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Whether you’re shipping your entire household or a small package, shipping products from Mexico to the USA. uu. it doesn’t have to be a challenge.
Before you know it, your items could be packed, sealed, and in transit without so much as a dented box. however, for the process to flow as smoothly as possible, you will need a bit of information.
That said, this guide will help you choose a shipping company, file the correct paperwork, and estimate your costs, all while pointing out common mistakes people tend to make when shipping products from Mexico to the US. uu.
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If you’d like to ship items to Mexico, check out our United States to Mexico shipping guide.
paperwork
Below is a list of the basic documents you will need when exporting goods from Mexico to the United States. but since each situation is different, ask the transport company what documents you will need and confirm who has to complete each form.
some will need to be completed and others will need to be completed by the carrier. either way, be sure to keep copies.
Also, follow the submitter’s guidelines on the method and time for submitting documentation, and ask about translation services if needed.
- United States Customs Invoice: Describes the type, quantity, and value of the contents
- US. commercial invoice: allows you to collect money for any goods sold and facilitates customs clearance
- incoming cargo manifest: consists of a detailed list of goods that is usually prepared by the shipping company based on the entry of the sender, acceptable as an electronic copy for US-Mexico border moves
- bill of lading: issued to you by your carrier to acknowledge receipt of your shipment and allow the carrier to process the shipment and invoice
- free trade agreement between the united states, mexico, and canada certificate of origin: required under the new trade agreement, formerly the north american free trade agreement (nafta)
- list of packaging: delineation of the items being shipped, including the materials inside each box; the list must be available to us. customs in case inspection is needed
- customs declaration (cbp 6059b): declares that items are shipped with values shown in the us. uu. Dollars; sample for your reference
For freight shipments, you can download international shipping forms from the fedex website.
how to write a US mailing address
In the United States, the address is established by the United States Postal Service (USPS). here is a sample of an address in the usa and below is an explanation of each line of the address:
mrs. main street jane lane10, apt. 1asan francisco, ca 94102 united states
name
You can use an honorific in front of the name, but it is not necessary. In American English, the most common forms of respect include:
- mr. for men or boys
- ms. for women, ma’am. if she is married and uses her husband’s last name (last name)
- miss for girls
If you are sending mail of a professional nature, you may use a title that signifies the person’s professional designation, such as professor or reverend. you can use the title of dr. to address a doctor or someone with a Ph.D.
street
the street name follows the house number. if there is an apartment, unit, or building number, that can be on the same line as the street address or on a line below the street address.
Some people and businesses prefer that mail be sent to a post office box (p.o. box) rather than a home or office. in this case, the street address is optional but not required. the post office box number goes above the line for the city, state, and zip code.
as an example, this would be written as: p.o. box number 1234.
city, state, and zip code (postal code)
The city, state, and zip code go on the next line. for the state, use the two-letter abbreviation. in the example above, ca represents california. The USPS provides a list of abbreviations for the U.S. states and territories.
The conventional postal code is a five-digit number. if you don’t know, check an online zip code finder. Entering a city and state into this tool will generate a ZIP code, but it’s best to use a street address in your search because the vast number of us. uu. cities often have multiple zip codes.
You may have a zip code that contains an additional four-digit code, for example, 94102-1234. Although not required, it’s a good idea to use the extended zip code if you have one because it helps the mail carrier identify the property more accurately.
country
on the list line, type usa
bulk shipments from mexico to the united states
Goods can be transported between the United States and Mexico by land, sea, air or a combination of these methods.
if you want information about your port of entry to the us. In the US, you can visit the official website of the Department of Homeland Security.
the site contains a map of ports of entry that you can use to get information about each port.
The following are the standard procedures for the transit of a shipment from Mexico to the United States:
- A shipping company in Mexico picks up the cargo from the sender and transports it to a border city. Mexican port cities include Ensenada in Baja California and Veracruz facing the Gulf of Mexico.
- On behalf of the sender, a Mexican customs broker officially presents the shipment to a U.S. customs broker, a necessary step for the shipment to leave the country legally.
- on behalf of the us party. uu. who will receive the cargo, the us customs officer. uu. Submit documents for customs clearance. This allows entry into the US. uu.
- once the goods are dispatched by us. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a third-party mover ships your goods across the border and delivers them to the US carrier’s facility. usa.
- us moving company. uu. delivers the cargo to the designated party.
preparing deliverys
If you are shipping bulk items like furniture and equipment from Mexico to the United States, hire a professional mover.
As you’ll probably be advised, it’s usually in your best interest to let the carrier crew do all the packing for you.
