M S Mehta & Co
#1 Customs Clearance Agent

A customs clearance agent (also known as a customs broker or customs house agent, i.e. CHA) is a government-authorized professional who acts as an intermediary between importers/exporters and customs authorities to ensure goods cross borders smoothly and legally. Their role includes preparing and filing customs documentation, classifying goods under the correct HSN code, calculating applicable customs duties, coordinating with customs officials and regulatory departments, and ensuring full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. With expert knowledge of complex customs procedures, tariff classifications, and local regulations, a customs clearance agent helps businesses remain compliant while also optimising duty costs and avoiding delays or penalties.

M S Mehta & Co is a government-authorized customs clearance agent that acts as an intermediary between importers/exporters and customs authorities to ensure goods cross borders smoothly and legally. Their role includes preparing and filing customs documentation, classifying goods under the correct HSN code, calculating applicable customs duties, coordinating with customs officials and regulatory departments, and ensuring full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. With expert knowledge of complex customs procedures, tariff classifications, and local regulations, a customs clearance agent helps businesses remain compliant while also optimising duty costs and avoiding delays or penalties.

While it is legally possible to clear customs without an agent, most importers and exporters choose to work with an experienced customs clearance agent such as M S Mehta & Co due to the complexity of customs laws, frequent regulatory changes, and high compliance risks. CHAs like M S Mehta & Co help in avoiding delays, penalties, incorrect duty payments, and documentation errors, making the customs clearance process more efficient and cost-effective.

Partnering with a customs clearance agent is especially worthwhile for businesses new to international trade or those handling complex or high-volume shipments. With decades of experience, M S Mehta & Co provides expert support in documentation management, regulatory compliance, and coordination with customs authorities—helping prevent costly delays and compliance issues. Although professional fees apply, the time saved, reduced risk, and potential cost optimisation often outweigh the expense.

Customs clearance charges are fees paid to government authorities and service providers, including the CHA, to process goods crossing international borders. The cost of customs clearance depends on factors such as the type of cargo, mode of shipment (air or sea), complexity of documentation, regulatory requirements, and volume of shipments. When working with a customs clearance agent such as M S Mehta & Co, these charges are transparently communicated and agreed upon in advance, before shipment booking, thus ensuring a disruption-free customs clearance process without delays.

In addition, statutory and operational costs such as Basic Customs Duty (BCD), IGST, Social Welfare Surcharge (SWS), warehouse charges, liner charges, and other government or port-related fees are payable separately, as applicable. All these expenses together contribute to the total landed cost of imported goods.

The importer or exporter is responsible for paying customs clearance charges, including customs duties, taxes, port charges, and the professional fees of the customs clearance agent, unless otherwise agreed under the commercial terms of the transaction. When working with a customs clearance agent such as M S Mehta & Co, these responsibilities are clearly explained and managed as per the agreed terms. The exact division of costs depends on the agreed Incoterms (such as FOB, CIF, or DDP).

Under Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) terms, the seller bears all costs, including import duties and taxes, and remains responsible until the goods are delivered to the buyer’s location. Under other Incoterms, costs are typically split, with the buyer responsible for destination-related charges.

Ultimately, all customs clearance and logistics costs are factored into the product’s final landed price and are passed on to the end consumer.

A customs clearance agent or CHA charges professional fees for the services they provide, which are separate from government levies such as Basic Customs Duty (BCD), IGST, Social Welfare Surcharge (SWS), and other statutory charges.

When engaging a customs clearance agent like M S Mehta & Co, the professional charges typically cover services such as customs documentation and filing, freight forwarding and coordination, customs examination handling, regulatory compliance support, liaison with customs authorities, and transportation, as applicable. These fees are always discussed and agreed upon in advance, ensuring complete transparency.

For an average shipment, customs clearance fees generally range between ₹7,000 and ₹26,000, depending on the nature and complexity of the shipment. If the customs clearance agent is also managing freight forwarding, the charges may range from ₹1,50,000 to ₹2,00,000, depending on whether the shipment is a 20-ft container, 40-ft container, or an LCL (Less than Container Load) shipment.

To become a customs clearance agent, the applicant must first pass the Customs Broker Examination conducted by the CBIC. After successfully clearing the examination, the applicant must apply for a Customs Broker Licence. Once the licence is granted, the customs clearance agent is authorised to operate at designated ports, airports, and Inland Container Depots (ICDs), subject to ongoing compliance with customs regulations and periodic licence renewals.