Regulatory Basics

Imports

 An import refers to anything brought into the United States — including shipments, driving across the borders, such as in Canada or Mexico, or receiving information via a fax or e-mail. The importing regulations are just as complex as the exporting regulations and are generally handled by a licensed Customs Broker. Your compliance professional must be notified any time your organization wishes to import an item into the United States. This notification must be made in advance of anything arriving into the U.S. Your compliance professional must have time to ensure the article is returned properly. Failure to do so may cause an import violation.

Having a professional handle the import can save your organization a lot of money in fees and duties as something comes into the country. If the item is to be brought in temporarily there are also many regulatory requirements for such shipments. Always consult your compliance professional.