Import Customs Clearance for Wood (for Guangzhou, China)

Sign import agency contract → Provide documents by the importing enterprise → Confirm HS code and import tariff rate → Confirm whether to apply for a non-endangered species certificate → Confirm cargo readiness with overseas forest farms → Book shipping space → Container loading → Sea freight → Arrival at port → Pay freight → Exchange documents at the shipping agent → Commodity inspection declaration → Customs declaration and price declaration → Customs price verification and tax bill issuance → Pay taxes → Customs inspection (if applicable) → Cargo release → Fumigation → Container haulage from the port (disinfection usually takes 30 minutes, subject to queuing) → Cargo pickup → Delivery to the designated domestic location

• Bill of lading exchange upon arrival at the port: 0.5 working days

• Advanced commodity inspection declaration (can be done in parallel): 2 working days (to obtain the commodity inspection certificate)

• Formal customs declaration and release: 1 working day

• Port haulage, queuing for disinfection, quarantine, and sanitation treatment: 2 - 15 working days

• Sign-off and cargo pickup from the port: 0.5 working days

(The above is the estimated working time for general operations, subject to specific arrangements.)

• Certificate of Origin

• Phytosanitary Certificate

• Fumigation Certificate

• Cargo Manifest

• Packing List

• Commercial Invoice

• Trade Contract

• Ocean Bill of Lading

For imported rosewood, an Import Permit for Species is also required; for endangered timber, an Endangered Species Certificate is necessary, and the exporting country must provide CETES (Certificate of Legal Origin for Timber and Timber Products).

If the consignee on the ocean bill of lading is in the name of your company, please provide a document exchange power of attorney and bill of lading endorsement.

• Logs: 13% (VAT)

• Sawn Timber: 17% (VAT)

• Wood Veneer: 20.5% (VAT)

1. How long does it take for logs to be transported from Africa/South America to China? Will it affect the weight of the products?

2. Due to the buyer not being on-site, how to handle discrepancies between the documented weight/volume and the actual weight/volume of the cargo?

3. If the Certificate of Origin and disinfection/quarantine certificate are lost during transit, how to reapply for them?

4. How to apply for a 14 - 21 day free storage period at the import port?

5. How do different shipping companies charge for container damage?

6. I am worried that there will be a large gap between the current customs valuation and the purchase price. What should I do?

7. Can you provide a detailed list of all import port fees, transportation fees, and port miscellaneous fees for a batch of cargo?

8. If the container quantity is large, is there any discount on logistics services?

9. If I am an intermediate trader, can your company act as our agent to directly deal with domestic consignees?

10. The market price of logs fluctuates greatly. How can I control my import turnover time?

1. Rich experience in handling import operations of timber, logs, and wood products at various ports.

2. Accurate inquiry of customs import valuation for relevant timbers from South America and Africa on behalf of clients.

3. Flexible and efficient technical handling of declaration documents such as packing lists and invoices.

4. Ability to provide clients with fast port disinfection, fumigation, and quarantine services through reasonable requests.

5. Help clients save port fees and container rental fees, and facilitate cargo pickup in the shortest possible time.

• Document exchange fee, port fee, container storage fee

• Agent commodity inspection and customs declaration fee, customs declaration agency fee, commodity inspection agency fee, quarantine and disinfection fee

• Additional fees for commodity inspection and inspection procedures (subject to whether inspection is conducted)

• Port fee: 0.05% of the cargo value

• Commodity inspection fee: 0.3% per shipment

Note: Currently, common imported logs in China include: beech wood (Canada), white oak (Canada), mahogany (Africa), African rosewood, padauk wood (Cotonou, Benin), wenge wood (Guyana), small-leaf red sandalwood (Mozambique), red and white oak (USA), walnut (North America), rubber wood (Thailand), merbau wood (Indonesia), etc.

1. Document Receiving: After receiving the documents, check whether they are complete and accurate. Required documents include: Phytosanitary Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Bill of Lading, and Cargo Manifest.

2. Document Exchange: After receiving the client's complete set of documents, confirm which shipping company is responsible for transporting the imported cargo, which company acts as the shipping agent, and where the delivery order for customs clearance can be obtained. Check the type of bill of lading (original or telex release; usually order bill of lading or straight bill of lading) and endorse the bill of lading accordingly. Then, go to the corresponding shipping company/shipping agent to exchange for the delivery order. When receiving the arrival notice from the shipping company, we need to supplement the correct Chinese customs declaration documents to the shipping company (it is better to supplement the documents when the complete set of documents is received to reduce the error rate).

3. Commodity Inspection Declaration: A commodity inspection power of attorney is required. Check whether the documents are complete and accurate. For wood products, the most important check is whether the information on the Phytosanitary Certificate and Certificate of Origin is consistent. If the Certificate of Origin or Phytosanitary Certificate is incorrect or missing, fumigation can be applied for, but it requires approval from the director. After the commodity inspection fee is calculated, a customs clearance certificate will be issued. (Guangzhou Nansha Port Log, Lumber, Sawn Timber Import Agent Commodity Inspection, Clearance and Customs Declaration Company)

4. Customs Declaration: Submit customs declaration documents (delivery order, customs clearance certificate, packing list, invoice, contract, customs declaration power of attorney, etc.) to the customs. The customs will review the documents. After the customs declaration documents are approved, submit them to the customs. If the document review center rejects the documents, revise them according to the situation and resubmit (usually due to issues such as specifications and uses). One of the situations is price verification: the document review center deems the declared price too low and requires re-valuation. There are three possible outcomes of price verification:After the price is approved, a tax bill will be issued. Pay the taxes, and the customs will review the tax bill and release the cargo. If no agreement on the price is reached, customs clearance can be done first by paying a deposit. After the price is determined, a tax bill will be issued, and the difference will be refunded or supplemented. If the cargo is not released, the customs will arrange for inspection (inspection rate is about 30%), and the cargo will be released after passing the inspection.

• (1) The original declared price is approved.

• (2) The customs-determined price is adopted.

• (3) A negotiated price between the two parties is adopted.

5. Cargo Release: Take the release note to the shipping company to issue a container pickup order. All fees must be settled, and a deposit must be paid if required. Then, arrange for a truck to pick up the container and deliver the cargo.

• The Latin name and Chinese name of the imported timber are crucial for customs valuation.

• Different types of timber should be imported through appropriate ports.

• Imported timber is generally subject to 0% customs duty, but the VAT rates differ for logs, sawn timber, and furniture: Logs: 13% of the cargo value; Sawn timber and furniture: 17% of the cargo value.