International Shipment & Customs

Departments should contact the shipping company (see above) before the shipment is made to determine what paperwork is required. The following information must be provided to the shipping company on all shipments:

• Complete name and address of person initiating shipment.
• Department name and complete telephone number.
• Origin and destination points of shipment.
• Detailed description of shipment, its origin and in layman’s terms, what it is used for.

For additional questions, please contact the shipping company. 

Exporting Goods & Services

Exporting a shipment – There are many companies that can ship internationally (FedEx, UPS, DHL etc.), but the contracted shipping company MUST be contacted when the export is valued at or above $2500. These requirements apply to items that are hand-carried as well as items that are exported via a freight carrier.

Regardless of what carrier is selected, or whether the items are shipped by freight carrier or hand-carried by UTD staff, the shipping company will minimally need the following information:

• Description of the commodities
• Name of the consignee and address including zip code
• Method of shipment
• Date available for pick-up
• Desired arrival date
• Number of pieces, dimensions of cartons, weights
• Payment terms
• Other special instructions

Contact the Office of Research Compliance to determine if export controls affect your Grant-funded product.

Fees and Charges

The shipping company will charge for their services! In addition to their fees, there are additional pass-through fees and charges that will appear on your final invoice. These charges vary widely and departments should request a quote and ask what additional fees or charges might apply that are not on the quote.

Please be aware that expedited services not originally requested can be very expensive. If a blanket order is not in place, a purchase order should be issued for the services reflecting the shipping company’s quote. Note: When hand-carrying items valued at more than $2,500, you must contact the shipping company with the above information (commercial invoice is recommended) one day before leaving the country.

REMINDER: When creating the foreign supplier order in eProcurement, make sure to include an external note asking the supplier to contact the shipping company! Contact the eProcurement Help Desk at x5235 if you need assistance with this.

Duty Free

Duty on scientific equipment is usually substantial. Departments should apply for duty-free entry well in advance of making the purchase. If duty must be paid, then departments can budget accordingly; before funds may be committed elsewhere. If the equipment arrives at Customs before duty-free entry has been approved, or if no Request for Duty-Free Entry was made prior to the purchase, the applicant can request a delay of liquidation (Customs classifies the equipment and assesses duty). A delay of liquidation is usually granted for up to 180 days, but may be extended.

Certain scientific equipment can be imported into the US duty-free if the following criteria are met:

• The scientific instruments and apparatus must be used exclusively for educational purposes and scientific research.
• The scientific instrument or apparatus, or its equivalent, is not manufactured in the United States
• Some categories of scientific equipment can be imported duty-free by educational institutions under certain conditions.
• A Request for Duty Free Application should be completed and filed with the United States Customs before placing the order with the supplier. If Customs approves the duty-free purchase, the purchase order must be issued to the supplier within sixty days.

A Request for Duty Free Entry application may still be filed after the equipment has arrived on campus. Contact the shipping company for assistance.