Informed Compliance

When importing merchandise, the importer is responsible for adhering to all US Customs Regulations as well as any Other Government Agency (OGA) Regulations. Every importer should have a basic knowledge of import requirements to avoid problems, delays, fines, penalties and additional expenses. Following is a partial list of the basic import requirements:

Customs and Border Protection has a number of Informed Compliance publications in “What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About” series

We also recommend that importers develop and maintain a "Customs Compliance Program". A compliance program is an internal checks and balance program. It demonstrates the understanding and enforcement of U.S. Customs policies and procedures. There are many advantages to developing and maintaining a compliance program. One being that an importer may be able to avoid penalties in certain circumstances because of its participation in the program. For more information regarding compliance programs, click here.