Can obtaining the "Dangerous Chemicals Business License" and the "Import License" ensure smooth customs clearance?Last year,out of the 12 Class I chemical import cases I handled,seven failed due to "non-compliance with regulatory details without approval documents" — either the MSDS version didn’t match and the goods were detained for three days,or label translation errors led to returns,resulting in a loss of 80,000 yuan in demurrage fees.What’s more troublesome is that once the customs add the company to the "Key Supervision List",the subsequent three months of customs declarations will be subject to stricter inspections.

The "invisible threshold" for declaring a certain category of chemical products: the real challenge lies not in obtaining the necessary approvals,but in failing to establish a complete compliance system

A category of chemical products (such as flammable liquids and corrosive substances)The core issue is not whether there is an approval document,but rather ensuring full-chain compliance beyond the approval process.According to the "Regulations on the Safety Management of Hazardous Chemicals" (State Council Decree No.591) and the General Administration of Customs Announcement No.129 of 2020,the import of Class I chemical products must meet three requirements: "document compliance,label compliance,and property compliance".Any failure in any of these three aspects will result in a failed customs clearance.

Class 1 Chemical Import Customs Declaration Compliance SOP: 5 Steps to Handle the Whole Process

Step 1: Prepare the core documents (to be completed 7 days before customs declaration)

Output:

• **MandatoryDocuments**:"ImportLicense"(issuedbytheMinistryofCommerceorlocalEconomicandInformationCommission),ChineseandEnglishMSDS(compliantwithGB/T16483-2008),"IdentificationReportonHazardousCharacteristics"(issuedbyathird-partytestingagency),"InspectionResultSheetforPerformanceofTransportPackagingforDangerousGoods"(issuedbytheCommodityInspectionBureau).
• SupportingDocuments:Commercialinvoice,packinglist,billoflading(notethatthebillofladingmustindicatethewords"dangerousgoods").

Step 2: Pre-audit the documents (to be completed three days before customs declaration).

Output:

Key points to verify include:

• Doesthe"Part14:TransportationInformation"oftheMSDSincludetheUNnumberandthepackagingcategory(suchasClassIIpackaging)?
• Isthe"Conclusion"sectionofthe"IdentificationReport"clearaboutwhetherit"belongstoCategoryIhazardouschemicals"?
• Dothelabelshave"dangerwarningsigns"(suchastheflameiconforflammableliquids)and"emergencyconsultationphonenumbers"?

Step 3: Customs declaration (to be completed one day before the arrival of the goods)

Output:

When entering declaration information in the "China International Trade Single Window",you need to:

• Checkthe"HazardousChemicals"optioninthe"ProductInformation"column.
• Uploadthescannedcopiesofthe"HazardousCharacteristicsClassificationandIdentificationReport"andtheMaterialSafetyDataSheet(MSDS).
• Intheremarkscolumn,pleasefillin"UNnumber+packagingcategory"(forexample,"UN1170,ClassIIpackaging").

Step 4: On-site Inspection (to be completed within one day after the goods arrive)

Output:

When undergoing customs inspection,you need to cooperate with the customs officers to complete the following procedures:

• ChecktheconsistencyofthecargolabelswiththeMSDS(forexample,whetherthe"dangerouscategory"onthelabelisconsistentwiththeMSDSinPart2).
• Providesamplesforreference(ifnecessaryfortesting,thesamplesneedtobesenttothedesignatedlaboratory,whichwilltake2-3days).

Step 5: Release and Storage (to be completed on the same day after the inspection is passed)

Output:

After release,need to:

• Transportthegoodstoawarehousethathasthequalificationtostoredangerousgoods(itisnecessarytocheckthescopeofthewarehouse’sOperatingPermitforDangerousChemicals).
• Keepallcustomsdeclarationmaterials(includingdocumentsandinspectionrecords)foratleastthreeyears(thecustomswillconductspotchecks).

Secrets Old Freight Forwarders Won’t Tell: The "Tax + Legal" Double Insurance for Class 1 Chemical Customs Declaration

1.Tax Traps: Some Class I chemical products are classified as "consumption taxable products" (such as gasoline,diesel,and solvent oil),and when declaring them,you need to select the corresponding consumption tax code in the "Product Code" (e.g.2710121000,gasoline).If you fail to select the correct code,you will be required to pay back taxes and penalties (5% per day) at a later stage.

2.Legal Skills: When signing contracts with foreign suppliers,it is necessary to add a "Seller’s Guarantee Clause" - "The seller guarantees that the MSDS and labels provided comply with Chinese GB standards.If the customs clearance fails due to errors in the MSDS or labels,the seller shall bear the costs of return shipment and demurrage fees." Last year,one of my clients successfully claimed 120,000 yuan in return shipment losses from the supplier based on this clause.

Three things you can do this afternoon: Reduce the customs declaration risk to 0

• RetrievetheMSDSforthemostrecentimportedClassIchemicalproductandcheckwhetherthereisaUNnumberandpackagingcategoryin"Part14".
• Contactthewarehouseandrequestascannedcopyofthe"DangerousChemicalsBusinessLicense",toconfirmthatitsstoragescopeincludesyourcargocategory(suchas"flammableliquids").
• Askthedocumentalisttoaddthe"DangerousCharacteristicsClassificationandIdentificationReport"tothe"ChecklistforPre-DeclarationInspection"andmarkitas"tobecompletedbeforedeclaration".