Prohibited Goods, Restricted Goods and Import Permits: What to Check Before You Order
The difference between goods that cannot be imported at all and goods that can with a permit, plus how to check before you pay the supplier.
Trade Documents Checklist — and the Small Details That Hold Cargo at the Border
· 7 min read
Most held shipments are not illegal. They are held because two documents disagree about a number.
Key points
- There are only a handful of core documents, but every one must agree with the others
- An ocean bill of lading is a document of title; an air waybill is not
- The certificate of origin is what delivers the duty saving — in the wrong format it is worthless
- Describe what the goods are and what they are made of, not just a model number
- Keep your own scans; do not rely on the supplier's copies
International trade does not involve as many documents as people expect. The difficulty is that every one of them has to tell the same story. If the packing list weight disagrees with the bill of lading, or the invoice description does not match what was declared, the shipment stops.
The core set
| Document | Issued by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Seller | Basis for the customs value and the tax calculation |
| Packing list | Seller | Quantities, weights and dimensions; used during inspection |
| Bill of lading (sea) | Carrier | Contract of carriage and document of title |
| Air waybill | Airline | Contract of carriage, but not a document of title |
| Certificate of origin | Authority at origin | Supports a preferential duty claim under an FTA |
| Import permit | Relevant agency | Required for certain controlled goods |
| Insurance policy | Insurer | Supports a claim, and forms part of a CIF value |
Sea and air documents behave differently
The important difference is that an ocean bill of lading is a document of title. Whoever holds the original is entitled to the cargo, which is why the carrier collects it before releasing anything.
An air waybill is not. Cargo is released to the named consignee without surrendering an original — which is why air shipments rarely suffer the "documents arrived after the goods" problem.
The certificate of origin saves the most money
Where goods qualify under a free trade agreement, the certificate of origin is what reduces the duty rate — in some classifications from double digits to zero.
These certificates are strict about form. The usual failures:
- The wrong form for the agreement being claimed
- Consignee name or address not matching the declaration
- Goods description or tariff code not matching the invoice
- Issued retrospectively without the required marking
- Signature or stamp not matching the specimen on file
Always review a draft before the supplier applies for the original. Correcting one afterwards means a fresh application at origin, which can take weeks.
How to describe goods
A good description answers three questions: what is it, what is it made of, and what is it for. Those three determine the tariff classification.
| Causes problems | Much better |
|---|---|
| Spare parts | Stainless steel bearing housing for industrial pump |
| Model XJ-200 | Air compressor, electric, 2.2 kW, model XJ-200 |
| Gift / Sample | Cotton T-shirt, printed, adult size, 10 pcs sample |
Writing "gift" or "sample" does not remove the tax liability. It does make the shipment look worth inspecting.
Check before sending documents to your broker
- Buyer and seller names and addresses identical everywhere, and matching company registration
- Package count and gross weight the same on the packing list and the bill of lading
- Currency and delivery terms stated explicitly on the invoice
- Freight and insurance shown as separate lines, not buried in the goods price
- Invoice number and date matching the reference on the certificate of origin
- Your own scanned copy of everything
How long to keep them
Import and export records must be retained so they can be audited later, and post-clearance audits can happen years after the cargo left the port. The required retention period and the acceptable formats follow the regulations in force, so confirm the current position with your broker or customs adviser.
#เอกสารนำเข้าส่งออก #Invoice #PackingList #BillOfLading #CertificateOfOrigin #ชิปปิ้ง
Knowledge
Related articles
Demurrage vs Detention: What the Difference Is, and How to Avoid Both
The two charges importers pay most often without realising. What separates them, who bills them, and how to plan so you never see them.
Sea Import Clearance Step by Step: From Vessel Arrival to Collecting Your Cargo
What actually happens to an ocean shipment after it lands, who is responsible at each stage, and where cargo most often gets stuck.