Importing From China to the USA: The Steps

Start with the product, destination and importer

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) administers customs entry. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) provides the classification and tariff framework. Other agencies impose requirements for products within their remit.

This guide is for individuals, small businesses and larger buyers sourcing from China for delivery into the USA, wherever the buyer is based. Establish who will import the goods before approving production or accepting a delivered-price quotation.

Regulatory information was reviewed on 2026-10-18. Purchasing controls are recommendations. Confirm the requirements for the actual shipment before ordering; this guide does not provide U.S. legal advice.

The steps from supplier search to delivery

Use this recommended sequence to organise the purchase. Confirm product admissibility and importer arrangements before committing to production.

Verify the supplier and control payment risk

Recommended purchasing checks: establish the supplier's legal name, address, contracting role and ability to make the exact product. Ask whether production is subcontracted. Compare the model, materials and intended use with the quotation and sample.

Match the payment beneficiary to the agreed contracting arrangements. Investigate an unexplained third-party account or last-minute bank change through a previously verified contact channel before transferring money.

Agree payment milestones against identifiable evidence, such as sample approval, completed production and inspection. Ask your bank about suitable payment arrangements; do not assume a payment method guarantees quality or compliance.

Use factory verification to define the supplier checks required. Agree separate deliverables for supplier checks, product testing and shipment inspection.

Which product agency may be involved?

The agencies below publish category-specific requirements. This is a starting checklist, not a complete determination for an unspecified product. Ask the relevant agency or a qualified specialist about the exact model and intended use.

Before ordering, request documents identifying the actual manufacturer and product. Check that certificates and test reports cover the goods being purchased.

Name the importer, appoint a broker and arrange the bond

The importer of record remains responsible for entry accuracy and applicable duties, taxes and fees when using a customs broker. Consider appointing a licensed broker before purchasing so the proposed shipment can be reviewed.

CBP does not require a general importer licence, although other agencies may require product-specific permits, licences or certification. CBP Form 5106 concerns importer identity information. Buyers outside the USA should confirm importer eligibility, representation and filing arrangements before shipment.

A customs bond guarantees obligations to CBP; it is not cargo insurance. Single-entry and continuous bonds serve different importing arrangements. Have the broker or surety confirm the requirement, permitted bond type, coverage and amount for the importer and shipment.

For a delivered-duty-paid quotation, ask who will appear as importer of record, which broker will file and what entry and duty evidence you will receive.

Use HTSUS classification and a dated duty calculation

Use the applicable 10-digit HTSUS reporting number for U.S. entry. National codes can differ beyond the first six digits, so verify a supplier's Chinese export code before using it. Give the filer the product's materials, function, construction and intended use.

Confirm classification, origin, customs value and the applicable entry date. Ask the broker to explain valuation and any adjustments.

Check ordinary duty, China technology-transfer Section 301 duties and exclusions, the separate forced-labour Section 301 action, and any applicable Section 232, safeguard or antidumping/countervailing duties. Apply measures according to their scope and interaction rules.

Read US tariffs on China explained for the tariff framework. For small shipments, consult de minimis rules for the US, UK and EU before assuming a low purchase value means duty-free entry.

Agree Incoterms and the complete delivery scope

Incoterms rules allocate delivery tasks, costs and risks between seller and buyer. State the chosen rule, named place or port and edition in the agreement.

Under DDP, the seller handles import clearance and import tariffs; under DAP, the buyer handles them. FOB and CIF also allocate import clearance and import duties to the buyer. Confirm that the proposed arrangements can be performed.

Request an itemised quotation covering collection, export handling, international freight, insurance, destination handling, brokerage, duties and inland delivery. Agree responsibility for tariff changes, examinations, storage and delivery appointments.

Choose a China–USA route and prepare the entry

Maersk's published Asia–North America network describes connections involving Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian, with U.S. gateways including Los Angeles, New York, Savannah, Charleston and Houston. Use these as route-planning examples and confirm current availability before booking.

Compare a West Coast gateway plus onward transport with an East Coast or Gulf gateway nearer the delivery address. For air or express shipments, request a separate route and clearance proposal. Confirm the itinerary, transhipments and destination charges.

CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) supports electronic trade processing. CBP lists entry and entry-summary filing through electronic data interchange (EDI), rather than the ACE Portal. Opening a portal account alone does not provide entry-filing capability.

Give the filer accurate commercial invoices or acceptable alternatives, packing details, transport documents, origin information and applicable agency documents. For ocean cargo, confirm the applicable Importer Security Filing (ISF) data and deadlines before loading.

Confirm customs and relevant agency release before collection. Arrange duty payment through the agreed process and retain entry records. At delivery, compare quantities, condition and identification with the order and document discrepancies.

Buying worldwide: a short UK comparison

HMRC guidance includes relevant transport and insurance costs to the UK border in customs value. Import VAT valuation also includes applicable import duties and incidental expenses to the first UK destination, plus expenses for transport to a further UK destination known at importation.

Prepare a separate compliance and landed-cost check for each destination. Do not reuse a U.S. cost sheet unchanged for the UK, EU or another market.

How Cambridge China Bridge helps

Cambridge China Bridge describes supplier comparison and verification, sample coordination and production and shipment checks among its services. Agree the product specification, deliverables and destination responsibilities for your project.

Individuals and smaller buyers can start with small-order sourcing. For a proposed manufacturer, agree the scope of factory verification. Bring the product, quantity, destination, intended use and any existing quotation.

The company's published terms say audits and inspections are usually included in the quotation for an order placed with it; complex checks requiring a third party cost extra by prior agreement. Confirm the exact scope and exclusions in your quotation.

Use China Trade Pulse for trade updates, then confirm shipment-specific requirements with the responsible agency and customs provider. Sourcing assistance does not replace their regulatory decisions or U.S. legal advice.