Customs clearance

How it is used

Used for both export and import. Goods 'clear customs' or 'are cleared'; a broker or forwarder 'handles customs clearance'. Delays are described as 'stuck in customs' or 'held for inspection'.

Example sentences

1. Customs clearance took three days because the goods were selected for physical inspection.

2. Who will handle import customs clearance in Germany?

Common collocations

• export customs clearance
• import customs clearance
• handle customs clearance
• clear customs

Related terms

• customs declarationThe official form, now usually electronic, in which an importer or exporter tells customs what the goods are and states their value, origin and HS code.
• customs brokerA licensed person or company that prepares and submits customs declarations and handles clearance formalities on behalf of importers and exporters.
• customs dutyA tax charged by a government on goods when they are imported, and in some cases exported, usually calculated as a percentage of their customs value.
• HS codeA number from the Harmonized System, the international classification of goods run by the World Customs Organization, used to identify products for duties and trade statistics.
• bonded warehouseA warehouse under customs control where imported goods can be stored without paying duties and taxes until they are released into the country or re-exported.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• customs clearance · International Trade