Professional packing with the proper materials will not only reduce the risk of damage, but items packed by the mover are eligible for insurance coverage.
If you pack something yourself, it will be noted pbo (packaged by owner) on the paperwork. the mover cannot be held responsible for damage to these items.
If the goods you packed yourself break in transit and you file an insurance claim, the insurance company may deny the claim.
If you’re moving, there are steps you can take to prepare even if you’re not packing. Before the surveyor on the move takes inventory of what’s to be shipped, walk through your house and make lists of what can be thrown away, sold, and donated.
The less you take to your new home, the lower the shipping cost.
container shipping
If you’re moving furniture and other household items, your moving team will load your boxes into a steel container, which would be placed on a ship or train.
The most common container sizes are 40-foot and 20-foot. The size of your family and departure home will generally drive the volume of your load.
Although it is possible to ship by rail from Mexico to the United States, shipping by sea remains a popular option when it comes to bulk shipments.
When you contact a mover, someone will be assigned to inspect your goods, either in person or virtually.
Based on your estimated volume, the surveyor will assess what type of container you need and whether you have enough products to fill the container. this is known as fcl or lcl:
- fcl is full container load
- lcl is less than full container load
if your volume doesn’t fill a container, you can opt for lcl which is more cost effective for smaller moves. however, fcl does have some benefits:
- other people.
- an lcl requires additional handling, which increases the risk of damage during transit.
forwarders
Freight forwarders play an important role in international transit. this service provider monitors the flow of cross-border shipping.
They also coordinate with carriers, transfer agents, and customs officials. An effective freight forwarder works to ensure everything is in order, keeps track of progress, and keeps you informed of any obstacles.
Your freight forwarder acts as your primary point of contact, serving as an intermediary between all relevant parties. find a freight forwarder you would like to work with.
A customs broker acts on your behalf to cover the customs clearance process. ask your shipping company or freight forwarder for a list of names to help you locate an experienced professional.
You can also check the broker finder on the cbp website.
costs
You may find this online freight calculator helpful to get an idea of your cost for different shipping modes.
As an example, here is a comparison of rates for a shipment worth US$15,000 transported from Veracruz, Mexico to San Francisco, California, USA.
If you were to send a 250 kilogram (about 550 pound) air shipment from Veracruz to San Francisco, the estimated rate would be US$2,399.89 to US$2,652.51.
For personalized quotes from transport companies, use this form.
shipping small items
among the logistics companies that can arrange your small item shipments from mexico to the usa. In the US, FedEx, United Package Service (UPS), and DHL are included.
For a side-by-side comparison of overnight delivery options, below are sample shipping rates to transport a 10-kilogram (about 22-pound) package from Monterrey (Nuevo León), Mexico 64000 to san francisco, california 94102, usa, valued at mx$2006.10 (us$100).
preparing small shipments
If you are shipping small items, please refer to the guidelines for preparing your package. they will advise you on how to pack correctly and how to measure your package. Here are some basic packing tips:
- Buy new, sturdy boxes if you can. if you must reuse boxes, remember to remove old labels.
- use corrugated boxes because the grooves and parallel ridges add a layer of protection.
- arrange items to avoid spots contact box by enclosing each item in a foam cushion or recyclable material.
- use bubble wrap and loose-fill products.
- close package with temperature-sensitive plastic pressure or use duct tape that is reinforced with nylon. the sealing material must be a minimum of 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) wide.
- complete the label and affix it to the top of the package, being careful not to place the label over the sealed seams .
This gives you a general idea of the container sizes you may need for your wrapped items:
fedex
Fedex Freight de México partners with Auto Líneas América, S.A. de cv (wing), based in monterrey, mexico. the company offers pickup and delivery to, from, and within Mexican borders.
fedex offers detailed descriptions of services and fees in an online brochure written in Spanish.
for small shipments, you can locate fedex offices in mexico using their online map.
To get a quick estimate for your package, use the rate calculator on the fedex website. following is an example:
go up
Using the ups rate calculator tool, you can find these options:
dhl
dhl offers express delivery and international shipping services. the least expensive option is dhl express international.
To send a 10-pound package from Mexico to the United States, you can expect a fee of US$83.17. delivery time ranges from one to six business days.
customs
In the United States, CBP is responsible for border management and control, including customs, border security, immigration, and agricultural protection.
the cbp website contains useful information on restricted and prohibited items, as well as obligations.
Customs duties are taxes that are applied to products transported across international borders. the tax rate is a percentage of the value of the item based on the purchase price.
customs officials refer to the harmonized tariff schedule of the united states (htsus) to determine tariffs.
