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The Quick and Dirty Guide to Importing

import, export, customs How to Import

This free guide contains details on the 27 different topics that beginning importers most often ask about. It’s got phone numbers, web site addresses, procedures, forms, explanations, and more. The Quick and Dirty Guide to Importing will help you find answers to these questions: “Do I have to report to US Customs?” “How much is this going to cost?” “Do [...]

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Recent Articles
  • How Much Does it Cost to Import?

    import, export, customs

     How Much Does it Cost to Import? Importers are expected to pay an import tax on virtually every item they import. But how much do you have to pay? Import tax (also known as an import duty or import tariff) is collected by US Customs on every import that comes into the US. Import tariffs are the second largest source of revenue next to the IRS.

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  • Find HTS Codes

    import, export, customs

     Here’s a new HTS lookup service for anyone who’s ever had problems finding HTS tariff codes for their import or export shipments. Basically, you can use it to look up tariff rates for any item with a keyword search, or by typing in the HTS number directly. There are a few software packages that you […]

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  • BIS publishes Final Rule on Encryption Simplification

    import, export, customs

     10/15/2009 – BIS publishes Final Rule on Encryption Simplification The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published the interim final rule entitled ”Encryption Simplification” on October 3, 2008 (73 FR 57495). This rule finalizes that rule, corrects errors published in the October 3, 2008 interim final rule, and resolves inconsistencies in that rule identified by […]

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  • Importer Security Filing (ISF), aka “10+2”

    import, export, customs

     When does the ISF have to be filed? Not later than 24 hours prior to loading of the shipment to the vessel at the foreign port of lading. Does the effective date of Jan. 26th mean that any shipment which is departing from the origin port on or after Jan. 26th is required to have […]

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  • Import Duty on Returned Items

    import, export, customs

     Question Do I have to pay import duty on items that have been exported from the United States that are being returned? Answer If you have an item that was previously resident in the United States, but for some reason was exported and is now being returned, be sure to inform US Customs about its […]

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  • ITAR Export Compliance

    import, export, customs

     If you’re one of the small minority of businesses that exports military and ITAR controlled products overseas, you’re not going to find much to help you on our site – sorry. You can download the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) from our site, but there’s not a lot of discussion on how to use […]

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  • How to Import Textiles into the US

    import, export, customs

     Textiles products have the benefit of inexpensive overseas production sources as well as a large US market demand and can be a highly profitable and popular import commodity. Due to the over-saturation of overseas textile manufacturers and the US socio-political agenda, however, the United States has developed a complicated system designed to regulate the importation […]

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  • How to Import – Internet Purchases, Quota

    import, export, customs

     Many kinds of goods imported for commercial use may be subject to a quota limit. It is the classification number of the article as identified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States and the country of origin that determine whether or not an item is subject to quota requirements. In some cases, the […]

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  • How to Import a Car to the US

    import, export, customs

     The following provides information concerning the importation of a passenger car, truck, trailer, motorcycle, moped, bus, or MPV built to comply with the standards of a country other than the U.S. or Canada.� Importers of motor vehicles must file form HS-7 (available at ports of entry) at the time a vehicle is imported to declare […]

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  • Harmonized Tariff Schedule: How to Read the Tariffs

    import, export, customs

     Save on import brokerage fees by downloading the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule and determining your product’s classification before you import. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule is broken into two major parts: notes and classification. The notes portion of the HTS comprises approximately one fourth to one fifth of the Tariff Schedule. It contains rules of classification, […]

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  • General Rules of Interpretation: How to Interpret the Tariff

    import, export, customs

     Save on import brokerage fees by downloading the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule and determining your product’s classification before you import. General Rules of Interpretation The General Rules of Interpretation (GRI’s) outline the method used to determine a product’s classification. They also address special scenarios wherein a final classification may be difficult to determine. The General […]

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