The USA is one of the most important export markets for German companies — and a third country for customs purposes. In practice, every shipment means an electronic export declaration on the German side, an export accompanying document (ABD) for transport, and import clearance in the USA. Many consignments travel by parcel service or air freight, so it is often decided before pick-up whether everything runs smoothly. With Smart Zollagentur you create the German export declaration yourself online and our customs experts review it.
How we support your USA export
You create the export declaration yourself online, our customs experts review it — fast, digital, and checked by specialists:
- Export declaration via ATLAS — the legally required electronic notification to German customs. Above a goods value of €1,000 or a weight of 1,000 kg it is mandatory for the USA; transport costs count towards the value. Read more about the procedure on our export declaration & ABD page.
- Export accompanying document (ABD) with MRN — the digital provision of the approved declaration that accompanies your shipment to the exit customs office. You pass the MRN on to your courier or freight forwarder.
- Exit confirmation (AGV) — the official customs proof that your goods have left the EU. You receive it automatically by email via our interface, or retrieve it any time in the online portal.
How customs clearance to the USA works
- Enter your data — you provide the consignor, consignee, goods description, values, commodity code (HS code), and Incoterms in our online form. This typically takes just a few minutes.
- Expert review — our customs specialists check your information for completeness and accuracy.
- ABD by email or in the portal — after the declaration has been submitted to ATLAS, you receive the confirmation within an hour and the ABD after the customs examination period, by email or available in the customer portal. Transport to the USA can then begin.
Courier shipments to the USA: sort out the ABD before pick-up
Consignments to the USA often travel with courier and parcel services. Keep the following in mind:
- Parcel carriers have their own thresholds. Parcel carriers such as FedEx, UPS or DHL have their own value thresholds for shipments without an ABD, often at €750. If the value of the shipment is above that, the parcel is sent back.
- An ABD cannot always be handed in later. DHL, FedEx and UPS do not always accept an ABD that is created after dispatch. So clarify the right type of declaration before shipping wherever possible.
- The one-stage procedure rarely fits. For a goods value of up to €3,000, a one-stage export declaration is generally possible. Why this often does not work with couriers is explained in the article on the one-stage export procedure.
- Transport costs count towards the value. Goods worth €800 with €201 in transport costs are above the €1,000 threshold.
For a specific consignment you can check online whether you need an ABD. The full process with documents and a worked example is described in Exporting to the USA: Customs, Documents and Process.
What our service covers — and what it does not
With us you create the German export declaration online; our customs experts review it and submit it through ATLAS. You receive the ABD and the exit confirmation. Import clearance in the USA is not part of our service. It is usually handled by the transport provider, or by a customs broker instructed by the carrier or your consignee. Who bears the import duties is governed by the agreed delivery term.
One point to plan for before you ship: the goods must be available until release. Until customs releases the goods for export, they have to be accessible for a possible control at the stated place in Germany. Only schedule the pick-up once the ABD is there. Background in presentation and customs inspection.
Trade fairs, repairs, tests: goods that come back
Exhibits for a trade fair in the USA, a device going to the manufacturer for repair, or test equipment for a project: if the goods come back, this is a temporary export. For this you need proof of export regardless of the goods value, so that the goods can be re-imported free of import duties afterwards. More on this on the temporary export page.
Pricing
An export declaration for the USA costs €30 per declaration (from €25 for high-volume customers with 15 or more declarations a month). The base price includes one tariff line; each additional tariff line is charged at €5. All prices are net, excluding statutory VAT. The full price list for our services is on the pricing page.
To start your first USA declaration, log in to the customer portal. There you can create orders, track the processing status, and download your documents.