Your items must be declared or disclosed to customs officials. Some of the documentation referenced in the paperwork section at the beginning of this article requires HTML codes. coding helps customs authorities determine the duties you may owe.
your customs broker can help you classify your products to ensure you use the correct hts codes.
tariffs and taxes
cbp provides the following general guidance on customs duties:
- one liter of alcohol for personal use is duty free.
- if you buy items at a duty free store in the united states and ship them to mexico and then return them to the us. are subject to customs duties upon return.
- Accompanying household items are duty-free if the items have been used for at least one year and are not intended for another person or for sale.</li
- Personal effects older than one year are generally duty-free.
- Duties apply to vehicles.
Household effects include furniture, floor coverings, artwork, dishes, glassware, cutlery, stereo equipment, and bedding.
Also included are items you use for a trade, such as professional books, tools, and instruments.
Customs officials consider photographic equipment to be part of personal effects. Other personal items include clothing, jewelry, portable radios, and vehicles.
unaccompanied goods mailed or shipped to the usa. uu. are eligible for a tax exemption based on the residence of the recipient as follows:
- united states resident: us$800
- outside u.s. resident: us$100
Up to USD 1,000 above the exemption, duties are levied at a flat rate of 3%. Customs fees must be paid in the USA. uu. currency with a check payable to u.s. customs and border protection.
some locations may allow credit card payments. If the amount owed is $50 or less, you can pay by government check, money order, or traveler’s check.
Under NAFTA, goods from Mexico are eligible for duty-free or reduced rates for items grown, manufactured, or produced in Mexico.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada Trade Act (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA in July 2020, states that all zero-tariff food and agricultural products under NAFTA remain zero.
prohibited and restricted items
cbp works with other u.s. agencies and in accordance with the us federal and state laws to establish prohibited and restricted items.
The following are examples, but these are not exhaustive lists. on the cbp website, expand each item to read the parameters.
You may also contact the respective agencies for more information.
The following items are prohibited, which means they are prohibited by the us. uu. law:
- dog and cat fur, according to the cat and dog protection act
- automobiles that do not meet us standards. uu. Federal standards for fuel emission, theft prevention, and safety as set by the us. uu. department of transportation (dot) and environmental protection agency (epa)
- game meat (derived from african wildlife) and other foods that do not meet the requirements established by the us. uu. food and drug administration (fda)
- illegal substances, such as absinthe (poisonous liquor), drug paraphernalia, and rohypnol, regulated by the fda and the treasury department’s bureau of alcohol and tobacco trade and taxation
The following elements are restricted. some may require a license or permit for legal entry:
- alcohol, governed by state law (check the laws of the state where the goods are delivered).
- firearms, regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives (atf )
- some fruits and vegetables, regulated by the us. department of agriculture-animal and plant health inspection service (usda-aphis)
- pets, compliant with the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc)
a permit is required for the following foods to enter the us. uu. from mexico:
- stone fruits
- apples
- mangoes
- oranges
- guavas
- sopote
- cherimoya
- sweet limes
Avocados from Mexico are subject to inspection if they have been peeled or halved and if the seeds have been removed. to pass inspection, these avocados must be in liquid form or vacuum packed.
common errors
one of the mistakes people make when shipping from mexico to the usa. uu. you are not anticipating consequential delays and charges caused by incomplete paperwork, undeclared items, and required inspections for restricted items.
This is important because delays may result in you being charged additional fees, such as port storage and container demurrage. the delay refers to the delay in unloading the load.
If a carrier is forced to remain in possession of a container beyond the allotted time period, the carrier may charge demurrage fees for the extended use of the container.
Charges can also be incurred for unclaimed shipments, so be sure to track your shipment and pick it up as soon as possible.
If the freight is unclaimed, cbp will arrange for the goods to be placed in a bonded warehouse or public storage facility. this generates charges for storage, transportation, handling and stay.
If after six months they are still unclaimed, the goods will be auctioned. For packages sent by mail, the United States Postal Service will return the mail to the sender if not claimed within 30 days.
now, to you
At this point, you should be confident in the shipment you plan to send from Mexico to the United States.
Use the tips and resources provided in this article to plan your approach, help you select a trucking company, and build on their expertise.
The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to be in for surprises, though every move is unique.
related articles:
- Moving to Mexico: A Guide for Expats to Live Here
- Shipping from the United States to Mexico: Procedure, Cost and Customs
- The Complete Guide to Becoming a A Digital Nomad in Mexico
- Retiring in Mexico: The Complete Guide
- The Complete Guide to Mexico Visas for US Citizens