FAQ’s : Sanders Brokerage

ACE e-Manifest Carrier Quantity Reporting

Posted by stevelsandershome on July 9, 2025 · Leave a Comment

ISSUE: Carrier Penalties for reporting incorrect carrier manifest quantities Lately, CBP has been issuing penalties and warnings to Customs Brokers and Trucklines (carriers) for their reporting of incorrect or inaccurate manifest quantities. We tender this information to you in hopes that you will assist your carriers or work with them to provide usable quantities with which the can use to prepare their inward cargo manifest. Pallets / Skids: Both Pallets and Skids are not normally a usable quantity... Read More

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Formaldehyde Emission – Wood Products

Posted by stevelsanders98230 on March 7, 2019 · Leave a Comment

Effective March 22nd 2019, the EPA in conjunction with Customs (CBP) will impose a new regulation that on the surface appears to be massive in scope. The regulation involves importations of certain wood products manufactured with binders (resins) that may be or previously may have been made with formaldehyde products. Our world is changing, and this Multi-National Initiative was put in place to negate the use of formaldehyde in products that come into contact with humans on a daily basis. This... Read More

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Invoice: Commercial/Pro-forma

Posted by stevelsanders98230 on January 2, 2014 · Leave a Comment

A Commercial Invoice is an actual copy of the bill of sale (sales transaction) between a seller and a buyer. In fact CBP (Customs) would prefer to have a copy of the actual “commercial invoice”, however many times additional content must be added to the commercial invoice to bring it to an acceptable format for the importer, the broker and, of course CBP. Such additions might include: Country of Origin of the goods, Currency used, Shipping Weight, Tax number of the U.S. consignee... Read More

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Invoice: why make an invoice?

Posted by stevelsanders98230 on November 25, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Customs Regulations (19 CFR 141.81) state that a commercial invoice shall presented for each shipment of merchandise at the time the entry summary is field. In order for the broker to complete or prepare your entry you must present him with a invoice. Customs does allow for a pro-forma type invoice to be used in lieu of an actual commercial invoice (bill of sale). Even if you’re attempting to make an informal entry direct with U.S. Customs (not utilizing your broker) you must always have... Read More

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Value Information Tips

When you ship or send goods to the U.S.A., the question of "valuation" may arise. What you need to know is that the issue of how to value your goods for export to the U.S.A. are part of a very complex law in our U.S. Customs Regulations (CBP).
The U.S. valuation law is very similar to the valuation law first developed and implemented by Canada Customs. The basic bottom line concept on most imports deals with the goods being valued (appraised) at the actual transaction value. That is, the price paid or payable for the merchandise. Transaction value is commonly used in arms length (unrelated) sales where a specific relationship did not impact the price paid or payable for the goods.
The term Related means within the sale of the goods, that actual family relations are involved, or that there are mutual owners in the selling company and purchasing company. CBP feels that family relationship or mutual owners in the seller and the buyer could impact the value paid or payable for the goods..
In related sales, transaction value can still be used, provided it can be proven (via a test case) that the relationship did not impact the price paid or payable for the merchandise.
Further protocol flow of the valuation law is a bit more complex and deals with terms and concepts such as "Transaction Value of Identical or Similar Merchandise", "Computed Value", "Deductive Value", and "402f" (Customs last method of appraisement) when other valuation concepts determined.
The bottom line in this law is making sure that the U.S. Government is receiving it's full amount of duty money's and fees. Undervalued importations could result in a loss of revenue to the U.S. Government to which the government could pursue full reimbursement and penalty actions.
Please remember that declaring a proper value on your shipment for U.S. Customs purposes is a matter of law.

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