GlossaryCustoms and trade
Customs entry
The filing an importer or broker makes to declare goods to customs, have them released and pay any duties owed.
A customs entry is the formal declaration of imported goods to the customs authority. In the U.S., it gives CBP the information needed to release the goods and to assess duties, taxes and fees.
CBP distinguishes informal entries, used for lower-value shipments, from formal entries, which require a customs bond and more detailed filings. Express carriers file entries for most parcels they deliver, while freight shipments usually go through a customs broker.
With duty-free de minimis suspended in the U.S., low-value parcels that used to clear with minimal data now need a proper entry with duties paid.
Learn more in our Cross-border shipping articles.
Buy, print and track shipping labels and customs documents across carriers from one place.