Double customs clearance service – Which goods are suitable for double customs clearance service?

Double customs clearance service refers to a service model in which the export country customs declaration and import country customs clearance are both handled by the logistics service provider in international logistics, which can save the cargo owner from the complicated customs clearance process. The following are the types of goods suitable for double customs clearance service and related analysis:
I. Classification by goods attributes

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1. General trade goods
   Features: common industrial products, daily necessities, clothing, electronic products, etc., without special regulatory requirements.
   Advantages: Double customs clearance service can simplify the process, especially for small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises or merchants who are conducting cross-border business for the first time, avoiding delays caused by insufficient customs clearance experience.
   Case: Yiwu small commodities are exported to Europe, and the customs clearance needs of multiple countries can be handled at one time through double customs clearance service.
2. Sensitive goods
   Categories:
   Electrical/magnetic products: such as mobile phones, laptops, power tools (must comply with the electromagnetic compatibility standards of the importing country, such as the EU CE certification).
   Liquid/powder: cosmetics, food additives (component test reports must be provided to avoid involving dangerous goods control).
   Counterfeit/branded goods: goods involving intellectual property rights (it is necessary to confirm the customs clearance requirements of the importing country for branded goods in advance to avoid infringement and detention of goods).
   Note: It is difficult to clear sensitive goods, and the double customs clearance service provider must have special qualifications (such as dangerous goods transportation license, brand authorization documents) to reduce the risk of customs inspection.
3. Large goods/mechanical equipment
   Features: large volume and heavy weight (such as engineering equipment, production lines), detailed specifications and usage instructions must be provided when declaring.
   Advantages: Double customs clearance service providers can assist in applying for import licenses for mechanical products (such as FDA certification in the United States and Customs Union certification in Russia), and arrange loading and unloading and transportation at the destination port.
4. Food/agricultural products
   Requirements: It must comply with the health and quarantine standards of the importing country (such as the EU Food Contact Materials Regulation EC 1935/2004), and provide documents such as certificate of origin and health certificate.
   Applicable scenarios: Food sales on cross-border e-commerce platforms (such as imports of fruits and snacks in the Southeast Asian market), double customs clearance services can quickly complete commodity inspection and customs clearance.
5. Classification by trade mode
6. Cross-border e-commerce goods (B2C/B2B2C)
   Scenario: Amazon FBA first leg, independent station cargo transportation (such as cross-border parcels sent to the United States and Germany).
   Advantage: Dual customs clearance service providers can provide “tax-inclusive delivery” services, and sellers do not need to deal with VAT tax number declaration in the destination country (such as VAT deferral in the European Union), reducing operating costs.
7. Personal belongings/overseas moving
   Features: For non-commercial goods such as luggage and furniture, it is necessary to distinguish between “personal use” and “commercial import” during customs clearance.
   Service content: Dual customs clearance service providers can assist in preparing personal belongings lists, passports and other documents, and apply for tax-free or low-tax customs clearance (such as Australia’s tax-free limit for personal belongings is 900 Australian dollars).
8. Temporary import and export goods
   Scenario: Exhibits and construction equipment participating in international exhibitions (need to be re-exported within the specified time).
   Advantages: Apply for temporary import permits (such as ATA carnets) through dual customs clearance services to avoid high tariffs, and re-export procedures can be easily handled after the exhibition.
   III. Classification by transportation destination
9. Countries/regions with high customs clearance difficulties
   Representative countries:
   African countries: such as Nigeria and Congo (DRC), the customs process is complicated and documents such as COC (certificate of conformity) are required.
   Middle Eastern countries: such as Saudi Arabia, SASO certification is required, and there are strict requirements for product labels and packaging.
   South American countries: such as Brazil, customs clearance requires CNPJ tax number, and the customs inspection rate is high.
   Necessity: Dual customs clearance service providers are familiar with local policies and can review documents in advance to reduce customs clearance delays (such as Brazilian customs may cause goods to be detained for more than 30 days due to document errors).
10. Multi-country/region transportation
    Scenario: Goods need to be transshipped through multiple countries (such as from China to Poland to Nordic countries).
    Advantages: Dual customs clearance service providers can uniformly handle cross-border customs clearance within the EU (such as using the EU’s unified customs area, only customs clearance is required in the first import country), avoiding multiple customs declarations.
11. Other scenarios suitable for choosing dual customs clearance services
    The owner has no import and export qualifications: small and medium-sized enterprises or individual sellers do not have customs registration codes, and dual customs clearance service providers can borrow their qualifications for customs declaration (pay attention to compliance to avoid the risk of “buying bills and customs declarations”).
    Reduce cost requirements: Some dual customs clearance services include tariff payment (such as DDP terms), and the owner can lock in logistics costs in advance to avoid additional costs at the destination port.
    Emergency cargo transportation: For fresh products and urgently needed spare parts, dual customs clearance service providers can shorten customs clearance time through “fast customs clearance channels” (such as priority declaration of the US ACE system).
    Notes on choosing dual customs clearance services
    Service provider qualification review: Confirm whether it has international freight forwarding qualifications (such as NVOCC certificates) and destination country customs clearance agency qualifications (such as US customs broker licenses).
    Risk clause agreement: clarify the division of responsibilities when goods are inspected and detained during the customs clearance process (such as whether it includes tariff payment and goods return fees).
    Document authenticity: Double customs clearance service providers need to declare according to the actual situation of the goods to avoid customs penalties due to “underreporting and concealment” (such as the EU can impose a tariff fine of more than 20% on concealed goods).
    In short, double customs clearance services are suitable for scenarios where the customs clearance process is unfamiliar, the properties of goods are complex, or they are transported to high-risk countries. When choosing, it is necessary to combine the characteristics of the goods, trade needs and the capabilities of the service provider to ensure the efficiency and compliance of the logistics chain.

