How to Ship from China to the USA

Step 1: Choose how the goods will travel

There are three realistic ways to ship from China to the USA, and the right one depends on how much you are moving, what it is worth, and when you need it.

• Sea freight, full container (FCL): the lowest cost per unit once you fill most of a 20 or 40 foot container.
• Sea freight, shared container (LCL): you pay for the cubic meters you use. Good for a few pallets.
• Air freight: usually 5 to 8 days door to door into LAX or San Diego International. Worth it for launches, restocks, and high-value goods.
• Express courier: 3 to 6 days for samples and small urgent cartons.

Step 2: Agree the Incoterm with your supplier

The Incoterm on your purchase order decides where the supplier’s job ends and yours begins. EXW means you collect from the factory door. FOB means the supplier delivers to the port in China and you pay from there. DDP means the goods arrive at your door with duty already paid.

Many first-time importers accept a supplier’s “shipping included” quote without checking what it covers. Often it stops at a US port, and the importer then gets a bill for clearance, duty, and delivery. Read our DDU vs DDP shipping guide before you sign.

Step 3: Get the paperwork right before it ships

Customs clearance runs on documents. Missing or inconsistent paperwork is the most common reason a shipment is held.

• Commercial invoice with a clear product description, value, and country of origin
• Packing list with carton counts, weights, and dimensions
• Bill of lading for sea freight or air waybill for air
• ISF (10+2) for ocean cargo, filed at least 24 hours before loading
• Any permits or certificates your product needs (FDA, CPSC, EPA, FCC, and others)

Step 4: Clear US customs

When your cargo reaches the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, a licensed customs broker files the entry, classifies the goods under the right HTS code, and pays the duty on your behalf. You need an importer of record number, usually your EIN, and a customs bond for formal entries.

Most goods from China carry Section 301 tariffs on top of the normal duty rate, and the duty-free de minimis exemption no longer applies to Chinese goods. Get the classification checked before you order so the landed cost is not a surprise.

Step 5: Final delivery

After release, the goods are trucked to your warehouse, a 3PL, a retail distribution center, or an Amazon fulfillment center. Book the delivery before the goods arrive. Ports and terminals charge daily once free time runs out.

What changes when the goods are going to San Diego

Very little Asia container traffic calls directly at San Diego, so ocean cargo for San Diego businesses clears at Los Angeles or Long Beach and trucks south, about two hours. Budget that leg into your delivered cost. San Diego importers who also buy from Mexico can combine an ocean lane from China with land freight through Otay Mesa, and it pays to use one broker for both so the entries, bond, and classifications line up.

Or hand the whole move to one team

You can manage each step with a different company, or use a door-to-door freight forwarder from China to the USA that runs pickup, freight, customs, and delivery as one job. See how it works, or compare sea freight and air freight and express.