Who should bear the various agency fees incurred during the agency import of automobiles?
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I am new to the parallel import car business. Last month, I handled my first small-batch import order and hired someone to manage the import process. When signing the contract, we only noted the agency fee amount and failed to clarify who would cover miscellaneous costs such as customs clearance, logistics, and warehousing.
Now that the goods have arrived at the port, the other party suddenly demands that I pay these additional expenses. I previously assumed these were included in the agency fee and to be covered by the other party. The cargo is currently stuck at the port, incurring demurrage fees daily.
If this remains unresolved, the goods will be detained. I am extremely anxious about this situation. I would like to clarify: under normal agency import of automobiles, who should bear the various types of fees? Furthermore, if this was not agreed upon beforehand, how can I resolve this issue now?
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
Many small agents in the industry habitually obscure fee divisions，deliberately avoiding specifying the fee bearer in the contract，and later transfer hidden miscellaneous costs to the principal. This not only raises overall import costs but also triggers trade disputes. In serious cases，cargo may be held up due to fee disputes，generating demurrage，or even detained by customs，dragging down the cash flow of small and medium-sized import car dealers.
Under the traditional vague division model，principals often bear 15%-20% of unnecessary costs and miss the best customs clearance timing. Conventionally，the division of agency import car fees follows the industry practice of "whoever commissions bears the cost," unless the trade contract explicitly specifies in advance that the overseas seller bears all import agency and related miscellaneous costs.
Regarding the current dispute，you can first negotiate to sign a supplementary agreement based on industry conventions to clarify the fee bearer. For future cooperation，you need to list all fee details in advance and include them in the contract，agree on the premium fluctuation range，and utilize VAT deferment to optimize capital occupation costs，settling finally according to the agreement. If additional costs such as demurrage have already been incurred and were not agreed upon in advance，the responsible party shall bear the corresponding loss.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
Customs declaration fees and valuation-related miscellaneous costs in the import process need to be confirmed based on the customs declaration entity. If the agent declares in their own name, costs are usually agreed in advance to be borne by the principal; if declared in the seller's name, the paying entity needs to be clarified in advance.
For disputes over unspecified fees, responsibility can be confirmed via the operating unit information on the customs declaration form. If the operating unit is the agent and not agreed in advance, the agent bears the corresponding responsibility for the contract ambiguity; if the operating unit is the principal, fees default to the principal.
Re-inspection and appraisal fees arising during valuation: if the declared price is compliant and uncontroversial, the principal bears the cost; if caused by the agent's declaration error, the agent bears the cost. After the 2026 update to the customs clearance integration system, all fee payment records can be queried online, and records can be directly accessed to evidence the division of rights and responsibilities.
RobertYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Warehouse Management AdvisorStart a Chat
Logistics-related fees such as demurrage and detention, storage fees, and inland trucking fees after the car arrives at the port follow this rule: under FOB terms, the buyer (principal) bears them; under CIF terms, the seller bears sea freight, but local logistics fees after arrival still default to the principal. If the shipping company rolls the container or changes the port causing extra fees: if caused by the agent's booking error, the agent bears it; if caused by force majeure or the shipping company's own reasons, insurance claims can be applied for; if uninsured, it defaults to the principal.
In 2026, most major ports allow an application for up to 7 days of extended free storage time. Agency imports can apply in advance; if the agent fails to apply in advance causing extra storage fees, the agent bears the corresponding cost.
JohnYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Export Tax Rebate AdvisorStart a Chat
Tariffs, consumption tax, and VAT for imported cars default to the principal (importer). If trade terms specify the duty-paid price includes all taxes, the seller bears them. In 2026, parallel import cars meeting requirements can apply for VAT deferment policy, eliminating the need to pay VAT in advance during import, effectively relieving the principal's financial pressure.
Financial costs arising from this deferment, if not agreed in advance, default to the principal enjoying the deferment policy; the agent only charges the agreed agency service fee and bears no tax cost. For import car business involving cross-border related transactions, if additional taxes arise from transfer pricing, the responsible party bears them; if caused by the agent's planning error, the agent bears them.
EllaYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Financial AdvisorStart a Chat
Cross-border payment and collection fees and exchange conversion fees in the agency process default to the principal. If the agent provides FX hedging services, extra hedging fees need to be agreed in advance; if not, they default to the principal. In 2026, CIPS RMB cross-border payment covers most import car trade source countries; using RMB settlement reduces exchange loss.
Fees arising from this settlement method change, if agreed by the principal, are borne by the principal; if not agreed, by the agent. Bank fees and message processing fees arising during payment: smaller amounts are usually included in the agency fee; parts exceeding standard levels are borne by the principal.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
The fee-bearing clause is core in an import car agency contract. If not explicitly agreed, according to Incoterms 2020 and domestic laws, the principal shall repay necessary expenses advanced by the agent for handling entrusted affairs and pay interest. Therefore, all third-party fees generated during the agency import process default to the principal, and the agent only charges the agreed agency fee.
If the agent deliberately hides fee details and induces the principal to sign a vague contract, the principal can claim to rescind the contract and require the agent to bear additional losses. For business involving title transfer, fee division must be tied to the title delivery node: costs before delivery are borne by the seller, after delivery by the buyer.
CharlotteYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Currency Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
Devanning fees, inspection service fees, and sample submission and appraisal fees arising during customs inspection default to the principal. If inspection shows no violation, the principal bears the cost. If inspection finds goods inconsistent with declaration: if the problem is the agent's declaration error, the agent bears it; if the seller shipped wrong goods, the seller bears it.
In 2026, on-site customs inspection has implemented smart appointment; if the agent fails to prepare documents in advance as required causing inspection delays and extra fees, the agent bears them. Inspection fees due to seal anomalies: if the agent failed to check seal info promptly after loading, the agent bears them.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
Vehicle securing, moisture-proof, and anti-rust packaging costs during sea transport: conventional division is pre-shipment packaging by seller. If the agent requires extra reinforcement for ocean transport requirements, extra reinforcement costs, if agreed by the principal, are borne by the principal; if not agreed, by the agent.
For new energy import cars, batteries are dangerous goods and require UN dangerous goods packaging. Extra costs for this compliant packaging, if not agreed in advance, default to the principal; the agent must inform of packaging requirements in advance; fines for non-compliance due to failure to inform are borne by the agent. MSDS preparation fees default to being included in the agency fee; the principal does not pay extra.
OliviaYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
Fee division for import car agency business needs adjustment combined with the overall supply chain architecture. For batch imports, logistics costs can be reduced via chartering whole vessels; cost savings from this agent supply chain integration, by convention, belong entirely to the principal, and the agent only charges the agreed agency fee, so conventional fee division rules can adapt to import business of different scales.
If converting CIF terms to FOB terms, with the agent responsible for sea freight booking, sea freight is still borne by the principal, but the agent can get preferential rates via batch booking, reducing the principal's overall cost. For inventory-linked import car business, arrival time can be planned in advance to reduce demurrage; cost savings from this planning belong to the principal, and extra planning costs are usually included in the agency fee.