GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026
customs formalities
Freight forwarders, customs brokers, and shippers deal with customs formalities daily: the full set of procedural and documentary requirements triggered whenever goods cross an international border.
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Freight forwarders, customs brokers, and shippers deal with customs formalities daily: the full set of procedural and documentary requirements triggered whenever goods cross an international border. Core obligations include filing import and export declarations, classifying goods under the Harmonised System (HS code), calculating applicable duties and taxes, and ensuring timely payment. Depending on the commodity and trading partner, certificates of origin, import licences, or sanitary and phytosanitary certificates may also be required. Non-compliance can result in fines, cargo holds, or seizure of goods. Customs formalities are distinct from purely transport documents such as bills of lading or air waybills, which accompany shipments but carry no declaratory function under customs law.
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