What is an import-export agency company? What is the essential difference from self-operated import-export?

Import-export agency companies are professional service institutions holdingthe Peoples Republic of China Customscustoms clearanceCustoms Unit Registration Certificate,issued by the General Administration of Customs. Their core function is to represent enterprises without import-export qualifications or operational capabilities to complete the entire international trade process. The main differences from self-operated import-export are reflected in:

• Legal entity difference: Under agency model, customs declaration documents use the agency companys name, while self-operated mode uses the enterprises own qualifications
• Risk assumption mechanism: Compliant agency companies providefull-process liability endorsement, including document compliance, tax payment on behalf, etc.
• Operational cost structure: Agency model can save fixed costs such as customs system maintenance and professional team building

Six core needs for enterprises choosing import-export agency services in 2025

According to Q1 2025 statistics from Chinas General Administration of Customs, SMEs using agency services grew by 23% year-on-year, with main demand concentrated in:

• Demand due to qualification deficiencies: Manufacturing enterprises without import-export rights
• Professional outsourcing demand: Compliance clearance for emerging business models like cross-border e-commerce
• Cost optimization demand: Avoiding HR costs of building in-house foreign trade teams (approximately 40% operational cost savings)
• Special regulatory demand: Import-export of special commodities like medical devices and hazardous chemicals
• Trade remedy demand: Responding to international trade disputes such as anti-dumping investigations
• Digital service demand: Connecting with digital systems like the Single Window and Electronic Port

How to verify an agency companys professional qualifications? 2025 essential verification checklist

When selecting agency service providers, its recommended to verify qualifications at the following levels:

• Basic Qualifications:
  • Customs registration code (10-digit)
  • Foreign Exchange Administration records
• Value-added qualifications:
  • AEO certification (preferably Advanced Certified Enterprises)
  • Special commodity operation permits (e.g., hazardous chemicals, food)
• Service capability verification:
  • No customs administrative penalties in the past 3 years (verifiable via China Customs Enterprise Import-Export Credit Information Publicity Platform)
  • Maximum single transaction amount and complex business handling capability in cooperation cases

How are agency service fees structured? 2025 market price range analysis

Standard agency company fees typically include:

• Basic Service Costs: 0.5%-1.2% of cargo value (depending on HS code risk level)
• Fund occupation fee: Advanced tax payments at 30%-50% above LPR benchmark interest rate
• Value Added Services:
  • Certificate of Origin:200-500
  • Testing and certification services: Starting from 1500 RMB/project

Special attention is neededTax-inclusive modelegal risks - Customs has strengthened inspections of such violations in 2025.

Three key legal risk avoidance points in import-export agency cooperation

• Contract Terms: Must clearly define responsibility division and compensation mechanisms for customs declaration errors
• Certificate management: Recommended to require agency companies to provideOriginal customs declaration form retention copy
• Security of funds: Foreign exchange payments should be processed through the agency companys bank supervision account

Typical case: In 2024, an electromechanical enterprise was penalized due to irregular declarations by its agency company, as stipulated in the contractFull compensation clauseSuccessfully recovered losses.

New development trends of agency services in the digital era of 2025

Leading agency companies have achieved:

• Intelligent customs clearance system: Connects with customs big data for automatic declaration element verification
• Blockchain Traceability: Full-process electronic documents chained for evidence storage
• Trade compliance alerts: Real-time monitoring of trade regulation changes in 200+ countries worldwide

It is recommended to prioritize service providers withAPI integration capabilityto achieve data interoperability with corporate ERP systems.