Shipping to the United States (U.S.A.)

Customs Requirements

When you prepare your shipment with Shippn, you will enter information about the contents of your shipment. Using this information, Shippn will automatically create your customs documents, required by US Customs Authorities and you will be able to print these documents along with your shipping label. You can attach these documents to your package and when the courier comes to your location to pick up your package, your package will be ready with all required documents and information.

Prohibited Items

The most common question in shipping items internationally is "Which items are prohibited to ship internationally?"

We have put together guidelines for shipping to the U.S.A. and a list of prohibited items:

Prohibited Goods:

Alcoholic Beverages
The Receiver must be licensed and authorized to receive the alcoholic beverages (beer & wine). US does not support international shipments of spirits / liquor.

Antiques
Antique shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract. Antiques are defined as a work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or silverware that is 100 years old or older.

Artwork
Artwork shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract.

Paintings or other works of art can be accepted if the artist is still alive, the artwork is replaceable and an art dealer or gallery has appraised the artwork within the last year. If the declared value of the artwork is greater than $100.00 and there is a claim, the shipper must provide a copy of the original invoice, a bill of sale, or other proof certifying in writing the actual cost or replacement cost of the item.

Artwork includes the following: Original engravings, prints, lithographs, original sculptures, statuary.

The term "Artwork" does not apply to: architectural, engineering, industrial, topographical, commercial drawings, hand-painted or hand-decorated manufactured articles.

Batteries

In all cases, batteries must be shipped with positive short-circuit protection, such as insulating caps on the terminals.
Lead-acid batteries
Lithium and lithium ion batteries
Both rechargeable & non-rechargeable power sources, common in computers, cell phones, cameras & other small electronic devices. If dropped, crushed or short-circuited, these batteries can release dangerous amounts of heat & may ignite, & are dangerous in fires.

Special regulations apply to shipping these batteries.Shipments requiring hazardous materials shipping papers are accepted from contract hazmat shippers only & certain lithium batteries may not be accepted.

Dry cell batteries
These batteries are not subject to the Dangerous Goods Regulations, provided they are positively protected against short circuit, such as being contained in a retail blister pack to prevent contact with the terminals, or singly packaging each battery in a small plastic bag, or taping the terminals, etc.

Beer
Personal shipments of wine, beer and alcohol are strictly prohibited

Electronic Cigarette
Electronic cigarettes and the flavor for the electronic cigarettes can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract.
Please refer to the US FDA website for additional information on E-Cigarettes and Products
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm172906.htm

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights
Certain HID conversion kits of vehicle headlights and taillights are prohibited from importation into the U.S
If the headlamps are capable of being installed and used in motor vehicles subject to the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards (i.e., "conventional 'on-road' or 'off-road' vehicles), they must comply with Standard No.108 in order to be imported. More information regarding the requirements described in Standard No.108 can be found in the Federal Regulation 49CFR571.108.
Also, more information can be found on the website for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/

High Powered Lasers
(1,000 milli watts or greater) Imported laser pointers may not emit a Class lll b or class IV visible beam. Pointers are limited to Class llla or below (class lla, ll, or l ). The upper power limit for Class lll a is 5 milliwatts (mW), the legal limit (21 CFR 1040.11(b))

Jewelry
Shipments of jewelry can be shipped as long as the value does not exceed US$500.00 or the local currency equivalent per package.
Jewelry for which the retail price is lower than US$150.00 per item and which do not contain precious metal(s) and/or stone(s) are considered costume jewelry and can be shipped only up to this value from the origin country.

Kinder Chocolate Eggs
Kinder Chocolate Eggs are banned for sale and import into the United States. The toy hidden in the Kinder Egg poses a choking and aspiration hazard in children under the age of three. The Kinder Eggs are hollow milk chocolate eggs about the size of a large hen's egg packaged in a colorful foil paper. The toy within the egg is contained in an oval-shaped plastic capsule. The toy requires assembly and each egg contains a different toy.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission determined that the product failed to meet small parts requirements with respect to children less than three years of age.

Lottery Tickets
United States Customs & Border Protection prohibits the importation of any lottery ticket and has the right to destroy material, including printed material, for use in a lottery.

Negotiable Bonds, Drafts
You may not import negotiable bonds or drafts.

Personal Effects
Personal Effects are classified as used items (owned for a minimum of 6 months) intended for the consignee's personal use. Any items intended for any other use, such as wholesale or retail sales, business purposes, or for distribution are not considered personal effects and cannot be shipped on this basis. "Personal Effects" must be clearly stated on the invoice and goods description. Note: Personal effects include Items that an individual has owned prior to a foreign travel/trip.

The description on the invoice should include the purchase date (month/year). For properly declared personal effects, no duties or taxes will be assessed by the U.S. government, but a Brokerage surcharge may apply.

Personal effects shipments may experience a delay for additional Customs processing.

Prohibited articles cannot be accepted as personal effects.

Products Made in Iran
Imports from Iran Customs and Border Protection (CBP) prohibits the direct or indirect importation into the U.S. any article that is the product of Islamic Republic of Iran.
U.S. persons and companies that currently import food and carpets from Iran should be aware of the guidance issued July 1, 2010, by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) concerning a change in U.S. law made by the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 ("CISADA"). OFAC's Iranian Transactions Regulations currently contain a general license authorizing the importation into the U.S. of foodstuffs from Iran that are classified under chapters 2-23 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) such as pistachios and non-beluga caviar (which is prohibited by other aspects of law).

In addition, the importation of carpets and other textile floor coverings of Iranian origin that are classified under chapter 57 or heading 9706.00.0060 of the HTS are also authorized.

However, due to the additional Iran sanctions recently passed by Congress, OFAC will soon issue a regulation amending the Iranian Transaction Regulations to eliminate the general license and such imports will be no longer permitted starting on September 29, 2010. OFAC has also indicated that any authorized Iranian products must be imported by September 28, 2010 and it will not issue any specific licenses authorizing any imports after that date. As a result, importers must move quickly to ensure that any pending orders are entered for consumption by their customs brokers by September 28, 2010.

Rosewood
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) added all 250 species of rosewood to a restricted list requiring permits proving legal sourcing on international shipments of both raw materials and finished goods containing rosewood (e.g., furniture, musical instruments, car interiors) effective January 2, 2017.
CITES is an international treaty to prevent species from becoming endangered or extinct because of international trade Louisville, Kentucky, is NOT a designated USDA port for processing CITES-permitted shipments The USDA does not have the authority to allow shipments containing rosewood to clear through non-designated ports.

Seeds
Shipments of seeds may require a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Permit or Phytosanitary Certificate. Inspection by the USDA is required.

Swords
Note: It is the shipper's responsibility to comply with government regulations or laws in each country. Shipments are subject to inspection and possible delays.

If a customer would like to import a sword for recreational use or as a collector, they must be approved by the International Special Commodities (ISC) prior to shipping the sword.

Value Limit: 800.00 US Dollar (USD)
When the value of the shipment is equal to or less than the De minimis value ($800 US Dollar), the shipment may enter the country or territory duty and tax free, with the exception of shipments containing certain PGA regulated commodities, those subject to anti-dumping/countervailing, and Tariff Rate Quota.