US Customs Brokers refers to the individuals or corporations that help the importers and exporters who ship goods in and out of the United States, to meet the necessary federal requirements . The Customs brokers who operate inside the United States and deals with the U.S. Cutoms and Border Protection are referred to as US customs broker. These brokers are licensed,empowered and governed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Customs brokers act as middlemen to the importers and exporters in their dealings with the CBP. In return for submitting the necessary details and payments to the CBP, the importers are charged a certain fee. Currently, almost 11,000 such licensed U.S.
Customs Brokers are present in the United States. They are responsible for the preparation of documents and electronic submissions. They act as the link between the importer/exporter and the authorites. A US customs broker knows the duty rates of imported items and are thorough with the federal rules. Customs brokers are qualified personnel who obtain license only on passing the Customs Brokers license exam with a minimum of 75 percent. Before clearing the exam, these brokers are subjected to stringent background checks to verify their reliability and dependability. All U.S Customs Brokers are American citizens.
They have no affiliation with the U.S government and are not government employees. They are either self-employed brokers or brokers employed by customs broking corporations. Customs brokers are responsible for arranging the transhipment,i.e local delivery of the imported goods. The US Customs broker mainly operate in the major airports and shipping ports that handle international cargo traffic. Some customs brokers specialize in certain categories of imported items, which may include food items, luxury goods etc. The customs brokers are responsible for obtaining the necessary clearances and legal approvals from the appropriate government agencies to ensure and facilitate the delivery of imported goods.
These brokers are often required to obtain clearance from government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Fish and Wildlife service, among several others. They advise importers regarding the necessary paperwork requirements for their specific shipment which are subject to visa requirements. Customs Brokerage companies are responsible for fast clearance of shipments internationally by ensuring that all the legal requirements are taken care of. They form the basis for effective communication between the importers/exporters and the customs, hence are required to be updated with the latest policies and federal requirements.
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