Online
Marketplace

Auto
Parts & Accessories

Consumer
Electronics

Drones
& Robotics

Electronic
Components

Fashion
Accessories & Footwear

Fashion
Apparel & Fabrics

Gifts &
Premiums

Hardware

Home
Products

LED
& Solar Products

LEDs
& Optoelectronics

Machinery
& Parts

Mobile
Electronics

Security
Products

Smart
Living

Underwear
& Swimwear

Trade Shows

Global Sources Exhibitions

Electronics

Mobile Electronics

Gifts & Home

Fashion

Other Trade Shows

Magazines

Magazines

Sourcing Reports

Other
Services

Get
Quotations

Product
Alerts

Analyst's Choice

Sourcing News & Advice

Private Sourcing Events

Buyer Support

About Us

Reliable exporters: find them and meet them

Path: Sourcing News & Advice
>> Smart
Sourcing >> Getting your China products
through U.S. Customs: The 101

Sourcing News & Advice
Home

Industry
News

Surveys

Smart Sourcing

Ask
the Experts

Buyer's
Guide

Getting your China products through U.S. Customs: The 101

Posted: October 21, 2016

By Emily Lawson

If
you are importing products from China you need to do your homework to make sure
your incoming shipments into the United States comply with U.S. Customs laws and
regulations. Compliance with U.S. Customs laws and regulations is critical in
avoiding your shipments being detained or seized, and/or penalties assessed.
Common issues importers of products from China typically face include the
following:

• Not determining
proper classification and duty rate for products.
If you plan to import and sell on a Delivered Duty Paid basis, you should
consider customs duties in your costs and that means you should know all of your
applicable duty rates before you import. Also certain products are subject to
high antidumping or countervailing duties in addition to regular customs duties,
which may be as high as 300%.

• Failing to mark the
product with the country of origin of manufacture.
Generally goods of foreign origin for import into the U.S. or immediate
containers of the goods must be marked legibly and in a conspicuous location
with the country of origin in English. Failure to do so accurately can result in
civil and even possibly criminal penalties.

• Not properly marking
wood packing material.
All wood packing material for products imported into the U.S. must be properly
treated and marked prior to shipping. Failure to meet the treatment and marking
requirements may cause shipments to be delayed and penalties issued.

• Failing to provide
complete commercial invoices.
Customs regulations provide that specific data must be included on the
commercial invoice for U.S. Customs purposes, including a detailed description
of the merchandise, and correct value information. Omission of this information
may result in improper declaration to U.S. Customs at the time of import and
expose you to penalties.

• Failing to meet
other U.S. Government agency requirements.
Goods imported for sale in the U.S. must satisfy the same legal requirements as
those goods manufactured in the United States. U.S. Customs enforces the laws of
other agencies in the U.S., including, the Food and Drug Administration, the
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Environmental Protection
Agency, in addition to others. Therefore, if toys, for example, are exported to
the U.S., detailed CPSC requirements, including for testing, must be met prior
to export.

• Distribution of many
trademarked and copyrighted items.
Items which are trademarked and copyrighted are restricted by contractual
agreements that give exclusive rights to specific companies to distribute the
product in the U.S. Imports of improperly trademarked or copyrighted items can
be seized at the U.S. border and can subject you as the importer to
penalties.

Taking
the time to identify the required U.S. Customs laws and regulations for the
products to be shipped to the U.S. from China will help you maintain seamless
delivery of your merchandise to U.S. customers and avoid civil and criminal
penalty exposure.

Want
to learn more sourcing best practices?

Join the Global
Sources Summit that combines conferences and networking, co-located with our
Hong Kong trade shows. The event will be held October 17-19, 2016, and is geared
toward online and Amazon sellers.

Emily
Lawson helps Harris & Moure clients achieve import and trade
compliance and defends their interests before government trade agencies and
courts. Emily was an attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel for Import
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Her working experience in
international trade matters includes Customs compliance, antidumping,
countervailing duties (AD/CVD) and matters related to economic sanctions and
U.S. export controls compliance.

Read more Sourcing
News & Advice

Join the Smart China
Sourcing Facebook Group

Connect with other buyers

Ask questions

Get advice from experts

Join Group

Attend the Global Sources
Summit

For online and Amazon sellers

Interactive training led by sourcing experts

Source profitably, avoid pitfalls

October 17 - 19, 2016 in Hong Kong

Co-located with Mobile Electronics and
Gifts
& Home shows

Learn More

Feedback

Send us your comments and suggestions, or share your sourcing
experiences.

Find Suppliers Online

Browse Product Categories

New Products

Top
Products

Top China Suppliers

Source by Country

Top 20 Products by Industry

Wholesale Directory

Wholesale Products

Factory
Directory

Product
Catalog

Fabricantes y Maquinariabeta | Global Sources

Buyer Tools

Message Center

Global
Sources Apps

Sourcing News & Advice

Sourcing e-Magazines

Sourcing Reports

Global
Sources Direct

Get
Quotations

Supplier Tools

Reach Qualified Buyers

Sign up for a Free Trial

Become a Verified Supplier

多渠道曝光/推广

供应商成功故事

免费网上广告注册

高效参展

About Us

About Global Sources

Our
Services

Our
Quality Commitment

Buyer Testimonials

Investor Relations

Videos

Meet Suppliers Face-to-Face

Sourcing
Fairs

Private Sourcing Events

Buyer Support

What
Every Buyer Needs to Know

Ask the Sourcing Experts

Learn to
Source from China

Help

User
Guide

Help
& FAQ

Contact Global Sources

Site
Map

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Google + LinkedIn RSS

Global Sources Sourcing Sites: GlobalSources.com

Global Sources Other Country Sites: Hong Kong

Global Sources Management Site: 世界经理人

Copyright © Media Data Systems Pte Ltd (Singapore Co.
Reg. No. 199001601W). All rights reserved.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy Security Measures IP Policy About The Translation