
Export agentWhat basic fees are typically included in the service charge?
The mainstream agency service fee structure for 2025 consists of three core components:Basic Service CostsandValue Added ServicesandEmergency handling fee.The basic service fee is usually calculated in the following manner:
- customs clearanceDeclaration fee: Fixed cost (500-2000 RMB/order) or 0.08%-0.15% of the cargo value
- Document Handling Fee: Charged per document (300-800 RMB)
- Logistics coordination fee: 0.05%-0.1% of the cargo value
How does the variation in cargo value affect the calculation of handling fees?
Taking the agency fee benchmark published by the General Administration of Customs in 2023 as an example (the tiered fee structure will still apply in 2025):
- For goods valued below 500,000: Total rate 1.2%-1.8%
- Including basic customs declaration + document preparation + basic logistics coordination
- Goods value 500,000-2 million: Total rate 0.9%-1.2%
- Goods value over 2 million: Total rate 0.6%-0.9%
Which value-added services may incur additional charges?
Common value-added service charges requiring special attention:
- Special Document Services
- Certificate of Origin: 800-1500 RMB/copy
- Embassy certification: 2000-5000 RMB per copy
- Expedited service fees
- 24-hour urgent customs declaration: 200% of the base fee
- Holiday Operation: 150% Service Charge
How to identify the hidden fee trap?
The 2025 industry survey reveals four hidden fees to be wary of:
- Exchange rate difference compensation fee (0.3%-0.5%)
- Contingency reserve for abnormal situations (1%-3% of the cargo value)
- Document modification fee (200-500 RMB/time)
- Storage overdue fee (50-200 yuan/day)
DifferentTrade termsImpact on handling fees?
According to the latest 2025 edition of INCOTERMS rules:
- FOB terms: Agency fees reduce logistics costs (total rate decreased by 0.2%-0.3%).
- CIF terms: Additional insurance coordination fee (0.05% of cargo value + documentation fee of 300 RMB)
- DDP terms: Prepayment of destination country tax and fee deposit required (5%-10% of the cargo value).
5 Money-Saving Tips Worth Keeping.
- Choose a combo package service (save up to 30%)
- Advance declaration time (avoiding the expedited period)
- Standardized document templates (to reduce the number of revisions)
- Annual Framework Agreement (Tiered Rebate 2%-5%)
- Apply for simple certification independently (e.g., independently apply for ECO).
How to verify the reasonableness of proxy quotes?
It is recommended to adopt the version recommended by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in 2025.Three - Party Price Comparison Method:
- Obtain quotations from more than three Class A qualified agents.
- Compare the completeness of billing details items.
- Verify the benchmark rates published by the China Customs Brokers Association.
- Confirm whether it includes the annual policy change response service.