Your customs entries, filed by people who've seen the parts
Our brokers sit with our freight team, not in a separate company. They see the commercial invoice, packing list and product photos before the container is loaded, which is when classification problems are cheapest to fix.
US Customs (CBP)
Licensed customs brokers on staff in Chicago with national permit coverage. Filing through ACE for every US port of entry.
- Consumption, warehouse and in-bond entries
- ISF (10+2) filing and bond
- Single-entry and continuous bonds
- Section 301 / 232 review and exclusions
- Post-summary corrections and protests
- Duty drawback for re-exports to Canada and Mexico
- PGA filings (FCC, FDA, CPSC, EPA)
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Licensed customs brokerage in Canada from our Mississauga office, fully set up on CARM, the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system.
- Commercial accounting declarations (CAD) in CARM
- Release on minimum documentation (RMD)
- PARS and in-bond movements for trucks
- CUSMA / CPTPP origin certification review
- Tariff classification and duty relief programs
- Non-resident importer (NRI) setup for US companies
- Other government department filings (ISED, Health Canada)
Parts and subassemblies are where classification goes wrong
A finished vacuum cleaner has one tariff code. The motor, the housing, the battery pack, the PCB and the wiring harness that make it up can each have a different one, with different duty rates and different trade remedies attached.
We build and maintain a classification library for every part number you import, with the reasoning written down. When rules change, and they've changed a lot since 2025, we re-check your library the same week and send you a note on what it means for landed cost.
How we classify at the part-number levelFiled before the ship arrives
Documents in
Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading collected from the supplier at booking.
Review
A broker checks values, origin and codes against your part library. Questions go to you within a day.
ISF / pre-file
ISF filed 72+ hours before loading. Entry pre-filed while the ship is at sea.
Release
Most releases come back before discharge, so the container can be picked up right away.
Statement
Duty paid via periodic monthly statement (US) or CARM (Canada). One reconciled report.
Customs FAQ
Customs questions change fast. If you don't see yours, ask a broker. It's free.
Can you clear freight that another forwarder shipped?
Yes. About a fifth of our brokerage clients use us only for customs. We'll need a power of attorney and your bond details (or we can set up a bond for you).
We're a US company selling into Canada. Do we need a Canadian entity?
No. You can import as a non-resident importer (NRI) with a CBSA business number and a CARM account. We handle the registration and act as your broker. There are GST/HST implications worth discussing with your accountant, and we can walk you through them.
How do you keep up with tariff changes?
Our compliance team tracks Federal Register notices, CBP CSMS messages and CBSA customs notices daily. When something affects a code in your library, you get an email within 24 hours explaining the impact in dollars, not legal language.
Do you help with audits or penalties?
We prepare records for CBP Focused Assessments and CBSA verifications, and we'll support prior disclosures if something was declared wrong in the past. For litigation we work alongside your trade counsel.
Have a production schedule we should see?
Send us your PO dates and lane details. A planner (not a bot) will come back with routing options and a rate within one business day.