subject: Customs Papers For Cross Border Shipping [print this page] When you have to ship internationally, there is a great deal of paperwork in addition to the regular documentation that will accompany a domestic shipment. Trucking services can usually give you a great deal of guidance in these matters, but it can be useful to do some preliminary research.
If you're shipping especially large loads of cargo, you might want to talk to an international shipping specialist or broker. If you're just sending a single package up to a client, there are usually less restrictions and regulations to contend with. Be sure to always tell your trucking company exactly what you are shipping, and they should be able to tell you immediately what the requirements are going to be to get your shipment across the border.
There aren't usually to many extreme requirements for cross border shipping, but the most complicated ones come if you require either an export license of any kind, or a certificate that shows your license to export under the terms of any international trade agreement. For instance, if you are shipping any goods which are covered under NAFTA, you will need a NAFTA certificate. If you haven't obtained or completed this type of paperwork before, this is where some help can come in handy.
The other documents that are required with every shipment though, are much simpler than this. There are two basic documents that you're going to have to send with every shipment. The first is just a commercial invoice, which you should certainly be sending even with anything that you're sending to a domestic customer.
The other document that will have to be prepared for any cross border shipping is a bill of lading. This is also easy and straight forward, and something that your courier company will have no problem providing to you. Every courier company provides bill of lading documents on almost every shipment, as this is like a description of the service that they have offered to you. It doesn't even usually cost extra to have a BOL prepared like it might for getting more specialized documents prepared.
Cross border documentation is very important. If you don't have all of the paperwork properly assembled with your shipment, your order could be held at the border. This can also cost you extra money, as a courier may end up charging you an extra fee if you delay their truck at the border due to improper documentation going with your shipment.
by: Paul McDuffy
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