In plain words
While goods are in a bonded warehouse, the duties and taxes are suspended. You pay them only when you clear the goods for import (release for free circulation). If you send the goods to another country instead, you usually do not pay them at all.
This helps when you do not yet know where the goods will be sold, when you want to clear them in smaller lots as you sell them, or when goods are in transit. Customs controls what goes in and out, and the warehouse keeps exact stock records. Some simple handling, like repacking or labelling, may be allowed with customs approval. Storage fees still apply.
Example from real shipping
A trader imports 10 containers of tyres into an antrepo near Istanbul. It clears 2 containers for the Turkish market each month and pays the duties only on those. Later, it sells 3 containers to a buyer in Georgia. These leave the antrepo under a transit procedure, and no Turkish import duty is paid on them.
Related terms
- StorageStorage is a fee for keeping cargo or a container at a port, terminal, airport, or warehouse. It is usually charged per day after a free period.
- T1A T1 is a customs transit declaration. It lets goods travel through a customs territory under customs control, without paying import duties and taxes on the way.
- Customs brokerA customs broker is a licensed professional who prepares and submits customs declarations for importers and exporters, and deals with customs for them.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.