A shipment being held at customs means both time and cost for the importer. This hold is generally not a matter of chance; in the vast majority of cases it stems from preventable reasons that could have been foreseen before import. In this article we explain the most common reasons for products being held at customs, and ways to prevent these in advance.
The Most Common Reasons
- Missing or inconsistent documents: The declaration of conformity, technical file or user manual being missing or not matching the product.
- Incorrect HS Code declaration: A code declared that does not match the product's actual nature.
- Labeling issues: The CE mark being missing, at the wrong proportion, or applied in a non-standard way.
- Absence of a Turkish user manual: Only a foreign-language manual being provided.
- Missing test report: Products that are within scope but have not been tested, or for which the report cannot be provided.
- Recurring non-conformities in past inspection history: Issues previously identified for the same company/product group not having been resolved.
How Does the Hold Process Proceed?
- TAREKS or the customs administration identifies a suspected non-conformity.
- Additional documents or explanation are requested from the importer/customs broker.
- If the documents are completed, the process continues; if not, physical/laboratory inspection may be requested.
- If the inspection is favorable, the product is released.
- If the result is unfavorable, corrective action, return, or a destruction process may be initiated.
What Do the Hold Costs Include?
| Cost Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Demurrage (storage) fee | A fee that accrues for every day the product waits in the customs area |
| Additional test/review cost | Cost arising if laboratory testing or additional expert review is requested |
| Logistics delay | Disruption of the delivery schedule, risk to customer relationships |
| Commercial loss | Loss of value for seasonal or time-sensitive products |
Ways to Prevent a Hold
- Obtain the technical file and declaration of conformity completely before the product ships.
- Determine the HS Code carefully, confirming it if necessary.
- Prepare the Turkish user manual and correct labeling in advance.
- Complete any required tests before import, if within scope.
- Permanently resolve issues identified in previous shipments before the next import.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take when a product is held at customs?
The duration varies depending on the reason for the hold; a simple missing document can be resolved quickly, while it can take even longer if non-conformity is found in the product itself.
Is a held product always returned?
No, in most cases the process can be resolved favorably by completing missing documents or through corrective action; return or destruction only comes into play for serious, uncorrectable non-conformities.
What does the cost of being held at customs include?
Storage (demurrage) fees, additional document/testing costs, and logistics and commercial losses arising from the delay are the typical cost items of a customs hold.
Conclusion
The vast majority of customs holds stem from deficiencies that could have been prevented before import. Preparing the technical file, declaration of conformity and labeling correctly from the outset is the safest path, both in terms of time and cost.
For more information, see our TAREKS & Import consultancy service.
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