7 Reasons Your Shipments Keep Getting Stuck in Customs

To avoid incomplete paperwork holds, use a standardized commercial invoice template, include all required fields, and review the customs paperwork before the shipment is sent. Automating document population from order, product, and customer data can also reduce manual entry errors.

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3. Declarations Don't Match What's in the Box

Customs officers do not only review your customs declaration. They may compare it with the physical contents of the package, especially when something looks inconsistent or high-risk. If quantities, weights, item descriptions, or declared values do not match what is actually in the parcel, the shipment can get stuck in customs until the discrepancy is resolved.

This often happens after last-minute order changes, partial shipments, substituted items, or warehouse picking errors. For example, the commercial invoice may still show the original order, while the package contains fewer items because one SKU was out of stock. If the packing list, customs form, and actual contents do not match, customs may hold the shipment or inspect the package.

Mismatched customs declarations are a common reason an international package gets stuck at customs because they suggest either careless documentation or possible misrepresentation. To avoid this, reconcile pick-and-pack data with customs paperwork before the documents are finalized. If an order changes, regenerate the commercial invoice, packing list, and customs declaration before the shipment leaves.

4. Declared Values Trigger Customs Scrutiny

Customs authorities compare the declared value of the shipment with the type of goods being imported and, in some cases, with typical market values or historical shipment patterns. If the value looks unusually low, inconsistent, or unsupported, customs may hold the shipment for review.

This is especially common when samples, warranty replacements, discounts, or promotional items are not explained clearly on the commercial invoice.

To avoid valuation holds:

• Use consistent, market-accurate values: Base declared values on actual transaction prices, not arbitrary discounts.

• Document discounts and promotions: Add a clear note on the commercial invoice explaining why the value is lower than usual.

• Separate samples and warranty items: Use clear descriptions so customs understands the shipment is not a standard sale.

• Review historical shipment data: Check whether values for similar goods have changed without a documented reason.

• Calculate landed costs before shipping: Understanding duty, tax, freight, and related costs helps prevent surprises.

If customs suspects under-valuation, the shipment may face a customs hold, reassessed customs duties, fines, or delayed customs release.

Read Next: The Hidden Landed Cost Mistakes Quietly Draining Your Import Export Margins

5. Duty and Tax Responsibility Aren't Clear or Paid

Every international shipment may involve duty and tax obligations. Customs needs to know whether the shipper, recipient, importer, or another party is responsible for payment. If that responsibility is unclear or if customs fees are not paid on time, the shipment may be held at customs until the payment issue is resolved.

Incoterms such as DDP, DAP, and FOB help define who pays, but those terms need to be clear on the commercial invoice and understood by the buyer and seller.

To avoid duty and tax holds:

• Clarify Incoterms on every commercial invoice: Make it clear whether the shipper or recipient is responsible for customs duties and taxes.

• Communicate costs to the recipient early: If the buyer must pay customs duties, tell them before the package arrives.

• Use a customs broker or freight forwarder: A broker can help pre-clear shipments and manage duty and tax payments.

• Track landed costs before shipping: Landed cost visibility helps teams understand the total delivered cost before the shipment is sent.

6. You've Shipped Prohibited or Restricted Items

Some goods are prohibited or restricted in specific countries. A product that is legal to sell in one market may require permits, certifications, special labeling, or import approval in another. Common examples include certain chemicals, lithium batteries, pharmaceuticals, food products, tobacco, alcohol, sanctioned goods, and regulated medical or electronic products.

When customs identifies prohibited or restricted items without the required paperwork, the shipment may be held by customs while they request proof of compliance. In some cases, the shipment may be returned, seized, or destroyed, and the shipper may still be responsible for freight, storage, or handling fees.

To avoid this type of customs delay, check the destination country's rules before shipping. Review the product category, required permits, labeling rules, safety documents, and import restrictions for each target market. For complex or regulated goods, work with a customs broker or freight forwarder that understands the product category and local customs requirements.

7. Slow or Incomplete Responses to Customs Requests

Customs will notify you, the seller, or your customs broker when they need more information concerning your shipment. Typical customs requests include proof of value, copies of the commercial invoice, product specifications, certifications, or clarification on the HS code. If you don't respond quickly (or if your answer is incomplete), customs will keep the package stuck in customs until they're satisfied.

