Working sequence

Checking Section 301 exposure before quoting a landed cost

Most problems with section 301 tariff exposure show up before the booking is confirmed. Here is the order our Shenzhen team works through it.

Before the booking: rate effective date

Record the effective date and source of the rate used in the quote, because a mid-transit change can alter the duty due at entry.

We put this in the booking file so the destination broker sees the same version we do.

At handover: current product list

Additional duties are applied by product list and origin, so the check is against the current list and the actual HTS line rather than against a headline rate.

Timing matters here: the check has to happen while the shipment is still editable in our system.

After arrival: exclusion status

Verify whether an exclusion is in force and whether any other duty, such as antidumping or countervailing, applies to the same line.

If anything changes at this point, we reissue the file rather than patching it by email.

The failure point we see most often: Quoting a landed cost from an old rate sheet and absorbing the extra duty when the entry is filed.

Have these ready before filing:

Commercial invoice and packing list with matching values and descriptions.
Classification, origin and any licence references used in the declaration.
Booking reference, transport document and the consignee’s broker contact.

Questions importers ask us

Who is responsible for getting this right on a China-origin shipment?

The shipper supplies accurate product and value data; Hovmar Logistics checks the file before submission and coordinates with the destination broker. We confirm the split in writing at booking.

Can Hovmar review this before the cargo leaves Shenzhen?

Yes. Send the commercial invoice, packing list and intended classification before cutoff and our customs desk will flag gaps while they are still easy to fix.

Where this fits in your shipment

Planning a shipment from Shenzhen?

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Notes from the Hovmar Logistics customs desk in Shenzhen. Confirm current requirements with your licensed broker before filing.