How to view and edit customs forms in ShipStation. Includes where to add Harmonization code.
A Customs Declaration lists all the items contained within a shipment when that shipment crosses international borders. Customs agencies require customs forms to help them regulate the flow of goods in and out of each country.
ShipStation automatically creates customs declarations for orders that import or are created with an international shipping address. How these declarations are created depends on your International Settings in ShipStation. The default behavior is to create customs declarations based on the items that will be included in the shipment. Review International Shipping with ShipStation to see how to create an international label.
ShipStation will send the customs declarations information to the carrier when you create the label for the shipment. If a separate form is required, the form is sent to your ShipStation account at the same time as the label.
To see how to view and print the customs form, review the Print Customs Forms article.
For international orders, ShipStation automatically creates customs declarations based on your account settings.
To view or adjust customs information for a shipment, you'll use the Customs Declarations section in the Shipping Sidebar (available both in the Orders grid sidebar and the Order Details sidebar).
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Select an order in the Orders tab, or open the Order Details screen.
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Click the Customs Declarations section in the Shipping Sidebar.
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Make any adjustments you need.
If your shipment requires a Tax Identifier, you will need to select it here (options will be based on the Tax IDs saved in your International Settings).
Fields marked with a red star are required fields.
ShipStation will create a separate declaration for each product included in the shipment. If all items are the same kind of product (for example, all t-shirts) with the same item value, you can consolidate them into a single declaration that displays the proper quantity in the shipment.
When you create the international label for this shipment, the postage provider will use this information to create the required customs document(s), which you can then print through ShipStation.
Add Harmonization Codes and Tax Identifiers Automatically
You can add Harmonization Codes and Tax Identifier manually, like above, or automatically.
Add Harmonization Codes to the Product Record's Customs details in ShipStation. Create an Automation Rule to add your Tax ID numbers to orders as they import.
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Different countries will sometime have specific requirements for shipments entering their countries. However, by following a few best practices, you can minimize the possibility of delayed or even returned international shipments:
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Always include HS Codes and accurate item descriptions. While not all countries require HS Codes, EU member countries recently started requiring them, along with more accurate item descriptions. We recommend always including HS Code, which you can add to your Product Records in ShipStation. See our Shipping to the EU guide for more details.
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Always include your company Tax ID numbers (VAT, IOSS, etc) on your Customs Declarations. You can add your Tax ID numbers to ShipStation's International Settings so they can be automatically added to every international shipment.
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As of March 1, 2023, Mexico requires an additional field for Package Description. This is a 35-character field that should include a short summary of the contents of the package. For example, a shipment that contains assorted cosmetics will include each individual item description, and the Package Description would be "Assorted cosmetics" or similar. See our Shipping to Mexico guide for more details.
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A CN23 form can be substituted for a CN22. However, a CN22 cannot be substituted for a CN23 form.
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A commercial invoice details the agreement between the shipper and receiver, but CN22/23 customs forms do not. The agreement details include who’s responsible for the shipment as well as the duties and taxes, and whether or not they’ve already been paid.
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A phone number or email for the buyer (also known as the consignee) is required for most international shipments. You may update this information in the Recipient section of your orders.
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For providers that send their customs forms to your ShipStation account, they do so at the same time they send the label.
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The Customs Forms column in the Shipments grid will indicate if the customs declarations are included on the label, electronically submitted, or as a PDF that you can download and print.
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Some carriers may have a limit to the number of items allowed on their customs declaration forms. If this is the case for your carrier, you may need to consolidate some of your customs declaration line items before your customs forms will print properly.
If you are unsure if your carrier has such a limit and the customs forms printed via ShipStation appear to be missing items, please contact your carrier to confirm.
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For UPS shipments that include carrier insurance and are valued at USD $1000 or more, a High-Value Report will be included in the form's PDF.
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Private carriers (like UPS or DHL) may have additional requirements for their international shipments. For carrier-specific questions about international shipping, please contact the carrier directly.