GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026
FCA (Free Carrier)
Free Carrier (FCA) is an Incoterm under which the seller delivers the goods, cleared for export, to a carrier or other person nominated by the buyer at a named place.
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Source: https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/
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Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?
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Definition & Explanation
Free Carrier (FCA) is an Incoterm under which the seller delivers the goods, cleared for export, to a carrier or other person nominated by the buyer at a named place. Risk and costs transfer to the buyer simultaneously at that handover point—there is no split between the two. The seller handles export formalities and bears all charges up to delivery; the buyer arranges and pays for main carriage, insurance, and import clearance. FCA covers every mode of transport and has become the standard choice in air freight, where the port-side loading implied by FOB simply does not apply. Unlike FOB, the handover can take place at an inland depot or at the seller's own premises, making FCA far better suited to containerised and multimodal shipments.
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