How to fill out a customs form

Every package that leaves the US — and every package headed to an APO/FPO/DPO address or a US territory — needs a customs declaration. The good news: Octoship builds the form for you and prints it right on your label. You just need to tell us what's inside, what it's worth, and where it was made. This guide walks through each field and the mistakes that most often leave packages sitting in a customs warehouse.

Which form will I get?#

Postal services such as USPS, Canada Post and Royal Mail use the CN22/CN23 family; courier services like UPS, FedEx and DHL Express use a commercial invoice. Historically USPS used two forms: the small green CN22 for lower-value, lightweight packages and the larger CN23 for everything else. Today USPS customs data is submitted electronically, and Octoship picks the right format automatically based on the service, weight, and declared value. You don't need to buy, fill in, or stick on a separate paper form.

Filling out the form, field by field#

1. 1
   Pick a contents type

   Choose Merchandise for anything a customer bought. Use Gift only for true gifts with no payment involved, Documents for paperwork, Returned goods when sending an item back, and Sample for free product samples. Marking a sale as a gift to dodge duties is customs fraud — and customs officers have seen that trick before.

2. 2
   Describe each item specifically

   Write what the item actually is, in plain words: “Women's cotton t-shirt”, not “Clothing”; “Ceramic coffee mug”, not “Gift”. Vague descriptions like “Parts”, “Merchandise”, or “Stuff” are the number-one reason packages get held.

3. 3
   Enter quantity, weight, and value per line

   Each line item gets its own quantity, net weight, and total value for that line (unit price × quantity). Use the amount the customer actually paid, in US dollars. Shipping charges don't go in the item value.

4. 4
   Add an HS tariff code

   The Harmonized System code is a 6-digit number that classifies your product worldwide (for example, 6109.10 covers cotton t-shirts). Many countries now require it, and it drives the duty estimate. Octoship suggests codes as you type a description (see finding the right HS code), and you can save codes to your products so you never look them up twice.

5. 5
   Set the country of origin

   This is where the item was manufactured, not where you're shipping from. A mug made in China and sold from Ohio has an origin of China.

6. 6
   Sign and print

   Check the box certifying the information is accurate. Your typed name acts as the signature. Octoship merges the customs data into your label so one print does it all.

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What gets packages stuck at customs#

• Vague descriptions. “Gift”, “Sample”, or “Goods” invite inspection.
• Undervalued items. Declaring $5 for a $60 jacket can lead to delays, fines, or the package being returned at your expense.
• Missing recipient phone or email. Many carriers and customs offices need to contact the recipient about duties.
• Restricted contents. Items allowed in the US may be banned elsewhere — see restricted and prohibited items.
• Missing tax IDs. EU, UK, and some other destinations may require an IOSS or VAT number — see shipping to the EU, UK and Canada.

High-value shipments and EEI filing#

If any single type of item (by Schedule B / HS code) in your shipment is worth more than $2,500, or the item requires an export license, US export rules generally require Electronic Export Information (EEI) to be filed through AESDirect before you ship. You'll then enter the resulting ITN on your customs form. Below that value, Octoship automatically applies the standard exemption. Read more in export compliance and EEI filing.

After you ship#

International tracking usually goes quiet for a few days between leaving the US and arriving in the destination country — that's normal. If a package shows “Held in customs” for more than a week, the recipient's local post or the carrier usually needs something from them (often duties or ID). Still stuck? Send us a message with the tracking number and we'll help you figure out the next move.