Slow responses are often a process problem, not a knowledge problem. The customs request goes to an email inbox that isn't monitored daily, or the person who receives it doesn't have access to the documents customs needs, or the documents are scattered across spreadsheets and file shares.

How to avoid response-delay holds:

• Designate a customs point of contact: One person or team should monitor for customs requests and have the authority to respond.

• Centralize your document library: Store commercial invoices, packing lists, certifications, and product specs in one accessible system.

• Set internal response-time targets: Aim to reply to customs requests within 24 hours; faster is better.

• Build a standard customs response checklist: Know what documents customs typically asks for and have them ready before the request comes in.

• Use a customs broker for complex shipments: Brokers monitor customs communications on your behalf and can respond faster than most internal teams.

Are Your Internal Systems Creating Customs Delays?

Many customs delays don't start at the border; they start in your office when disconnected systems and manual processes create the inconsistent data that customs officers flag and hold. Here's how internal system gaps turn into customs problems:

• QuickBooks handles accounting, but customs forms live in spreadsheets: When item data, shipment details, and customs declarations aren't generated from the same system, values drift and forms conflict, leading to holds when customs compares your commercial invoice to your packing list.

• Manual re-entry multiplies error risk: One person updates the order in QuickBooks, another updates the packing list in Excel, and a third types the commercial invoice from memory, creating mismatches in HS codes, quantities, and declared values that customs officers immediately spot.

• Every shipment tells a slightly different story: Without a single source of truth, your HS codes, product descriptions, and values vary from shipment to shipment, making customs more likely to flag your packages for manual review.

• Integrated systems eliminate data drift: When order management, inventory, and customs documentation pull from the same platform, the HS code, product description, quantity, and value on your commercial invoice match your warehouse records and QuickBooks invoice because they're all generated from one source.

• Automation reduces customs holds: Systems that auto-generate commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and customs declarations from consistent order and product data eliminate the re-keying errors that cause most avoidable customs delays.

• Multi-warehouse tracking and landed cost visibility matter: When your system knows what was shipped from where, at what true cost, and what duty and tax apply, you can declare accurate values, respond quickly to customs requests, and avoid the valuation red flags that trigger inspections.

Read Next: The Real Cost of Manual Order Processing (and How to Eliminate It)

What Should You Do When Your Shipment Is Already Stuck in Customs?

When package tracking says your shipment is stuck in customs or held by customs, first confirm whether it is truly on hold or just moving through normal customs processing. One or two days of “pending customs” can be normal, but four or more days with no update may point to a customs hold.

Start by checking the carrier portal, postal service tracking, or any notes from the customs office. If similar shipments on the same route usually clear faster, contact your carrier or customs broker to ask whether customs has requested more information.

1. Confirm the Shipment Is Actually Stuck

Before escalating, check how long the same customs status has appeared in package tracking. Statuses like “pending customs,” “held by customs,” or “customs clearance in progress” do not always mean there is a serious problem.

Compare the shipment to past international shipments on the same route. If the delay is unusual, contact the carrier, postal service, or customs broker to confirm whether the shipment is actually stuck in customs or waiting for routine clearance.

2. Review Every Customs Document

Pull the documents customs may be checking, including the commercial invoice, packing list, customs form, and any CN22 or CN23 form for postal shipments.

Double-check that these details match across every document:

• Description of goods

• Quantities and weights

• HS code

• Value of the shipment

• Country of origin

• Shipper and consignee addresses

Look for common errors such as transposed digits, vague product descriptions, missing country of origin, incorrect HS codes, or values that do not match. If you find a mistake, send corrected documents through your carrier or customs broker instead of waiting for customs to ask again.

3. Respond Quickly to Customs Requests

Customs requests may come through your customs broker, carrier portal, postal service, or local customs office. Check these channels daily while the shipment is in transit.

When customs asks for more information, send one complete response. Include the requested commercial invoice, product specifications, certificate of origin, proof of value, or corrected customs paperwork. Partial answers can keep the shipment held in customs longer.

If a document is unavailable, explain why and provide a useful alternative, such as a manufacturer’s declaration, product photo, or detailed product specification sheet.

