Customs brokers can be private individuals, partnerships, associations or corporations that are licensed, regulated, and empowered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to represent and assist importers and exporters to comply with Federal requirements governing imports.

A Mexican customs broker assumes an important role in the growth of any business that wants to transcend and commercialize in new international markets. They help businesses through their expertise to ultra-simplify the complexity of clearing shipments past Customs, complying with the diverse and ever-changing tax and non-tax regulations and restrictions. Therefore, the customs broker you decide to work with must be an expert in customs compliance and serve as a consultant to guarantee that your business will reach its goals and objectives.

In simple words, working with a Customs Broker makes commercial sense. Let´s look into the facts:

1. Reduced costs: Customs brokerage requires a broad knowledge of tariff classification, duty rates, and other related charges or regulated requirements. Advice and consultation are essential. They can also accelerate your processing with early receipt of shipping documentation or similar strategies to avoid unnecessary expenses. 
2. Minimise Duty: An expert brokerage will enable you to take advantage of trade agreements. You will be able to see a significant impact on your bottom line. Your goods may qualify for duty concessions, ask your Customs broker about policies and procedures! 
3. Risk Management: Broker specialists stay updated on all changes pertaining to the vast field of customs compliance that includes rules, regulations, and conditions that apply to your importation which is critical to have a smooth clearance process and eliminate the possibility of any kind of potential monetary penalties or loss of merchandise.
4. Flexible staffing: Having a customs specialist on-site or patent can be time-consuming and a big investment. For growing businesses, it is more convenient to work alongside a customs brokerage firm to alleviate their need to import and concentrate only on revenue-generating core activities. 
5. Post-entry work: Any changes regarding description, value or other specifications for further processing may create unnecessary delays without agile expertise. We also recommend talking to a customs broker about refund processing and other payment amendment requests that may be part of your importation.  

Access the verified list of Mexican Customs Brokers from Tax Administration Service (SAT) portal here. You can also consult the Directory of Customs Agents of the Confederation of Associations of Customs Agents of the Mexican Republic (CAAAREM).

• Be registered with the Treasury (Hacienda) and keep tax returns up to date.
• Register in the Register of Importers (Padrón de Importadores), and depending on the merchandise, register the company in the Register of Importers of Specific Sectors (Padrón de Importadores de Sectores Específicos).
• Partner with a Mexican Customs Agent or Mexican Customs Agency.
• Electronically register a document where the order is granted to customs agents so that they can carry out the procedures.
• Have the necessary documentation that corroborates the origin and characteristics of the merchandise to be able to set the corresponding measures.
• Pay the corresponding import and local taxes.

From days to several weeks, the process will be subject to the date, season of the year, and destination of origin, among other elements.

Can G-Global educate my staff and me on responsibilities, documentation, requirements, and regulations of customs procedures?

We are more than happy to help your business grow and optimize your brokerage processing with personalized training and consultation from our specialists. We can schedule a meeting to discuss any customs topic of your interest and share valuable insight!