into the United States;
- Import Entry at all ports in the United States;
- A review of previous entries. If we find mistakes, our customs broker will help to fix them. For example, to make a voluntary disclosure in the case of a duty shortfall. Alternatively, to file a protest to get a refund in the case of overpayment;
- You will have the full attention of our customs broker from the first phone call by completing the project. We don’t treat our clients as “accounts,” as do many multinational delivery companies. Instead, we tailor every service we provide to the needs of our clients.
Contact Your Customs Broker
International commerce is a complicated business. For this reason, we believe that open communication between client and broker is essential for success. Therefore, our professionals are always available to discuss your project, no matter how big or small it is.
A pre-shipping review can help to avoid costly mistakes and, in some cases, to optimize the cost of import clearance. For this reason, we encourage importers to contact us before they ship the goods, or even before they buy them.
Large views always triumph over small ideas. Broad economic principles always, in the end, defeat the sharp devices of expediency; science is better than sleight of hand; justice outwits intrigues; free imports can contend with hostile tariffs; honesty is, in fact, the policy that pays the best.
Winston S. Churchill
February 19, 1904. Free Trade Hall, Manchester