4. Know When to Use a Customs Broker

Some customs holds are simple, such as a missing invoice or unpaid duty and tax. Others need a customs broker, especially when the issue involves:

• Repeated customs delays for the same product

• HS code disputes

• High-value shipments

• Sensitive or regulated goods

• Strict import regulations in the destination country

A customs broker can help interpret the customs issue, communicate with customs officers, and submit the right documents in the right format. The broker handles the customs relationship, while your internal system should make sure shipment data, commercial invoices, packing lists, and product details are accurate and easy to access.

Read Next: Tracking Landed Costs & Compliance in QuickBooks: A Guide for Importers & Exporters

Build Customs-Ready Shipments by Design

While customs is complex, most avoidable customs delays trace back to a short list of fixable problems: inconsistent data, incomplete documentation, and disconnected internal processes. Every international shipment passes through the same basic checks, and shipments are held when the information customs sees doesn't add up.

• Standardize HS codes, product descriptions, and values: Customs sees a consistent story every time, reducing the risk of holds and manual inspections.

• Automate commercial invoice and customs paperwork from a single data source: Eliminate re-keyed errors and ensure every document matches the contents of the package.

• Use integrated order, inventory, and import/export tools: Calculate landed costs and duties before shipping, track multi-warehouse inventory, and respond faster to customs requests.

Once your internal process is stable, the right platform keeps every shipment aligned automatically.

NEX Import Export Software for QuickBooks integrates order management, compliance, logistics, and financial tracking in one platform connected to QuickBooks. Prevent delays by centralizing your import/export workflows, automating customs documents, and keeping every shipment aligned with QuickBooks.

FAQs

How long is it normal for a package to be stuck in customs?

Normal customs processing takes one to three business days for most routes, though peak seasons and random inspections can extend this. If your tracking shows the same "held at customs" status for four or more days without updates, the shipment is likely facing a real hold that requires action.

Why is my international shipment stuck at customs even though the paperwork is in order?

Even when paperwork looks complete, customs may hold shipments due to random inspections, inconsistencies between your declared HS code and typical classifications for similar goods, or valuation red flags where your declared value differs significantly from market norms or your own historical shipments. Customs also holds shipments when the duty and tax responsibility isn't clear or when restricted items require additional permits you haven't provided.

What customs paperwork mistakes most often cause shipments to get stuck in customs?

The most common mistakes include incomplete commercial invoices (missing product descriptions, quantities, HS codes, or country of origin), mismatched data between the customs declaration and the physical contents of the package, incorrect or generic HS codes that don't match the actual goods, and under-declared or inconsistent values that trigger customs scrutiny. Even small errors like transposed digits or vague descriptions can cause holds.

How do incorrect HS codes and values cause customs to hold my shipment?

Customs authorities compare your declared HS code against their database to determine the correct duty rate and verify the type of goods. When the code is wrong or generic, customs officers stop the shipment to manually verify contents, which can take days. Incorrect values (especially under-declared values) raise red flags that you're trying to minimize customs duties, triggering manual review, re-assessment, and potential penalties.

When should I hire a customs broker if my shipment is held at customs?

Hire a customs broker when you face repeated customs issues with the same product, complex HS code disputes, high-value or sensitive shipments, or when shipping to countries with strict import regulations. Brokers can interpret customs issues, negotiate with customs officers, and provide the right documentation in the right format to help clear customs faster than most internal teams can manage alone.

How can I tell if my shipment is actually stuck in customs or just being processed?

Check how long your tracking has shown the same customs status: one to two days of "pending customs" is normal processing; four or more days without updates suggests a real hold. Compare your current shipment to past shipments on the same route to understand typical processing times, and cross-verify with your carrier or postal service for any internal notes from the customs office.

What systems help ensure a smooth customs clearance process for every international shipment?

Integrated import/export systems that connect order management, inventory, and customs documentation in one platform ensure consistent data across all documents. These systems automatically generate commercial invoices, packing lists, and customs declarations from the same source, calculate landed costs and duties before shipping, and centralize product data (including HS codes and values) to reduce the inconsistencies that cause customs holds.

How can I use QuickBooks with import/export software to avoid customs delays?

QuickBooks handles accounting and basic inventory, but specialized import/export software extends it by automating customs document generation from consistent order and product data, managing multi-warehouse tracking, calculating landed costs, and ensuring that HS codes, values, and product descriptions stay aligned across every commercial invoice and customs declaration. This integration eliminates manual re-entry and the data drift that causes customs to hold shipments.