International Shipping and Duties

1. Purpose

To explain how international shipments are handled and how customs duties and taxes are managed.

2. Scope

Applies to all orders shipped outside the domestic shipping region of the warehouse fulfilling the order.

3. Responsibilities

Client

• ensure product information in Mintsoft is accurate

• provide correct product values and descriptions

• confirm the correct duty and tax arrangement for international shipments.

Scale 3PL

• generate shipping labels and customs documentation through Mintsoft

• dispatch international shipments through the selected courier service.

4. Procedure Steps

1. Product Information

For international shipments, each product must have accurate information in Mintsoft including:

• product description

• declared value

• country of origin where applicable.

This information is used to generate customs documentation.

2. Customs Declarations

For shipments leaving the origin country, customs declarations are generated through the courier system connected to Mintsoft.

The declaration typically includes:

• product description

• quantity

• declared value

• HS code if provided.

3. Duties and Taxes

International shipments may be subject to:

• import duties

• VAT or local taxes

• customs processing fees.

These charges are determined by the destination country's customs authority.

4. Delivery Terms

Shipments are typically sent using one of the following arrangements:

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
The sender pays duties and taxes.

DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid)
The recipient pays duties and taxes before delivery.

Clients should confirm which method applies to their shipments.

5. Customs Delays

International shipments may be delayed if:

• product values are incorrect

• product descriptions are incomplete

• customs inspections occur.

6. Courier Responsibility

Courier companies manage the customs clearance process on behalf of the shipment.

Scale 3PL does not control customs processing times.

5. Additional Controls

Clients shipping internationally should ensure product descriptions are clear and accurate to reduce customs delays.

6. Related Articles

• Courier Services and Transit Times

• Courier Claims Process

• How Orders Are Processed

7. Version Control

Version | Date | Author | Change
1.0 | 06 March 2026 | Nick Coleman | Initial version