Double Clearance vs DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)

While double customs clearance and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) share similarities, they differ in execution details and responsibilities.

In most practical scenarios, double customs clearance is a simplified version of DDP, with all burdens and risks handled by the shipping party or freight forwarder, ideal for B2C deliveries or sensitive goods.

🎯 When is Double Clearance Service Needed?

Double customs clearance is most useful when shipping goods that:

• Have complex import restrictions
• Are difficult to classify
• Cannot provide certain compliance documents (like certificates, licenses)
• Belong to categories with tight import controls

Common Goods Needing Double Clearance:

• Cosmetics and liquid personal care items
• Electronic products with built-in lithium batteries
• Food and beverages
• Books and printed materials
• Clothing and accessories with branded logos
• Medical supplies or testing equipment

🌎 Examples by Country/Region

🇺🇸 United States

• FDA regulations complicate the import of cosmetics, supplements, and food. Double clearance services help bypass delays by routing through pre-approved importers.
• Battery-powered toys or electronics often need documentation under US DOT or EPA.

🇨🇦 Canada

• Health Canada imposes strict controls on skincare products and dietary supplements.
• Double clearance helps traders ship products without needing the consignee to register or provide import licenses.

🇦🇺 Australia

• Australian Border Force (ABF) and Department of Agriculture heavily regulate food, plant-based items, and organic goods.
• Using double clearance services helps avoid delays caused by biosecurity checks.

🇧🇷 Brazil

• Brazil’s customs process is known for being bureaucratic and slow, especially with consumer electronics.
• Local representation or registration is often required — making double clearance almost essential for small traders or cross-border e-commerce.

🇪🇺 European Union (EU)

• CE certification and REACH compliance are mandatory for many goods like electronics and chemicals.
• Double clearance is widely used for online retail into the EU (e.g., cosmetics, toys, gadgets), especially via Netherlands or Belgium for pan-EU distribution.

💼 Application Scenarios of Double Clearance

Double customs clearance is ideal in these situations:

1. Cross-border e-commerce platforms (e.g., Amazon, AliExpress) shipping directly to consumers without import paperwork burden.
2. Traders shipping restricted items with difficulty in obtaining import licenses.
3. B2B deliveries where importers don’t want the hassle of local customs documentation or registration.

💡 Considerations When Using Double Clearance Services

✔️ Pros:

• Full-service, door-to-door delivery
• No customs paperwork burden for the buyer
• Reduced risk of clearance failure
• Ideal for sensitive or high-risk goods

⚠️ Cons / Risks:

• Higher costs, since taxes and service fees are pre-paid by the shipper
• Limited visibility for the consignee in customs processes
• May be less flexible if customs policies change suddenly in the destination country

📦 Summary: Is Double Clearance Right for You?

Double customs clearance is an increasingly popular solution in modern global trade, especially for cross-border e-commerce, special cargo, and B2C export markets. It simplifies the entire logistics and customs process, reduces risk for the buyer, and ensures smoother delivery from origin to destination.