Preparing Customs Papers

One of the most complicated things there is to shipping internationally is worrying about all the paperwork that has to be filled out

. Your trucking service can probably help you with much of the paperwork, but it pays to be familiar with the basics.

The specific documentation that you need to move shipments across borders is going to be different depending on what kind of cargo that you're shipping. It is those specific types of documents that are only required for certain types of shipments that it is usually more important that you get help with. Otherwise, you could end up shipping something without the correct paperwork, and end up having your delivery getting stuck at a border crossing.

The first thing you'll need to do is to prepare a commercial invoice for your customer. This is standard procedure for anyone selling anything, and not something that should be that difficult. You just need to be sure to include a copy of that invoice in the customs documentation.

The next thing that has to be included is a Bill of Lading. This is something that the courier company prepares for you, but you may want to check it to make sure it is correct. This will describe where and to where the package is being shipped. It will also describe the shipment and say how much was paid for shipping, along with the expected delivery time and pickup date. It is essentially a distillation of the contract between you and the courier company.

There are other types of documentation which might be required which are based on what exactly you are shipping. When you're shipping things that are worth a certain value or which fall into certain categories of cargo, you will need import or export licensing. You might also need a NAFTA certificate if your cargo falls under the terms of that agreement.

If you're totally new to shipping anything internationally and you're worried about making mistakes, one of the best things that you could do is to just go down to your courier company and talk to someone directly. Anyone that ships internationally for a living is going to be familiar with all of the documents. They should be able to both explain it to you, and make sure that you know what is expected of you when shipping in the future, minimizing your chances of making a mistake and ending up with a shipment stuck in between countries some day.

by: Paul McDuffy

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