How long does customs clearance take?

Customs clearance is the most variable part of an international shipment. For most parcels it takes a few hours to a few days — but duties, inspections and paperwork can stretch it to a week or more. Here's what to expect.

Typical clearance times

Low-value express parcels with complete paperwork often clear in hours to 1–2 days. Standard postal and ocean shipments commonly take 3–7 days, and can run longer during peak periods.

What slows clearance down

Missing or incorrect commercial invoices, undervalued declarations, restricted goods, random inspections, and unpaid duties or taxes are the biggest causes of delay.

What 'held at customs' means

It usually means the shipment is awaiting duty payment, document review or inspection — not that anything is wrong. The carrier or broker will contact you if they need a payment or a document.

How to speed it up

Pay any requested duties promptly, provide requested documents fast, and make sure the declared value and contents are accurate. A licensed customs broker — like the ones Rumbo uses for freight — clears shipments faster because the paperwork is right the first time.

Track your package now

Paste any tracking number — ParcelTrack detects the carrier and shows the live status.

FAQ

Why is my package stuck in customs?

Most often it's awaiting duty payment, document review, or a routine inspection. Check your email and tracking for a payment request from the carrier, and pay it promptly to release the parcel.

Do I have to pay customs fees?

It depends on the destination country's thresholds and the declared value. Above the duty-free limit, the carrier collects duties and taxes (plus sometimes a handling fee) before delivery.