What does a customs entry writer do?
Customs entry writers are responsible for preparing, collating, and maintaining all documentation and records needed to clear goods through US customs. They should precisely classify all imported goods and then gather the important documentation, together with cargo-control papers, certificates of origin, and customs invoices. They are to sign paperwork for clients using power of attorney, record any customs rejections, and answer client inquiries about the status of their goods. Additionally, they will monitor all duties and taxes owed, make payments on behalf of the client, tariff adjustments, and apply for duty drawbacks and other refunds. In other instances, they may represent clients in meetings with customs officials and arrange for the storage and transportation of goods that have cleared with customs.
Customs entry writer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real customs entry writer resumes:
- Manage inbound shipments for NAFTA and Europe.
- Manage, maintain and review CIP, CDD and EDD documentation of current and propose clients.
- Work with domestics and OUS freight forwarders to obtain documentation prior to shipment arrival.
- Examine various documents including invoices, bill of ladings, NAFTA, ITAR, shipping documents.
- Provide these numbers to the FDA and other government agencies so that they can be ship to their assign locations.
- Process all entries via ABI in a compliant manner to ensure that all CBP and other government agency requirements are fulfill.
- Handle all FDA/ USDA entries.
- Coordinate with customers to classify new commodities according to HTS.
- Clear shipments and alert responsible forwarders of clearance in timely manner.
- Coordinate delivery of FCL and LCL status with carriers and CFS.
- Determine country of origin and other NAFTA criteria for chemical products.
- Process duty check payment to U.S. Customs, billing and ISF filing.
- Process weekly report for duty due and review daily ACH statement for payment.
- Post bonds for the products being import or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
- Categorize payroll record to be used for journal entries and workers compensation report.
Customs entry writer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 21% of Customs Entry Writers are proficient in Customer Service, Data Entry, and CBP.
We break down the percentage of Customs Entry Writers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 21%
Provided high quality customer service, ensuring goods are delivered timely and accurately in order to avoid unnecessary charges.
- Data Entry, 7%
Worked to efficiently solve any customer issues or concerns, Data entry, scheduled appointments and maintained customer orders.
- CBP, 6%
Work with CBP to prepare and file all documentation required for goods to clear customs and enter the US.
- Sops, 6%
Follow SOPS for each customer on the correct method and data required for preparing an entry.
- Customs Regulations, 5%
Received ongoing professional development in new and updated U.S. customs regulations.
- Invoice, 4%
Cleared all shipments utilizing Automated Invoice Interface and Remote Location Filing.
Most customs entry writers use their skills in "customer service," "data entry," and "cbp" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential customs entry writer responsibilities here:
The three companies that hire the most customs entry writers are:
- Kuehne+Nagel37 customs entry writers jobs
- Yusen Logistics28 customs entry writers jobs
- C.H. Robinson15 customs entry writers jobs
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Compare different customs entry writers
Customs entry writer vs. Trade facilitator
An import coordinator, also known as import-export coordinator, is an individual who is responsible for handling the logistics of transporting goods into the country and serving as the liaison between sellers and customers. Import coordinators must arrange shipments and handle monetary exchange rates as well as communicate relevant information to national and international customers and sales companies. They must maintain the status report for all shipments while collaborating with various departments for the release of all goods from customs. Import coordinators must also collaborate with the inventory planning team to ensure clearance and delivery of all import goods.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between customs entry writers and trade facilitator. For instance, customs entry writer responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "data entry," "cbp," and "sops." Whereas a trade facilitator is skilled in "hotel reservations," "customer relationships," "pl/sql," and "documentation process." This is part of what separates the two careers.
On average, trade facilitators reach similar levels of education than customs entry writers. Trade facilitators are 3.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Customs entry writer vs. Import coordinator
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, customs entry writer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "sops," "invoice," "customer satisfaction," and "strong customer service." Meanwhile, an import coordinator has duties that require skills in areas such as "logistics," "close liaison," "purchase orders," and "air freight." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, import coordinators earn a lower salary than customs entry writers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, import coordinators earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $44,075. Whereas customs entry writers have higher pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $47,458.In general, import coordinators achieve higher levels of education than customs entry writers. They're 5.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Customs entry writer vs. Prime broker
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, customs entry writers are more likely to have skills like "customer service," "data entry," "cbp," and "sops." But a prime broker is more likely to have skills like "hedge funds," "securities," "foreign exchange," and "margin."
Most prime brokers achieve a similar degree level compared to customs entry writers. For example, they're 2.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Customs entry writer vs. Customs compliance analyst
Even though a few skill sets overlap between customs entry writers and customs compliance analysts, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a customs entry writer might have more use for skills like "customer service," "data entry," "sops," and "invoice." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of customs compliance analysts require skills like "logistics," "customs compliance," "import export," and "export compliance. "
In general, customs compliance analysts hold higher degree levels compared to customs entry writers. Customs compliance analysts are 5.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of customs entry writer
Updated January 8, 2025
