Guides

How to import your first container

A first container is where most importers learn about costs and paperwork they did not plan for. Do the checks below before you pay the supplier, because the expensive mistakes are made at the order stage, not at the port.

Check before you order

Confirm you may import the product. Some goods need a permit, licence or inspection certificate, and some are restricted or prohibited.
Confirm you may import at all. Many countries require the importer to be registered with customs or the tax authority before a declaration can be filed.
Find the HS code and the duty and VAT rate, and work out the landed cost per unit. If the margin disappears at this point, stop.
Ask the destination customs or a licensed clearing agent what your goods need. Do not rely on the supplier's word.

Steps from supplier to warehouse

Agree the delivery term with the supplier. Choose the Incoterm deliberately. FOB means you arrange sea freight and insurance; CIF means the supplier does, to your port. The Incoterms guide explains who pays and carries risk at each point.
Decide full container or shared. A full container load (FCL) is one shipper's goods in a container and is usually cheaper per unit once you fill it. Less than container load (LCL) shares a container and adds consolidation and deconsolidation steps and time.
Appoint a forwarder and a clearing agent. Get written quotes covering freight, origin and destination port charges, the clearing fee and delivery to your site. Confirm whether the destination requires a licensed agent to file.
Get the documents from the supplier. You need the commercial invoice, packing list and transport document, plus any certificate of origin, inspection certificate or permit. Check names, numbers and descriptions match across all of them.
Prepare the declaration before the ship arrives. Where the destination allows pre-arrival processing, file the declaration early so that clearance can begin as the goods land. The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement asks members to allow this.
Pay duty and taxes and pass any inspection. Customs assesses duty and VAT on the declaration and may scan or physically inspect the container. Answer queries quickly with the documents they ask for.
Collect the container inside the free time. Shipping lines and terminals give a limited free period before storage, demurrage and detention charges begin. Arrange transport and unloading before release so the container does not sit.

Documents you will usually need

Commercial invoice and packing list.
Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air).
Certificate of origin, where you claim preferential duty or the destination requires one.
Import permit, licence or product conformity certificate for controlled goods.
Your importer registration or tax identification number.
Insurance certificate, if you insured the cargo.

Costs beyond duty and VAT

Budget for terminal handling, documentation and clearing fees, scanning or inspection, inland transport, and possible storage or demurrage. These vary by port and shipper, so use written quotes rather than estimates from other importers. The landed cost guide shows how to add them up per unit.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to clear a first container?

It depends on the port, the goods, whether pre-arrival processing is used and whether the container is selected for inspection. Ask your clearing agent for the current experience at your port rather than trusting a general figure.

Do I need a customs broker for my first import?

Some countries require a licensed agent to file, and even where importers may file themselves, a first-time importer often uses one. Check the rule for your destination.

Should I start with a smaller shipment?

A trial order by LCL or air freight limits the money at risk while you learn the process, but the per-unit freight is higher. Weigh that against the cost of a mistake on a full container.

Sources

Last verified: 2026-09-29

Related tools and countries

Related guides

Know the border taxes before you buy

Enter the HS code, destination and value to see duty, levies and VAT for your container.

Open the duty calculator