Question about Exporting to Jamaica.
message: I have a family member that is living in Jamaica. We are trying to find out the laws of me buying stuff here in the US and shipping them to Jamaica where she can sell out of a store. I just need help finding out if i need a license and if so what type. Are you able to help me with this question? Please let me know.
Answer:
You are asking a question that could have many potential
answers.
Most of the time, there are no licenses required to ship
something from country to country unless it is considered
hazardous like chemicals, weapons, etc..
If you are talking about large, container size shipments, then
you should talk with a freight forwarder to assist you. If you are
talking about boxes that can be shipped via the post office, you
can talk to someone at a reasonably sized post office.
If it is small enough to ship via the post office, it will most likely
be the cheaper way to both ship and get through customs. See
many times there are no restrictions or fees other than shipping
from the country a product ships from but there are fees (customs,
duties, etc) that are due by the buyer upon receipt.
You may also find some information posted at the US Postal web site at www.USPS.com - there is usually a customs form
you have to complete at the Post office showing what is in th e
package and the estimated value (this is how the receiving
country ends up taxing or charging customs).
As an example, we used to sell an automotive product on our
web site and in Canada, they charged about $25 on a $150 valued
item which was about 16 to 17% of the items value.
Fresh food items often require special handling due to bugs,
spoilage, etc..
Hope this will help get you pointed in the right direction.
Ron Coble
International Business Services