Clearance fees are a common source of quote confusion. This guide separates the tasks, shows where fees appear and helps you compare like-for-like.
Clearance tasks and who does them
Clearance is not a single task. Instead, it is a short sequence of filings that different people own. For ocean food and supplement cargo, the sequence begins with the Importer Security Filing (ISF). You must submit it at least 24 hours before you load the cargo on board. Next, file FDA prior notice at least 8 hours before the goods arrive. Then the broker files the customs entry when the vessel reaches port. After the entry, you pay the duties. Customs may then inspect the cargo, and finally releases it.
The responsibility split matters more than the fee itself. The licensed US customs broker files the entry and handles the customs paperwork for the importer. Meanwhile, the freight forwarder coordinates the freight, assembles the documentation pack, and times the filings around the sailing. However, the importer of record still owns the compliance decisions and the FDA-related obligations. We simply describe who does what; we do not offer legal advice. Therefore, write the split down on paper. This step alone prevents a filing from falling through the cracks.
Fees in the quote
Clearance-related money appears in two places. First, the forwarder and the broker charge service fees for the work they do. Second, they pass government fees and duties through at cost. Service fees have no single standard rate. Instead, providers quote them per task. That is why you should ask them to itemise every fee rather than bundle it into a vague “handling” line.
On the government side, formal customs entries carry a merchandise processing fee (MPF). Customs sets this fee as an ad valorem percentage of the cargo value, currently about 0.3464%. The entry also draws duties and the port or terminal charges, which vary by gateway. These pass-through amounts are not the forwarder’s profit. They move with the shipment’s value and the port. Therefore, a quote that ignores them is not cheaper; it is simply incomplete.
| Cost group | What it covers | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Origin handling | Pickup, export documents, container stuffing | Usually in a door quote |
| Ocean freight + BAF | The ocean leg and fuel adjustment | Base rate, itemise BAF |
| Government fees & duty | MPF (~0.3464% ad valorem) and duties | Passed through at cost |
| Broker / clearance service | ISF, entry filing, FDA coordination | Conditional – ask explicitly |
| Destination delivery | Drayage, deconsolidation, warehouse delivery | Only if door-to-door |
Broker and forwarder service fees have no uniform schedule, so the practical move is to ask for itemised charges rather than assume they are bundled. A single line that merely says “clearance” tells you nothing about whether it covers ISF, the customs entry and FDA coordination, or only one of the three. Seeing each task priced separately is what lets you catch a missing service before it becomes a delay at the dock, and it is also the only way to compare two brokers on the same work.
Comparing like-for-like
Two quotes for the same shipment can differ by hundreds of dollars. Usually, the cause is scope, not efficiency. One quote may include the broker entry and ISF. Another may quote ocean freight only and add clearance after the cargo arrives. As a result, the cheapest headline rate becomes the most expensive delivered cost once the missing charges appear.
Ask each forwarder two direct questions. First, ask whether the quote includes customs clearance or leaves it conditional. Second, ask exactly what the quote includes up to the delivery door. Then compare the same scope across candidates. Also, make sure the quote itemises the documentation and broker fees so you can see them. A quote that clearly shows what it covers and what costs extra is the one worth trusting. This holds true no matter where it lands on the price sheet.
Frequently asked questions
Is customs clearance included in your quote?
The scope is confirmed at quote stage, and each quote states clearly what is included and what is conditional. If clearance is part of the delivery, the entry filing and ISF coordination are itemised; if it is conditional, you will see that too up front. Tell us your product and delivery ZIP, and we will quote the same door-to-door scope you can compare directly against other offers.
Who is responsible for FDA filings?
The US importer of record carries the FDA-related compliance responsibility, including prior notice coordination and any supplier verification. The forwarder does not take that obligation on; instead it coordinates the freight-side filings and documentation with the importer and broker, and lines the timing up with the sailing and arrival schedule.
Related reading
- Costs and quote
- FDA import preparation
- Request a quote
- FDA import from China to the USA
- US customs clearance process
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