In our experience, having the correct paperwork and the appropriate licenses for customs clearance can be more problematic than the shipping itself – especially for shipments containing restricted items such as firearms, blades, ivory and certain classes of gemstone.

But don’t worry: at Antique Shippers, sorting out the paperwork is all part of the service.

We’ll tell you what licenses and other paperwork you need to clear customs, depending on the nature of your shipment and where it’s going, when you place your order. Then we’ll obtain the necessary information and fill in the forms for you.

Given our experience, there are unlikely to be any hiccups – but if there are, we’ll work through the problem until the shipment is cleared on your behalf.

Among the licence and other permissions we regularly obtain in order to clear customs are:

Customs clearance for CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

Based on our extensive experience of shipping items involving CITES, we can help customers apply for the necessary permits and walk them through the application process. However, we must remind customers that a successful outcome can never be guaranteed, since rules and regulations within individual countries change all the time.

Items are generally delivered door to door.However, in some countries it is mandatory to use a local broker to manage the clearance process. In such cases, responsibility for engaging a broker rests with the client.

Duties and Taxes

Some items are subject to duties and taxes, which vary from country to country and on what is being sent. Unfortunately we cannot quote in advance for such charges, and responsibility for payment rests with the sender/receiver.